fed up of pet shops being slagged off - Page 2

Jillyp · 16-12-2009, 04:10 PM

Much as I hate a certain chain, I have just as little time for smaller pet shops as well, sorry. I really find it hard to believe that they have the animals welfare at heart. As an example, a pet shop local to me sells tiny rabbit hutches that aren't even half the size of what is required under the animal welfare act. That's just for starters.

ziggy's owner · 16-12-2009, 06:36 PM

we sell all rabbits and guinea pigs to go in 4ft hutchs no smaller. and i have turned many people away from animals by telling them they aint for sale, if i dont think they really want them. also i give all my animals fresh veg daily, and mark out treats for them on a monthly basic, i am a livestock supervisor and my main job is to care for all livestock, if i dont like the way u act etc etc i wont sell u livestock, and i dont care if that makes me sound bad but theres no way i would want a animal to go to u if u aint 100% into it

Alistair&Robyn · 17-12-2009, 08:42 AM

That is refreshing.

Pussygalore · 17-12-2009, 08:57 AM

The worrying thing is that each petshop or employee usually beleives that they ARE giving out the right advice, I don't think any would give wrong advice on purpose. A member of staff can only say what they've either been taught by management or what they've learned themselves and going on the people that find the forums its very often wrong through no fault of their own. I don't know where you gained your knowlege but, and please don't take this the wrong way, we have no idea of what you tell your customers, hopefully it follows, at least with reptiles, the imformation found on the forums. Many shops are still using what we now know to be outdated advice, however a few years ago this advice would have been thought to be correct at that time, unless a shop keeps up to date with the constantly changing, new or revised advice then its easy to get left behind. I think we as pet owners are becomming more aware of the needs of the animals we keep and of better ways to give them a more natural way of life and its up to the shops to keep up with the ideas and at least tell potential owners of the other ways that can be used even if they don't use them themselves.

**Alan1** · 17-12-2009, 09:33 AM

There was a great guy with about 30 years of experience of breeding and keeping tropical fish who worked at a major garden centre chain

in Scotland and he used to advise people that the fish were no good for the size of tank they had or that they needed to be kept in brackish water/hard water/soft water etc or that they were not community fish and things like that. The problem was that his employers are into profit making and he no longer works there and it's not because he doesn't want to

Pussygalore · 17-12-2009, 10:25 AM

I'd imagine that most of the good hobyists (or whatever they are called) the people with the genuine know how are just that, hobyists that don't work in shops. I know there are a few good shop staff though and we have one good guy near to us but they are rare to find, and although the majority of pet shop workers are there because they like or keep animals it doesn't make them all either expert or keeping them the right way. I have a freind who's into guinea pigs and loves hers dearly but they are all kept in tiny hutches in her shed, now she see's nothing wrong in that and I do, I've seen how mine love a bit of warmth in the winter yet still love to come out and graze in the garden, that it has kept their claws and teeth in lovely condition and they are fat and seem very happy, another freind who has rabbits but doesn't give them any bedding because she says they don't like it but would consider herself a rabbit expert, also all kept in just big enough hutches no runs or grazing access. Theres a big difference between your average pet owner and someone who does keep up with the latest methods and can give good advice, sadly its usually the former that works in the shops and if the shops don't keep up with the times then what hope can the staff have unless they do their own research.

Jillyp · 17-12-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy's owner

we sell all rabbits and guinea pigs to go in 4ft hutchs no smaller. and i have turned many people away from animals by telling them they aint for sale,

I'm glad you turn people away but a 4 foot hutch is a prison for a rabbit. 5x2x2 is the absolute minimum.

Jillyp · 17-12-2009, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pussygalore

The worrying thing is that each petshop or employee usually beleives that they ARE giving out the right advice, I don't think any would give wrong advice on purpose. A member of staff can only say what they've either been taught by management or what they've learned themselves and going on the people that find the forums its very often wrong through no fault of their own. I don't know where you gained your knowlege but, and please don't take this the wrong way, we have no idea of what you tell your customers, hopefully it follows, at least with reptiles, the imformation found on the forums. Many shops are still using what we now know to be outdated advice, however a few years ago this advice would have been thought to be correct at that time, unless a shop keeps up to date with the constantly changing, new or revised advice then its easy to get left behind. I think we as pet owners are becomming more aware of the needs of the animals we keep and of better ways to give them a more natural way of life and its up to the shops to keep up with the ideas and at least tell potential owners of the other ways that can be used even if they don't use them themselves.

What an excellent, truthful post.

swad1000 · 17-12-2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jillyp

I'm glad you turn people away but a 4 foot hutch is a prison for a rabbit. 5x2x2 is the absolute minimum.

Thats barely big enough for even the smallest rabbits. If you have anything bigger than netherland dwarfs, its too small.

Helen M · 17-12-2009, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy's owner

we sell all rabbits and guinea pigs to go in 4ft hutchs no smaller.

Sorry but there is no way 4ft is acceptable for even a dwarf rabbit! I bought a 'mini-lop' rabbit from a petshop out of pity because no one wanted him due to him growing out of his cute baby stage. I also didnt want the poor little guy being sent back to the breeder he came from

and for an average sized rabbit 4ft wouldn't do for him no way. Do you sell attached runs also?
I find it shocking the amount of ignorance petshop workers have about the animals they sell. I dread to think of the amount of bunnies that are left to rot at the bottom of a garden in a 4ft hutch

Most petshops in my opinion are bad and I have never been in one i would call good. They never know anything about the animals the sell and I'm often left seething when I leave. Hence why I prefer to buy my animal food etc from a petshop that doesn't stock animals.
Helen xx

16-12-2009, 04:10 PM	#11
Jillyp Member Hatchling Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 727	Much as I hate a certain chain, I have just as little time for smaller pet shops as well, sorry. I really find it hard to believe that they have the animals welfare at heart. As an example, a pet shop local to me sells tiny rabbit hutches that aren't even half the size of what is required under the animal welfare act. That's just for starters. __________________ Jill

16-12-2009, 06:36 PM	#12
ziggy's owner Senior Member Adult Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: west midlands Posts: 4,152	we sell all rabbits and guinea pigs to go in 4ft hutchs no smaller. and i have turned many people away from animals by telling them they aint for sale, if i dont think they really want them. also i give all my animals fresh veg daily, and mark out treats for them on a monthly basic, i am a livestock supervisor and my main job is to care for all livestock, if i dont like the way u act etc etc i wont sell u livestock, and i dont care if that makes me sound bad but theres no way i would want a animal to go to u if u aint 100% into it __________________ 2.0.0 spur thighs 2.3.0 hermanns 2.1.1 marginated 0.0.4 leopard 2.8.0 guinea pigs 1.2.0 Springers 1.0.0 hamster 0.0.1 Blue Tongue skink 2.2.0 Beardies And tropical fish Also have baby marginated tortoises for sale

17-12-2009, 08:42 AM	#13
Alistair&Robyn Member Hatched Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Leeds Posts: 442	That is refreshing.

17-12-2009, 08:57 AM	#14
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	The worrying thing is that each petshop or employee usually beleives that they ARE giving out the right advice, I don't think any would give wrong advice on purpose. A member of staff can only say what they've either been taught by management or what they've learned themselves and going on the people that find the forums its very often wrong through no fault of their own. I don't know where you gained your knowlege but, and please don't take this the wrong way, we have no idea of what you tell your customers, hopefully it follows, at least with reptiles, the imformation found on the forums. Many shops are still using what we now know to be outdated advice, however a few years ago this advice would have been thought to be correct at that time, unless a shop keeps up to date with the constantly changing, new or revised advice then its easy to get left behind. I think we as pet owners are becomming more aware of the needs of the animals we keep and of better ways to give them a more natural way of life and its up to the shops to keep up with the ideas and at least tell potential owners of the other ways that can be used even if they don't use them themselves.

17-12-2009, 09:33 AM	#15
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	There was a great guy with about 30 years of experience of breeding and keeping tropical fish who worked at a major garden centre chain in Scotland and he used to advise people that the fish were no good for the size of tank they had or that they needed to be kept in brackish water/hard water/soft water etc or that they were not community fish and things like that. The problem was that his employers are into profit making and he no longer works there and it's not because he doesn't want to

17-12-2009, 10:25 AM	#16
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	I'd imagine that most of the good hobyists (or whatever they are called) the people with the genuine know how are just that, hobyists that don't work in shops. I know there are a few good shop staff though and we have one good guy near to us but they are rare to find, and although the majority of pet shop workers are there because they like or keep animals it doesn't make them all either expert or keeping them the right way. I have a freind who's into guinea pigs and loves hers dearly but they are all kept in tiny hutches in her shed, now she see's nothing wrong in that and I do, I've seen how mine love a bit of warmth in the winter yet still love to come out and graze in the garden, that it has kept their claws and teeth in lovely condition and they are fat and seem very happy, another freind who has rabbits but doesn't give them any bedding because she says they don't like it but would consider herself a rabbit expert, also all kept in just big enough hutches no runs or grazing access. Theres a big difference between your average pet owner and someone who does keep up with the latest methods and can give good advice, sadly its usually the former that works in the shops and if the shops don't keep up with the times then what hope can the staff have unless they do their own research.

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