Ohio Pet Store Aggrivation!!!

[Lori~D]

I had just a horrible Pet store experience today. "We Love Pets" in Mt Vernon, Ohio and they have two other stores as well. They are the only store I would ever consider any of my babies to go to. I sold her two females. usually they are gone in just a few days. I called today to see if she would like another. They have always taken good care and always clean. She said the other two hadn't sold but yes she would take one more. I got there and saw the dirty cage. FILTHY and Filthy water soup. They no longer had zupreem and had a cheap cockatiel mix full of huge sunflowers. They wouldn't even acknowledge my exsistance as they were too busy scratching around the rubble which came up all the way thru the bottom grate for food. No millet (they know these are babies). So I went to the clerk (the manager was busy with a customer) I called him aside careful NOT to embarrass him. I told him I wasn't happy with the way the babies were and I wasn't selling this one to them or any other for that matter and I left. I then called the other store and asked to speak to the district manager (owner not available). She was nice, agreed with me. We were both calm and professional. She said they were having a meeting tomorrow but that she would call the store and get it cleaned up. On my way home from town I got a call from the stores second line and they hung up. Then later got another call from the store asst manager who asked me about the situation and began interrupting me. Telling me I caused a scene and getting really loud. She told me they were no longer MY babies they were HER babies. I told her this conversation is over thru her shouting and hung up. I don't even know what else she was screaming but hubby could hear it across the room.
I waited for a bit and called the district manager back and told her what just happened. She said I will get a call from the corporate liaison (whatever that is) on Monday.
What really pisses me off about it was the fact that I went OUT OF MY WAY to not make a scene while she was busy telling the other customer how "most people research there pets before they come in and buy one" as she was lecturing them on the condition of the iguana they brought back for help. And there were two dog pound reps, (adoption day) about two feet from me that I know had no idea what I said. I didn't want to embarrass the teenage boy working there that I spoke to. Poor management is not his fault and he was new I know.
I cannot get my babies back unless I pay twice what I sold them for. NEVER again will I sell to any pet store. NEVER again will I go in there for supplies.
She did say I didn't know what I was talking about and man she pushed the wrong button. I have worked at two Top Chain pet stores, been a vet tech, been in the dog business for over twenty years and had a boutique bird store where I cared for more birds they could ever hold, BY MY SELF, and none ever looked that bad, EVER! I investigate many pet stores regularly and rarely see that kind of crap all over the bars and toys.
I wasn't even concerned about the size of the cages although they were in HALF of a small breeder cage because that is they way many pet stores operate to save space. But I usually see that as short term with parrotlets there.

Sorry to dump on you guys but my heart hurts for those little girls and I'm really sorry and mad all at the same time. I cannot afford to buy them back nor do I want to give them that satisfaction and profit.
I have a little green female left on my site that I will sell for WHOLESALE to one of you all before I will ever go back in there.

[dancelady]

I sure hope that the "liaison" calls you on Monday, and that they clean up the birds cage and food situation. You are right to be so upset, and yes, they ARE still your babies and you don't want to see this happen to them. You need to vent all you want to, and we will stand by you. If we all lived in Ohio, we'd be over there complaining about this. No one wants to raise nice babies and then have them live in such filth! Let's hope we can do something positive -- like get the manager fired, for example! Boy, I am certain that you will find something to do to help your birds....let's pray for them as a start.

[xafsmom]

Oh, I would be soooo pissed! I'd probably sit and seethe all weekend until I got that 'liasion' call. Heh.

I wish I didn't expend all my bird buying money lol, or I would buy that sweet little green baby from ya. But, I don't think you'll have any problem finding her a home!

[Lori~D]

Thats the problem - I do. Its the only reason I take some to that store. Without storefront exposure it seems NO One wants little green females. Any body who shops breeders and forums all want that something special. Males with the extra color and mutations. That is why Im getting out of breeding them. Hubby agreed we will keep the two young pairs one yellow and one now of two of my own blue but no more other than that, and I may only set them up once a year when they are old enough. Im going to keep them out with the rest of the birds - if they dont breed but are happy together then so be it. I just cannot do it anymore for this kind of reasons. I have another five eggs due to hatch around mothers day. Just seems like little green girls are so unwanted!
Oh and i am seething!!!!!
Then I had to come home and watch that poor filly die at the Derby today after running for second place. They run horses TOO YOUNG!!!!!!!

[Xen]

If only I was in the same country! A parrotlet is my next addition and a green girl sounds perfect to me!!

[KimM]

Phew! You've just had a crappy day! I'd would be very upset if my babies were mistreated and neglected in that way as well.

Could you call the SPCA or a local humane society to check the place out and tell them the conditions of the store? Maybe that would get them off their butts and keep the animals cared for as they should be.

I have called the humane society on residents before who were neglecting their animals and they did it for my anonymously. I didn't want them finding out I had reported for fear they would harm my pets.


And I agree with you, they do run horses too young. 2 years old is too young to be racing. Their bones aren't even finished developing yet.

[MicahEspudo]

Aww... thats just terrible. If I was in Ohio i would buy her, cause I am thinking about getting a little girl... and I would get a green one too. But that is messed up. Give pm their number so i can complain, even though I'm in california =)
...Wait the horse really died? I am going to kill whoever drove that horse to death!!! I hate it when people overwork humans... but animals... their defenseless :(

[Ashling]

Don't worry- people like that don't have a good quality of life. I know that doesn't help you babies though. I know you will, but please do all you can to see that this doesn't happen to another animal there again! And TRY to get this women fired. What a b*tch! What happned with that filly? I think they should only run mares, geldings and stallions- no colts or fillies. Let them grow! Dogs have to be 18 months old to compete in agility- you'd think purebred racing champions should have even stricter rules!

[Lori~D]

The filly crossed the finish line of the Kentucky Derby in second place (the only filly in the race of 20 horses) she came on strong in the end and was second by quite a few lengths but was five lengths behind first. Then she collapsed. With Compound Fractures in both front ankles they Euthanized her immediately.

That pet Store is a clean store - it was just the small bird cages that were so bad yesterday. And I wouldn't have been so mad if she had said something like I'm sorry we have been busy all week and short on staff blah blah, but she didn't - instead she chose to scream in my ear instead of apologizing and cleaning it up. If I EVER heard an employee under me talk to a customer like that they were gone in a heartbeat. If they were mad at someone stupid they were to take out their frustration in the back room NEVER on the clients or the animals even if the client was wrong. Which I was not and I tried to be as polite about it as possible. GAH!

[dancelady]

To anyone who saw the Kentucky Derby yesterday -- when Eight Belles crossed the finish line she was still fine, then along the first turn she did something that broke BOTH of her ankles at one time. How could this happen and did she do it on that new turf? This was the first time that horses had run on this special turf, and now I'm wondering if it was to blame for the filly's disaster. Anyone have any information?