I went to my local Petco to buy a cat toy (in a hurry, usually order stuff
from theferretstore online).
 
This Petco had a large sign on the cage stating that the ferret kits are
too young to be sold.  I asked the clerk at the counter how old they were.
He told me 4 or 5 months (yes, months).  I laughed and said "do you mean
weeks?" He looked at me with a puzzled face and said "I guess so." I then
asked him, "if they are that young and they are too young to be sold, why
do they only have hard kibble to eat?" He did not have an answer and the
Manager was not in.  The other employee that is very good with ferrets,
moved out of state.
 
I did not offer my services to them and will not offer to take their
ferrets in for fostering, any more.  All I can do is advise them to take
better care.  What is really upsetting is that the Manager knows what to
feed these ferrets when they are not ready for hard food yet.  This store
has been educated repeatedly by me and several others.  I think I will call
corporate tomorrow and let them know that they need to send that store
instructions to post, where employees can all see.  I walked out of the
store, shaking my head.  I cannot understand why someone who is aware of
how to care for kits that are too young, is not doing the right thing.
 
I also wonder why it is that the store has not contacted the local ferret
association to help them out, just as they have contacted me in the past.
Perhaps the association should do more employee education clinics at that
store or at least, make a trip in and talk to the Manager?  Maybe this
would help?  I feel badly for these kits, but I will not foster for a pet
store ever again.  It does not teach them anything and actually enables
them to rely on people to take care of their responsibilities, hence less
overhead and more profit, then more ferrets being ordered.  Can't do it
any more.
 
What else can I do to get through to these pet stores?  I have repeatedly
educated them (not just Petco), and fostered many kits.  I used to go to
the stores every week to check on ferrets, but realized that the stores
would follow my advice only to come back the next week and find that they
were right back to the "lazy" methods of care.
 
I am starting to give up on the whole pet store education idea.  All that
happens is my frustration and no real results.  I am not saying all pet
stores are like this, just the ones that I have experienced in my neck of
the woods.  There are some really good pet stores out there, so don't get
upset that I am generalizing or stereotyping.
 
Anyone else share the same experience?
[Posted in FML issue 2978]