I Hate Petsmart

[andyparade]

So, I constantly read praise for Petsmart on these forums. I must admit, the prices and toys/gyms at the Petsmart here in Tucson are absolutely awesome. It seems like the care for the animals, at least at my local store, is fairly good. The cages are cleaned frequently and the animals all seem in good health, more or less. The root of my hate for this store though, stems in where they get their animals from. Just like puppy mills, cruelty exists in breeding warehouses for bird mills. I assume I'll be getting a parade of Petsmart supporters claiming that their store is somehow unique from the rest. Just know that these stores are getting their pets from the same places. Before the hate mail starts flying towards me, please please watch the video on this page illustrating the cruelty these animals go through.
PetSmart Cruelty

As always, the video does show some fairly bias footage that doesn't necessarily show the clearest depiction of the cruelty that goes on in these mills. For example, DNA testing may not be as unbearable as the video attempts to portray it as. But, taking five minutes to read some articles after you watch this video will seriously make you reconsider where you buy your pets and who you should support when buying their supplies. Animals are beautiful, compassionate beings and should be treated as such.

If you'd like any links to first hand accounts of Petsmart cruelty, including those of Petsmart employees, just write me. I can also send pamphlets to anyone's home address if they would like.

Peace and Love,

-Andy

[amanda143]

Actually, when I supported our local petsmart I got hate mail! =P Anyway, I agree that pet stores are less than desirable but that's the way the system works. Can't really go after the pet stores when it goes even higher than that. If you want to change the system you have to go to the top.

[IlovemyHanna]

Petsmart is no good!! Like puppy mills, they got their birds from, so called bird mills. They didn't care how the birds were treated. That is why PETA went after Petsmart and not only them, but Petco as well! I went into Petsmart the other day and they no longer have a variety of different species of birds, gee I wonder why. I go to my local small petstore now. I know where they get their birds and that they are not being abused. Down, with Petsmart and Petco i.m.o.!

[marti375]

Ok, So I watched the video and it was on the condtions in the store not their breeders. Your not going to be able to stop it all but it helps when the store is run by people that care. I work for a delivery service that does business with Petsmart and there are a few managers out there that do care. The quality and the cleanlyness of the store does reflect that.

[tabooh]

I have no clue about pets smart, but I do know that Pj's pet store here in Toronto are buying there dogs from not so great sources . very sickly dogs at times, and years back when I was completely green about puppy mills and pet stores, will I did get one and the vets office nearly became my home for the four months that I had the pup. and will over $2,000 later and this experience had taught me first hand just how lousy pet stores are at least when it came to selling puppies.

[hollyhawkz]

Does anyone know if petsmart in Canada is the same??

[Dana64]

Originally Posted by tabooh

I have no clue about pets smart, but I do know that Pj's pet store here in Toronto are buying there dogs from not so great sources . very sickly dogs at times, and years back when I was completely green about puppy mills and pet stores, will I did get one and the vets office nearly became my home for the four months that I had the pup. and will over $2,000 later and this experience had taught me first hand just how lousy pet stores are at least when it came to selling puppies.

Tabooh.... do you live in Tacoma, WA or in Toronto? I'm confused. As for PJs, you are absolutely correct. They get their dogs from puppy mills. I know this because my 14 year old Shih Tzu is a Quebec born/bred puppy mill puppy I purchased from PJs when he was only 8 weeks old. I paid $1200 for him over 14 yrs ago. He was that "doggy in the window" syndrome that I couldn't leave the store without. LUCKY for me, Pigi (pronounced like Gigi, only with a "P") has been 100% healthy and I have never had a lick of trouble with him. I know I am LUCKY. Had I known then (I was "green" back then too!), what I found out after the fact, I would not have gotten him and I would have missed out on one of the best pets I have ever had. He has been my BFF, and loyal companion all this time. It's such a double-edged sword. You want to get that puppy because you know you can provide a waaaayyy better life than how the puppy's life started out... at the same time, when you DO purchase that puppy, you are supporting the puppy mills.

As for PetSmart in Toronto, I can only assume their policies are the same as in the States, although I have no "proof"...

I DO know this. When SUPERPET was here in Toronto a few years back (they have since pulled out of Canada) they "hatched" their own parrots. My CAG Mackie was just such a parrot. He was purchased as a fertilized egg, put in an incubator in the store's "baby room" and once hatched, hand fed by staffers until he was weaned. They never taught him to fly either. From research I have done, fertilized eggs TODAY go for around $50 for CAG... so 7+ years ago I would imagine they were much cheaper. He was purchased for $1800.... the markup is unreal.

I know PJs in Pickering has a "baby room"... but I do not know for sure if they purchase fertilized eggs, or if they buy baby parrots and finish the hand feeding/weaning process themselves....

PetSmart in Toronto does not deal in birds larger than Conures... they mostly carry Cockatiels, Parrotlets, Budgies and Finches.

[shosh]

Word is, Dana, that PJ's in Yorkdale is going out of business.....too expensive. I find that hard to believe since they've been there FOREVER!! Who knows why...I only know that there prices are crazy high.
I have rarely had problems with Petsmart, to be honest. The condition of their birds, at least the ones I have been to, have always been good, and they are in large cages with lots of toys and good food. There is a beautiful Princess of Wales parakeet, however, that has been at one store for FAR too long. That always saddens me....they look to be taking excellent care of her, at least.

From what I have garnered, I think the Petsmarts in parts of the States are quite nasty....All I can say is I haven't seen any of that here. Thank God..and I do think their adoption programme in conjuction with local rescues does enormous good.

BTW, Dana.....had to collar Lucy....it's a softie cotton collar cuz she wiggled out of everything else and she is still wiggling around in this one but I had no choice. Took her to Links who x-rayed her damaged wing and found that whatever injury she had that had gone untreated from her previous owner had been so bad that Lucy had actually chewed through a ligament and her wing was almost fused to her body. Made me want to barf...

Anyhow, despite the Avicalm and the previous attempts with PNM of which neither worked, this seemed the only chance to try and get Lucy out of her self-mutilation habit. So sad....poor little girl.

Sorry I changed the subject....

[pippy]

Reading about this makes me wonder just why anyone would choose to buy a parrot from a pet shop?? Why not do the research, find a reputable breeder and buy from them?

It took me a while to find a breeder I was happy with but I'd have searched indefinitely and if I hadn't found one I simply wouldn't have bought my birds. I'd hate to be responsible for fuelling an operation such as those in that video. I'd be disgusted with myself.

[Dana64]

Originally Posted by shosh

Word is, Dana, that PJ's in Yorkdale is going out of business.....too expensive. I find that hard to believe since they've been there FOREVER!! Who knows why...I only know that there prices are crazy high.

Prices are high at Yorkdale because Yorkdale is a VERY upscale/high-end mall, most of the people that shop can AFFORD to shop there, so PJs priced themselves accordingly. I bought Pigi from PJs Sherway Mall, and I know they downsized their store there, and may even have closed their doors there as well. PJs in Pickering is a large store and by the looks of things are doing a booming business.

I have never bought any animals from PetSmart. In fact, I don't buy animals from petstores at all, anymore. That said, IF IF IF I walked into any pet store and I saw an animal in not-so-great conditions, I would probably buy just to "rescue" it...

As for Lucy... how is she? Have you stopped the AviCalm? Did you try the Featherific at all? Alot of parrots don't do well with a collar... I am so sorry that you are going through this... plucking is bad enough but when they start to mutililate themselves, it just becomes waaaayyy more stressful for both of you... if you need to talk, PM me and I'll give you my phone number... I'm cyber-hugging you right now Shosh!