Sad trip to the pet store

[wuvzbirdies]

Hi there,

I just wanted to share my sad experience that I had at the local pet store today. I was in the mall with my Daughter and made the mistake of walking down the corridor that the pet store was in, soooooooo of course we had to go in. She wanted to see the puppies, I high tailed it down to the bird department. They had so many lovely birds there today, they even had a Congo Grey just like my Russell out of his cage and talking to everyone! Then I turned the corner and there he was, a sickly looking Green Winged Macaw in a cage waaaaaayyyyy too small for him which was in a sectioned off room with a glass wall, and he looked so sad and unhealthy. He just layed there at the bottom of his cage with no sign of anything happy in his eyes, my heart broke. My husband says he was probably in there for a reason, he was probably right quarrentined most likely but it didn't seem right that they had the poor thing out in the open for everyone to see him in such an unhealthy state. I don't think I will go back to the pet store anytime soon. That's all I'm sad.

They had a black capped Caique riding on the shoulder of one of the employees, he was sooooo cute. He came on my finger he was so lovely. My heart is heavy knowing these poor beautiful creatures are in those pet stores tonight all lonely, I wish I could take them all home.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Mall...pet store... nuff said. Those are the deepest level of animal hell.

The so called "big box" pet stores like PetSmart and PetCo catch a lot of flak, some may be deserved, but at least they care about animals. I have yet to EVER encounter a mall pet shop that didn't simultaneously make me want to throw up and massacre the people who run it. Every last one of them is sick and wrong!

 

[Spiritbird]

somehow if we could convince all the impulse pet buyers not to go to mall pet stores they would vanish like we wish they would. Boo on any breeders who sell to them!!

 

[dakisgirls]

You should complain to the manager. No healthy bird would be laying on the bottom of it's cage. When birds are "sad" they don't lay on the cage bottom. Does he have food and water? If so, fresh? Just make sure that everything turns out ok, if you can. Go there again without your child, and then go another time to see if what you wanted is done.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

You should complain to the manager.

Worth a shot. But I doubt it would do anything. I have yet to meet a mall pet shop that gives a damn about animals. They are a just a commodity to them. If they think the bird is sick they'll probably just throw it in the garbage and get a new one.

 

[Ecclipse]

That is horrible!!!!!!! I was outraged with how "sad" Hugo was when I got him and thought that mall petshops were caring places - obviously not!!!! I walked into a petshop about 5 months ago and there was an amazon who had feathers missing on top of his neck and really looked down - same as how Hugo looked when I first saw him. I wasnt even planning on getting another parrot at that time but when I saw the amazon I was so upset that I asked how much the parrot was. He was in a rusty cage. They gave me a price and told me that he was a little "deformed" because there were too many babies in the cage and he had been trodden on and he was not very responsive. I said that was fine - Hugo is loving now dispite his ordeal of being in a petshop for 3 months. I asked them to lower the price as he was not a "healthy" amazon and would need alot of love and work. They reduced their price but it was going to cost me alot as I had to buy the cage etc. I said I would take him but then had unforseen bills that had to be paid. I asked them what would happen to him if no-one bought him and they said that he would live in the shop - I offered to adopt and take him off their hands but they said they had to make their money back (I guess thats understandable???). I went back a month later to see if he was still there. He was sitting on a playgym and basically put his head in my hands to be scratched - that was a real sad moment for me. Maybe I will get lucky and be able to save this little feathered friend when there is money to spare. Heart breaking!!!

 

[Auggie's Dad]

I really try to avoid generalizing - so to be fair there may be a good mall pet shop out there somewhere, but I have yet to encounter it. Every one I've ever seen and every person who works in them just make me sick, sick and angry.

 

[TexDot33]

Mall pet stores ... *bahhhkk* HATE THEM! I agree with AD I want to beat the people in there ... not only the associates, but the CUSTOMERS TOO!! People who keep these places in business should be bludgeoned about the head and shoulders and shown what RESPONSIBLE pet shops do ...

BTW - DON'T BUY .... ADOPT!

 

[Ecclipse]

Hi Texdot33 - Well said!!! Have put a thread on the forum - Parrots and permits: Do we have a right? It would make any sane person insane... The problem is that people have no idea...I didnt until now...well, sorry for them but Im on their case - BIG TIME!!!!!

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Note that, at least in my book, there is a HUGE difference between mall pet shops and the so called 'big box' pet stores (ie Petsmart and PetCo here in the US). There are fair complaints against the latter as well, but they are minor. The products and people at a Petsmart or Petco can and often are top notch.

Also, in retrospect, my current supplier for food and supplies is a strip-mall pet shop and they are excellent. But somehow this is very different from a true mall pet shop. Not sure why or how, but once it gets into an indoor mall a petshop just turns evil.

 

[Ecclipse]

I get all my stuff from a small petshop which is independant and doesnt sell parrots from the shop - they sell snakes and accesories. Lovely, friendly people who have the time to talk to you and remember you and your pet...very happy with going there.

 

[Tumbala's Girl]

That is soooo sad. We used to have a mom and pop pet store here in town but they were awful. I went in there one time and swore I would never go back! I wanted to buy every animal in there to save them from this horrible place. Unfortunately I don't have that kind of money! Thank goodness they finally went out of business. Fortunately there is a nice pet store about 45 minutes away that takes good care of their animals. Doesn't stop me from wanting to take them home though! LOL