Some of you may remember that a few weeks ago, I had posted with a
problem with biting ferrets and abuse at a PetSmart in O'Fallon, IL
(although, in error, had my subject line as Fairview Heights, IL).

Thank you to the several people who offered suggestions. I just wanted
to update what's gone on since that post.

I did call PetSmart corporate and spoke with a customer service rep who
not only had a ferret, but had the ferret with her at work that day.
That seemed like things were going to go good. I told her my story, she
expressed empathy and told me she would forward my concerns to "the
powers that be".

A week ago Monday, I received a phone call from Corporate who wanted to
verify which store it was. The person assured me that they would be in
touch with the regional and district managers who would check out the
store and the ferrets and then get back with me.

As it was Father's Day, June 17, when I first posted my concerns,
it's now 2 1/2 weeks later, and no one from Corporate has called me, I
decided it was time to check the PetSmart and see if anything had been
done. To my dismay, Spanky, the abused and blood drawing biting ferret,
was still in the same seemingly "sealed aquarium", with his other
supposedly biting friend. In the underneath "aquarium" was the
aggressively biting female and another ferret that I hadn't seen
before.

So, you see, nothing seems to have been done. I was going to give
Corporate a chance to take care of this situation, but it seems it's
all talk. I am really very disappointed. How can they advertise how
much they care about pets, but treat ferrets this way?

Someone had told me to contact PETA and another person had said to
contact the media. I do plan on calling Corporate again tomorrow to
see what's going on and then will contact PETA and the media.

I would prefer that PetSmart not sell ferrets, but wouldn't have a
problem if there was proper care involved. I'm not even sure how much
air they are getting as it's plexiglass on all 4 sides. To be totally
inaccessible to humans, no run time, and being caged 24/7 is abuse, no
matter how you look at it. I wonder why they're biters??? And if
they're returned time and time again because they're biters, how can
that be profitable to PetSmart?

If anyone would have any other suggestions, please let me know.
 
Connie Yeager
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[Posted in FML 5659]