Reply to Cindi Johnson;
 
I can't tell you how very glad I am that there is a Petco that does have
managers who care and do take care of the animals.  Unfortunately there
are many more which do not seem to either care or try.  And corporate
WILL NOT make a policy to help the animals... they leave it up to the
local powers-that-be.
 
The following is me directly and not hearsay about someone else... I
tried for 4 1/2 months to work with PetCo corporate upper management,
because local managers either do their own thing or follow corporate
like mindless zombies - really - they "can't" do this, that or the other
because it's not in the PLANNER - no matter how much it would benefit
the animal - and that IS corporate policy... In the end I have found not
only 2 local to Houston store managers and the regional manager to be
2-faced liars and overly sensitive (they griped to everyone they could
about me going to the corporate offices to try to stop, by getting a
corporate policy put into place, the giving away of animals... ferrets
in particular), but also the regional companion animal coordinator a
cowardly, liar as well.  Nothing like stringing someone along with lies
and excuses for almost half a year then up and at that point say, "Oh gee
nope we won't work with you, a legitimate rescue, we are going to still
give the animals away to whomever, whether they are ferret knowledgable
or not".  Just bring us a picture of the habitat and bring in the kiddos
for us to look at and the ferret is yours... and sometimes they don't
even do that - "Hey lady do you want a ferret with that food?" that
really happened.
 
AND as the local ferret rescue, I know for a fact that ferrets are given
to whomever and that whomever does not keep them because they call me
to give 'em up.  "Oh gee I didn't realize they are as much work as they
are..  oh gee my kids don't want them, Oh geez I just don't have the
time"..  Well if the ferrets had come to rescue in the first place they
would not now be on their 3rd or 4th home headed to another.  But does
PetCO care?  NO... or they would surrender all returned ferrets to local
rescue!
 
Now it does not make me feel good to say these things... in fact I'd give
almost anything to be able to have things work differently, but I can not
force PetCo to be reasonable, fair, or do what is right for the animals.
AND Houston is not the exception it is the rule..  your PetCo is the
exception.  So praise that manager whenever you can... She deserves it,
but PETCO does NOT.
 
I will shout this until they shoot me or change their evil ways...
I love ferrets, PetCo managers et al love money... now PetCo employees..
the ones I've talked to ... they do care too...
[Posted in FML issue 4820]