Ok, here i go again.  Our pet store is very clean.  We house our ferrets in
a 3 story condo.  If there were laws passed in kansas about cage sizes, we'd
use double the required cage size.  we are not an ordinary pet store.  When
you take good care of your pet store, it pays you back triple-fold, at
least.  our ownder have been in the business for 10 year sand are constantly
improving it.  we pass out customer surveys.  we train new employees for 6
WEEKS on everything from cleaning to customer service, and many many
trainings on specific animals from reef tanks to pixie frogs to ferrets.
 
you can go to a supply store for a competitve price, but we don't apologize
for any of our prices because of our expertise.  go to wal-mart and buy your
fish tank, but 5 minutes ago that guy was selling who knows what.  the same
goes for supply stores.  do they have proper training on live stock?  if
not, how do they know what size of cage a ferret needs?
 
I handle all the ferrets on my breaks, and i know their personalities
personally.  we do not sell animals to anyone.  right now, a guy who has
never had a bird wants to buy a macaw.  we have been trying to downsell him
out the dooor.  sure we could use 1500 bucks, but we don't want the macaw to
go to the wrong home.
 
I don't see the logic in boycotting pet stores.  the pet store i work at has
the best damn environment for animals i've ever seen.  much better than the
guy who was selling unaltered biting outdoor ferrets for 20 bucks to anyone
who read his ad in the paper.  much better than the exotic animal auctions
who don't even feed their ferrets or educate the people who buy their
ferrets and keep them in the cold cattle room in an 8 inch cage.
 
We have considered refusing to sell an animal to a person, but never had to
because we push for education so hard that they downsell out the door.  we
tell the ugly truth about how difficult animal care can be.  and when
someone buys an animal from us, we explain our no return policy and have
them sign an agreement that they understand it.  it's too traumatic for an
animal to be back and forth like that, and it reduces impulse buying in a
college town.  (we had a lady leave her hamster in the trunk while she went
into the grocery store, and had the nerve to return him becasue he died from
the 90 degree heat) we are in it for the animals, and because we are
experts, there is no reason why peole could look at us and still boycott pet
stores.  sure there are cages, but i'm sure that our macaws probably run
loose on their stands more now than if they were owned.  we change all
waters 3 times a day, which is more than the recommendations.
 
we go above and beyond for the animals, and *gasp* we are a pet store.]
 
I'm not sorry if i've offended anyone, because this is the truth.  Please do
some thinking about what you say about pet stores.  some stores are more
dedicated than most pet owners out there, and they deserve the credit.  give
credit where credit is due.  we work very hard, and we have great hearts.
 
michelle
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[Posted in FML issue 1831]