You can say a lot about the fish. Notice the hermit crabs, do they have food, salt and freshwater, and enough shells, for example? But anyway - the real test of a Petsmart is in it's back rooms. I worked at a Petsmart in animal care when I needed a part time job after moving. While they did "care", it took a lot to get someone's attention to DO anything about vet care. And even then, the vets didn't like to service us even though they were in the same building, because they felt they were being gypped. Many reptiles died because the vet would not see them, and the two animal care managers didn't do anything about it. I constantly brought this up, every day, and showed the store manager the reptiles (they needed calcium supplements). I also tried to babysit other workers and find out what they weren't doing right (as in feeding, etc). If you are in the Petsmart again check out the back room; you can always say you were looking for the bathroom. Often it is unlocked, and it should be right behind the fish, because that is the entrance to the aquarium room. Inside there, is the "solitary" or "sick room". Scores of mice, rats, and hamsters who are unsaleable; they bite, or are sick, or accidently had babies after being brought to the store. These animals are eventually culled (put to sleep) after months or even years of living back there, depending on the manager. None are ever given away or adopted out unless you really go behind management and tell customers about them. Every store has about 10 hamsters, 5 rats, and actually, NO mice usually (they don't have problems a lot) in the back; birds that have parts "missing" so they aren't sellable; instead of just selling or giving them away, they keep them back there until someone decides what to do. They wait for employees to take them home. Medications are being given by idiots; high schoolers; no, not all are dumb, but the managers don't make sure medications are given, and that is too much responsibility to put on part-time kids without supervision. I would come back and find out the assistant manager just "forgot" to give meds, all weekend. A hamster died. And if you think the hamster cages in the front are small, in the back, they live in plastic "trays" that slide out, and are about a foot by eight inches. They'll have up to 12 hamsters in there. And usually, by the time they get out to the floor, 6 have been eaten. That is another room entirely; where the animals that have been transferred are kept in order to keep them separate from the sick ones. But, understand, NO WHERE does Petsmart use cleaning agents when it switches cages. A hamster has wettail, let's say. Okay, he dies. What do they train people to do? Dump out the bedding, put new bedding in. Put a new hamster in. No wonder they are dying. I read the manuals; they don't require or teach the wonders of antibacterial and antiviral cleaning products; they just skip it altogether. Amazing. So, the next time you think Petsmart is doing their job, remember there is a hidden side to every store. To your credit, yours might have a great back room(s), but you won't know until you have seen it. Laryssa [Posted in FML 5863]