>I think a number of people go into the pet store business because they
>like animals.  They have no control over policies in place.
 
You have no idea how often I hear this, and how sick it makes me.  I work
for a pet store.  I'm proud to work there.  We're not petco or petsmart
(who wants to be them), just a small store with the two owners, myself
and two teens who's only job is to play with the critters and clean cages.
We've refused many people before, and have thrown a couple out of the
store.  People get more than an earfull when they buy a pet from us, and
if we don't like the answers, they leave with nothing.
 
I won't go into marshall farms, I have a fuzzy from them and one of the
owners knows him personally.  I'll leave at while I disagree with the lab
ferret breeding, we also sell only their ferrets (over 2 months, we never
get any under 8 weeks of age, we simply cannot... no clue how other pet
stores do this, it never occured to us to ask.)  And not once in the
decade of the store's existance has there been an ill ferret.  We have a
vet on call, but have never needed her.
 
Please, for once stop and think that not all pet store are petco.  The
majority of us are small, indipendant shops who actually care about what
and WHO we sell.  Our store could feed second rate food and just shut the
critter room door (they have their own climate controled room, to avoid
drafts in the winter, and AC in the summer to avoid overheating) But
instead they are feed the best food in the store, litter is changed daily,
water bottles are washed every day, treats are hand fed everyday, nails
trimmed, teeth checked, tummies rubbed... And there is no way I can be
alone - I can not be the only one who cringes everytime I see "pet store
employees are brain-less lumps, never believe anything they say" or read
"never buy an animal from a pet store, they'll all died within hours, and
they abuse them" Honestly, did anyone ever stop to think that most of us
pet shop owners & workers actually care, and that we're not all drooling
idiots who take pleasure in only making a profit?  Furthermore, if petco
and petsmart are so bad.... why do you continue to shop there?  Why not
find another pet store to buy your supplys at?  Or buy online?
 
I know this email will most likely get me thrown off (I don't blame you
BIG) or may cause enough grumbling that it would be best if I leave... It
doesn't matter, I get the newest ferret toys, and the latest medical info,
and I will continue to work at a store that, despite what the "public" out
there thinks about pet stores, will continue to quietly run business with
ANIMALS being our number one priority, not profits.
 
Thanks for my time here - the silent lurker,
dagny
 
[Moderator's note: Sounds like a reasoned opinion which isn't a flame --
something like that would never get anyone thrown off this list!  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 3797]