Okay, I must want to put in my 2 cents (and I have to hurry before all my
first of the month bills eat it up) about mall pet stores. I was just like
every other pet loving person and thought pet stores were the cruelest even
though the pet store was the first place I went to when I went to the mall.
I was angry just like everyone else when I talked to a store clerk that
rattled off saying things I *knew* were wrong. Then I applied at a MALL pet
store when I was a sophomore in college. Believe it or not, I had a *real*
interview where the manager asked me a ton of questions, testing my
knowledge. It wasn't the "what are your strong points, what are your weak
points?" it was "what is significant about a newborn guinea pig?" and "what
is the life span of a macaw?" I could probably only answer a third of the
questions and told him honestly when I didn't know or had to guess. He
called me back a few days later and told me to be at work Monday morning
wearing khaki pants and a t-shirt. Later, I asked him why he hired me when I
couldn't answer most of the questions. His answer? That I told him honestly
that I didn't know. The next week the only pets I saw were those on the
training tapes I was required to watch. I sat in front of a 13 inch tv with
a stack full of workbooks knowing that I would be tested on each and every
type of pet. I was being crammed with pet knowledge. I was able to answer
most every question posed to me after that and when I didn't know, I told
the customer I would look it up... and I did. And I learned how truly loved
those pets actually were. We were required to spray diluted bleach on our
hands and shirts before picking up any puppy or kitten so as not to spread
germs. Sick animals were taken to the back rooms and the vet was called
immediately. We had rows and rows of vitamins and meds on hand and a strict
schedule of feeding. Puppies were never shown until they got the okay from
the vet. Defects were noted. We would refuse puppies that came from the same
dam or sire that gave bad puppies in the past. And believe it or not, the
owner loved animals. Once, a Samoyed was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at
only eight weeks. Instead of having her put down, or returned to the breeder
who would put her down, the store owner GAVE her to me. He wasn't out for a
buck. He marked it as a loss and gave that dog a chance. She is now four
years old and very happy, btw. My point? Don't knock the place because it
sells pets, because it's in a mall. I know there ARE stores that fit those
stereotypes, but I also know there are some that don't. I can't say what
that store is like now, after over three years, but I can say I was proud to
work there.
I offered two cents but gave you a buck and a half. thanks for listening.
 
Ahn (the mom), Applejuice, Beckett, Max, Dormilon (the cat), and Tasha (the
wonderdog)
[Posted in FML issue 1095]