original post
>From:    Erin Kydd {{FREAK}}
>Subject: Poorly ran petstore
 
This is in response to Erin's post
I don't intend to excuse negligent petstores, but to give people a
perspective from someone who works at one.
 
Before I worked at the petstore I had always felt critical of the way
animals were treated... Seeing animals in cages with price tags made me
feel that the store considered them merchandise.
 
I needed a part time job as a student (pre-vet) and thought that working
with animals would be fun.  After working at the petstore for a couple of
days my initial impression changed... All of the people I work with LOVE
animals.  Ferrets and kittens are taken into the back room and played with
by employees on their lunch breaks.  I have been there close to a year now
and still see this.
 
I acknowledge that customers are not aware of this... we don't want to
stress the animals by having crowds drawn over while we have animals out
so we do it out of sight.  I have heard customers mutter things about the
poor animals in the cages but I, as a multiple-pet-owner, am confident
that our animals are well treated.  To anyone who doubts this, just think
to yourself... why would someone who doesn't care about animals work for
minimum wage in a petstore?
 
I have heard hurtful things said by the occasional person visiting my store
and can see how staff can be defensive when customers complain (and there
are always some people who will complain no matter how the animals are
kept)... Most of us see the animals we sell as our "temporary pets" and it
is frustrating to hear that someone doesn't approve of the way we keep
them.
 
As for the puppies that Erin couldn't wake... Every day hundreds of people
come into our store, they knock on glass (despite our protests), they call
into cages, jingle keys, whistle, squeak toys, kids scream... the animals
are very desensitized to this and this is probably the reason that the
puppies didn't respond to her.  As I said before, I am not excusing truly
negligent petstores... I just ask that people give petstores the benefit
of a doubt before pointing fingers.  I can't imagine that all other shops
are so different from the one I work at.
 
Just had to give my 2 cents :)
Jen
Newton, Dobie, Fig and Mojo
Maggie and the fishes.
[Posted in FML issue 3253]