I shop and spend a lot of money in the Petsmart in O'Fallon, IL.  To my
dismay a 2-3months ago, I noticed they are now selling ferrets.  When I
first went in there a few months back, there were 7 small ferrets in 1
cage.  The cage was bigger than a normal 2 story cage, but still pretty
small.  My first thought was "oh no!" they have ferrets.  Just more to
end up in a shelter soon.
 
You see, there was no litter box, to start with.  These ferrets HAVE to
have a litter box in order to go to a home a know what they're used for.
Therefore, poop was stacked near the ramp taking them to the next level.
I'm sure that when they get a home, they'll end up frustrating the new
"moms & dads" because they won't use a box.  I mentioned this and the
fact that the food was full of bedding, to a clerk who did clean the
cage a bit.
 
We shop there at least once a month as we have 2 dogs and 12 ferrets.
Well, I was in the store 3 weeks ago....and again last weekend.  Guess
what?  I realized that these were the same 7 LARGER ferrets from a few
months ago and are still in this small cage.  A friend of mine said she
had been in there 2 weeks ago and said that 1 of the ferrets had stitches
in the ear because of a fight.  There were 7 ferrets in this cage...no
one had been separated even though one had been hurt.
 
This time I decided to talk to someone.  When a young lady asked if there
was anything she could help with, I told her that I would like to speak
to a manager about my concern with the ferrets.  She said she was a
manager.  I told her that the cage is too small and when do they get to
run?  She assured me that the ferrets were being WELL taken care of and
that they get to run 2-3 times daily.  I told her there were too many
ferrets in the cage.  She kept assuring me that the ferrets were fine.
She told me they sell a lot of ferrets.  I told her these were the same
7 that had originally come in.  She assured me the ferrets were fine and
mentioned again how they sell a lot of ferrets.  I told her again that
these were the SAME 7 from a few months before, so HOW can you sell a lot
of ferrets?
 
I told her about the "no" litter boxes and how an unexperienced ferret
buyer would be VERY discouraged with bad habits they were learning in
their store and these ferrets would eventually end up in a shelter if
they did get a home.  She said the ferrets were just fine.
 
I told her I would volunteer to come in some weekend and help get homes
for those ferrets as I used to help with the shelter that used to go
there and had good luck getting ferrets homes.  She once again said that
the ferrets were fine.
 
I then told her that I spend a lot of money in that store and because
of the plight of those ferrets that maybe I may need to go elsewhere.
She said the ferrets were fine.  I told her that I knew she really wasn't
listening to me but these ferrets need homes and the care they are
getting isn't making them very adaptable to homes.
 
I finally went to the checkout and paid for my $90 in pet supplies.  I'm
not sure I can go back in there anymore and can't get my mind off those
ferrets.  I just don't believe those ferrets get to run.  And what about
being held?  They're locked up pretty tight so no one could pet them or
play with them.  I wonder how many are biters.  Where do they get to
run...and when?
 
Just wonder if any of you have been in this Petsmart lately?  Does anyone
have an alternate place to shop for Yesterday's News litter?  I know
where to go for the other pet supplies, such as Sams or Walmart.  It's
just frustrating that I just don't know what more I can do.  Maybe I
should go back in this weekend and talk to the store manager.  One of
the reasons I used to buy at Petsmart is because they didn't really have
animals there.  These ferrets can't be making them any money.  So why
have them?  There are too many ferrets in shelters already, why wouldn't
they want to prevent more going there.  The adoptions I used to do there
always made sales for that store of food, litter, cages, bedding collars,
etc.
 
Okay, I know this is long, but it's just so frustrating.  Thanks for any
help from anyone who can help.  I really would like to hear from someone
from Petsmart who could help or offer suggestions.  Ferrets have got to
be held and be able to run.  And if 2 fight, they need to be separated.
 
Sincerely,
Connie Yeager
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[Posted in FML issue 5017]