Warning ......a little long.....
 
Regarding the post about various problems with Petco (and probably ALL
big pet stores)...I believe (and have been told by a friend who works
at Petco) that the problems many of us see with these stores are
employee/manager related and the "Upper" management of these stores
expect the employees/managers to follow the "rules & guidelines" that
are put into place to protect and care for the animals.  I know that
the stores are mainly in the business to make money BUT they also are
required to follow certain guidelines to remain in business!
 
It has been my experience with the petco that I frequent that when they
have a manager who cares about the animals that care trickles down to
the employees...the same goes for when they have a manager who doesn't
really care...
 
I know the manager and the "Ferret expert" of the Petco I shop at and
they know I care about the well being of the ferrets they have and I
believe that "helps" them be more conscious of taking care of them.  If
they know people care about the conditions of the animals they will take
better care of them.  They Ferret person they have at my Petco now is
awesome...He has ferrets and I have never seen the enclosure look so
good....before He came there was a girl who took care of them and
although as a whole she was okay there were many times that the cage was
dirty and/or they needed water....when I would visit and tell the manager
she would have it cleaned and we would fill the water bottles.  even
though I wouldn't buy another ferret from the store I still visit every
sat with my ferrets and we buy items for our other animals there...but I
ALWAYS ask to play with them and we hang around and talk to people and
let people see our ferrets..I guess its my way of helping the little guys
in there cause until they do quit selling them those guys need all the
help they can get!
 
anyway....if there is a problem with a store's care of animals tell the
manager (repeatedly) and then tell the higher ups...it is the squeaky
wheel that gets the oil!!!
 
Cyndi Johnson
[Posted in FML issue 5114]