>I really wish people would say the location so that other stores do not
>look bad.  I personally am an Animal Care Specialist at a Petco in Edison,
>NJ.  I personally take care of the ferrets in or store.  I check them and
>play with them many times every day.  We just got in three babies and I
>make sure they have canned food and softened hard food.  They are doing
>quite well.  Our store is very aware of every animal in our care.  Just a
>few days ago we pulled a parakeet out of the main cage to one with a lower
>perch all because he had a sprained ankle.  We have sick-bay in our store
>and we have a vet, too.  Every store is different.  Not all store are bad.
>Linda
 
I agree witgh Linda-not all stores are equal and not all are bad; we should
mention specific stores we have trouble with and not generalize to a chain
of them.  Before we had heard any horror stories about Marshall Farms, we
got our baby at the Petco in Natick, MA, where we get all our aquarium
supplies (went in for a fish, came out w/ a ferret... the ferret math
begins!) Since learning about puppy mills in high school I vowed never
to buy a nonswimming pet from a store, but we had talked about getting a
ferret for a long time, and the reason we got him from the Natick Petco
that night was that the ferret habitat was large, clean, had lots of stuff
for them to do/play with, fresh food, and the ferrets all seemed healthy
and happy (and this was not first thing in the morning, so they obviously
keep the cage clean all day).  We've been to that store many times and the
cages for all the animals are always clean and the animals are well-fed and
happy and healthy-looking.  The staff was VERY knowledgable about ferrets,
and, in fact, 5 of the 6 employees that night owned 2 or more ferrets
themselves; we have also noticed them taking time with the animals in their
store to play, etc.).  They have regular veterinary care, too-we see the
vets come in for checkups, too.
 
I know there are lots of abysmal pet stores out there, including Petcos,
and we're writing our letters to Petco to ask them to come down on Marshall
Farms (we'll get our next baby at a shelter-we didn't know there were so
many that had ferrets; knew there were lots of other domestic animals in
shelters), but I have to agree with Linda that not all Petcos are negligent
to their animals.  The Needham, MA Petco also takes good care of their
animals and are knowledgable and kind to their animals.  (No, I don't work
for Petco!)
 
-April
[Posted in FML issue 3314]