# A letter of complaint...



## u-look-like-a-hamster (Aug 17, 2008)

I think we should ALL write a letter of complaint to [email protected] 

that ther staff just can seem to sex right, get cages right

basiclly un-knowledge staff!!!!

SOoo we'll all have input on this 


Dear Pets at home head office
, i am writing to you to .....


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## foxxy cleopatra (Nov 18, 2008)

say you are poo.

yours faithfully,
everyone who actaully cares about animals.


*i will do a proper one in my morning when ive not been out clubbing*


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## Marcia (Mar 10, 2009)

I wouldn't bother. I have emailed their head office on several occassions to complain but they think that their doing no wrong! 

I complained about their gerbilarium. I also complained about that on their website, they claimed that gerbils could go without cleaning for up to 6 months!!!!!!!! 

And......i also complained about their staff and their lack of knowledge. 

I keep being told the same thing - We apologise and we're going to sort these problems out soon. And let me assure you, our staff are highly trainned!......Yeah right


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## cherrie_b (Dec 14, 2008)

Marcia said:


> I wouldn't bother. I have emailed their head office on several occassions to complain but they think that their doing no wrong!
> 
> I complained about their gerbilarium. I also complained about that on their website, they claimed that gerbils could go without cleaning for up to 6 months!!!!!!!!
> 
> ...


What did you say about the gerbilarium? That the bars for walking on could cause poorly/deformed feet and ankles? I gave my housemate my gerbilarium last week...I made sure he kept the plastic mats on the bars so that Gerry doesn't hurt himself! :thumbup:

When we adopted Gerry, he was really nasty but had been there for 2 months so we took him anyway. We don't handle him without gloves and not as often as the hamsters...but he is a happy chappy! He never stops digging! [email protected] told us that he wouldn't have to be cleaned every week like the hammies, more like every 2 months! One lady even said that she had 2 gerbils in a 3 foot tank and she hadn't cleaned it in 4 months!! :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:


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## EmzieAngel (Apr 22, 2009)

At my local Pets At Home there is only one person there that does in fact know what she is doing and she used to be the assistant manager. I always ask her if I have any problems or anything, I wouldn't dare ask anyone else, the others who work there all just look gormless.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

The problem with [email protected], and other pet stores, is that when they order the animals in, they are sent out in single sex groups. So for instance, if you order 20 female hamsters, you will get a box containing 20 females hamsters. Their problem is that they dont CHECK the stock they get in. They assume that they have got what they ordered.

Its not always the case of course. But i worked in a large pet store, and this happened all the time. Personally i checked all the stock, and checked again when i sold an animal. With some very young animals, it IS very hard. And only with age comes experience. However i feel that [email protected] should have atleast ONE person who is highly experienced and qualified on the premises at all times.
Sadly its not always easy to find these people who want to work as nothing more than glorified shelf stackers.


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## Marcia (Mar 10, 2009)

cherrie_b said:


> What did you say about the gerbilarium? That the bars for walking on could cause poorly/deformed feet and ankles? I gave my housemate my gerbilarium last week...I made sure he kept the plastic mats on the bars so that Gerry doesn't hurt himself! :thumbup:
> 
> When we adopted Gerry, he was really nasty but had been there for 2 months so we took him anyway. We don't handle him without gloves and not as often as the hamsters...but he is a happy chappy! He never stops digging! [email protected] told us that he wouldn't have to be cleaned every week like the hammies, more like every 2 months! One lady even said that she had 2 gerbils in a 3 foot tank and she hadn't cleaned it in 4 months!! :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:


I had a few gerbils break their legs on the bars of the gerbilarium  And also, the bars on the door always broke, so i complained about the durability (sp) of it.
Gerbil tanks don't need to be cleaned every week because they pee very little and don't loose much bodily fluids in general. I clean mine when they need to be cleaned. That can be every 2 weeks but more often that not, it's usually every 2-3 weeks. Some have been cleaned once a month. But never later than that


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## cherrie_b (Dec 14, 2008)

I have never seen Gerry drink...he must do it during the night because the water level gets lower...

I love gerbils...they are soooo funny to watch!


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## Marcia (Mar 10, 2009)

They drink very litte because their desert (sp) animals can go for long periods of time without water 

They are def fun to watch. I find myself just sitting in front of a tank some days and i just watch them


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

Maybe the ones near you are, I personally am very impressed with the Inverness one (my nearest). William was fit, healthy, correctly sexed and tamed before I got him. Now that's what I call service. The girl selling him to me even said that I had picked a good cage, she always recommends the Cambridge to people buying Syrians (another good thing as a lot of staff wouldn't even know the difference between a good and bad cage for a Syrian).


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## Gemma...x. (Apr 19, 2009)

it depends on the store the store near me is not good at all, they don't know anything however the odd staff are really friendly. The majority of the staff though just seem like college students who needed a job and they don't know anything.


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## Chayley (Mar 10, 2009)

Wait till they get my letter!!! im putting pics in so they can see what they have done 2 my baby!!! :mad5:


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

Chayley said:


> Wait till they get my letter!!! im putting pics in so they can see what they have done 2 my baby!!! :mad5:


they're gonna get a right shock when they open your envelope.... I really hope that they take this issue seriously, it's not exactly like it's a bog standard letter of complaint - you've got pics and vets reports and allsorts of stuff in it..... you should sell it to the papers :lol: :lol: that'd get [email protected] quaking in their boots!


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## Marcia (Mar 10, 2009)

Chayley said:


> Wait till they get my letter!!! im putting pics in so they can see what they have done 2 my baby!!! :mad5:


Let us know if you get any response :thumbup:


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## MARIOTHEDWARF (May 20, 2009)

I think the staff is very helpful!


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## bexy1989 (May 10, 2009)

Chayley said:


> Wait till they get my letter!!! im putting pics in so they can see what they have done 2 my baby!!! :mad5:


Did you get anything back from them??


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

What upsets me about pets at home is the small cages they have their rats and hamsters in  There was a tiny little chinese hamster last night and if I had had room for another cage I would have bought her because she was all on her own and nothing to play with in the cage. Why can't they put a wheel in or make the cages bigger for them so they can have some toys. It's awful seeing them in those cages with bright lights overhead. 

Staff at my local pets at home are rubbish and basically can't be bothered helping but we went to another store in another town and they were lovely and really helpful.


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## bexy1989 (May 10, 2009)

Jazzy said:


> What upsets me about pets at home is the small cages they have their rats and hamsters in  There was a tiny little chinese hamster last night and if I had had room for another cage I would have bought her because she was all on her own and nothing to play with in the cage. Why can't they put a wheel in or make the cages bigger for them so they can have some toys. It's awful seeing them in those cages with bright lights overhead.
> 
> Staff at my local pets at home are rubbish and basically can't be bothered helping but we went to another store in another town and they were lovely and really helpful.


i know what you mean...the tanks are far too small. when i went yesterday they had 3 in one and i thought one on the hamsters was dead :| until it started to move


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

I wonder why they can't give them more room though because the stores are big enough aren't they. I feel so sorry for that poor little hamster and she had something wrong with her nose too I think - it looked a bit odd. I daren't buy anymore though because we have four already and no more room to put the cages. It's heartbreaking to see 3 or 4 Syrians in a tank about a foot long - I don't know how they get away with it.


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## ruby2ruby (Apr 29, 2009)

[email protected] make me laugh, they really do  I went in a few weeks ago with Ruby in tow looking at their dog beds, puppy leads and so on the staff there swore blind she was a border collie! They suggested I buy the smallest dog bed on their shelves, recommended puppy food I wouldn't feed to a pig and insisted I brought some flea treatments - just in case. I only went in for a dog bed and a puppy lead mind! I ended up getting back in my car and taking my custom to 'Jolley's'. Few weeks prior to that I was looking at adding to my coldwater fish collection, I've had the tank for around 8 years now and fish in the tank of that age. I showed some interest in some Lionhead goldfish and was promptly approached by the store manager who said "You CAN'T have those fish THEY NEED taking care of" I asked why? were they sick? He just said NO they need taking care of, with that I started laughing and asked him if he was questioning my pet ownership skills  He swiftly walked off in the opposite direction shaking his head, what a berk he was. I'll never be going in there again.


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## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

our PAH in bicester is pretty good, there's a rat nut, a bunny nut, a fish nut, and i think they all have experience of owning cats and dogs as well.

while i would like to see them have bigger cages, at least as long as the normal wall shelves if not wider too or on two levels instead, i can see why they don't have them bigger. They expect a quick turnaround and the animals generally aren't there for long. With the amount of cleaning out they do it would be quite costly to have larger cages. Since rodents aren't a huge money spinner in the first place it wouldn't be cost effective to put more money towards them in the long run, for the short duration of their stay.


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## Chinquary (Mar 5, 2009)

owieprone said:


> our PAH in bicester is pretty good, there's a rat nut, a bunny nut, a fish nut, and i think they all have experience of owning cats and dogs as well.
> 
> while i would like to see them have bigger cages, at least as long as the normal wall shelves if not wider too or on two levels instead, i can see why they don't have them bigger. They expect a quick turnaround and the animals generally aren't there for long. With the amount of cleaning out they do it would be quite costly to have larger cages. Since rodents aren't a huge money spinner in the first place it wouldn't be cost effective to put more money towards them in the long run, for the short duration of their stay.


They probably sell more if they are in smaller cages because people feel sorry for them...


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

Yes like me. I was so tempted to buy that little chinese last night with the funny nose.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Chinquary said:


> They probably sell more if they are in smaller cages because people feel sorry for them...


I got Angel from the adoption bit because someone was banging on the glass and she had nowhere to hide so I felt sorry for her. I wonder if the cages/tanks at [email protected] meet RSPCA reccomendations regarding size.


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## shellinch (Apr 2, 2009)

Nonnie said:


> The problem with [email protected], and other pet stores, is that when they order the animals in, they are sent out in single sex groups. So for instance, if you order 20 female hamsters, you will get a box containing 20 females hamsters. Their problem is that they dont CHECK the stock they get in. They assume that they have got what they ordered.
> 
> Its not always the case of course. But i worked in a large pet store, and this happened all the time. Personally i checked all the stock, and checked again when i sold an animal. With some very young animals, it IS very hard. And only with age comes experience. However i feel that [email protected] should have atleast ONE person who is highly experienced and qualified on the premises at all times.
> Sadly its not always easy to find these people who want to work as nothing more than glorified shelf stackers.


actauly the hamsters come in mixed sexed as i worked as part of the head of livestock in llantrisant store for a year... although they are meant to be sexed but they never are. the raabits are never sexed either! would never work for them never again as they way i wanted to run it wasnt an option. although i did have everything properly sexed...and everything was fab for that year but now its gone to poo and it drived me mad that i got stuck on tills when i was the only one who new anything about the pets...i had a load off cuctomers who wont go to anyone other than me and a few took my number when i left to ring me up for info..... and i never got bit once by anything while i worked there as i would try and handle them as much as poss but would normally get a right telling off for handling the pets as i should be 'working'! taking them to the vets was a nightmare as they never would let you unless it was something something els could catch. and they gave me 2 hours itnhe morning to get all livestock cleana nd fed all on my own! absolute nightmare! they are crap!

personally they should have one person in charge of all livestock then there wouldnt be a problem with things not being done or known about them. that person should have sol responsibility of those animals and nothing else then if something does go wrong there is only 1 person to blame plus they have all day to be cleaning caring and sorting the animals. then everyone one els can be properly trained and knowledgeable. although the staff are under knowledgable they have to do everything in regards to putting out stock tils etc... the right way to do somethign is to have one person per section, one on tills, one of fish, one on stock etc... but they dont everyone has to do everything and then worked liked dogs so staff just dont care cos they are underpaid and over worked! they ahve nothing to work for so they dont care!


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## shellinch (Apr 2, 2009)

also.... when i was pregant i got put on tills thought out whole pregnancy and i wasnt allowe a chair or to touch the animals which killed me. although when one had ringworm which i had to diagnose because they refused to take it to vets i had to buy my own stuff to kill the fungus and get rid of the ringworm and in process got the ringworm myself but i did get rid of it within 2 weeks but byt he time they let me treat them it had badly spread and i was furious with them! they just wouldnt take it to the vet because iv cleared it up on my own horses inthe past...but they woudlnt listen to me that they need injections to treat it internaly and then put the antifungus on exterally.

and since iv gone the animals are really bad, everything is wrongly sexed and never cleaned etc... does my head in! although my system did work for a while and i did feel i was helping i was at my wits end battling witht he managers for the pets rights! grrrr

managers just want pets cleaned as quick as possible and to cost the less inthe process! its not realistic!


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## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

bit of a pessamist chinquary? 

As i said all the problems you lot have with [email protected] don't happen at mine, apart from stock pallets being in the wrong place at the wrong time (ie infront of rat food when i'm in there to buy rat food!).

i expect their cage sizes for shop do met rspca spec, just, they're probably on the very minimum required. but until the law is changed on that alot of petshops won't change.

You'd probably be better of writting a complaint letter to your local counsellors. Who can then take it further up the chain of command.


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## Just_meeeeee (Mar 10, 2009)

Why Dont We Start A Petition About Them?

I Like [email protected] For Supply's But Not For Hamsters. I Was Told By A Member Of Staff There One Day When I Asked The Sex && Age Of My Hamster. That When They Get Hamsters In, They Cant Tell What Sex, Age Or What TYPE They Are So They Just Pick 4 or 5 Out & Put Them In A Tank & Hope For The Best!!!

&& Everytime I Have Bought Pairs Of Hamsters In [email protected] They Have All Be Split Up. I Bought 2 Robo's That Are Actually Russians. & My Other Two Pairs Were Biting Each Other So They Are Now In Separate Cages!!!

Its Disgusting. They Also Said That My Syrian Who Died Due To Brain Damage Was An Inbreed & Im Sure The Whole Litter Was Sold But They All Died. They Just Dont Have A Clue.

At The Moment Up In My Local [email protected], They Have A Giant Rabbit In The Adoption Center. Just In A Big Tank. No Room For The Rabbit To Move!!! I Was Raging! No Toys Anything, Jus Food & Water. The Rabbit Looked Really Down The Other Day!!! x


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## Chinquary (Mar 5, 2009)

owieprone said:


> bit of a pessamist chinquary?


Lol. I was mostly joking. =]
It wouldn't surprise me really though. Would be quite a good marketing strategy, from a sales point of view.
Though of course, we, who are on the forums because we love the little guys, are probably a bit bias to wanting to buy them and put them in a big home with lots of toys, just because we feel sorry for them. Most of the wider population probably wouldn't think about it.

And I'm quite the optimist really!


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## foxxy cleopatra (Nov 18, 2008)

i went late at night to pets at home and the man got the giant bunny out for a run round and he was hugging it and stuff...they seemed really good with the animals...and the woman who sold me tiger lily was great, she knew loads about hammys....she knew what an imac fantasy was and a fop hamsterland...very impressed!


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## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

Chinquary said:


> Lol. I was mostly joking. =]
> It wouldn't surprise me really though. Would be quite a good marketing strategy, from a sales point of view.
> Though of course, we, who are on the forums because we love the little guys, are probably a bit bias to wanting to buy them and put them in a big home with lots of toys, just because we feel sorry for them. Most of the wider population probably wouldn't think about it.
> 
> And I'm quite the optimist really!


could be a mix of both cost and 'aw' factor. I have to say i never feel sorry for the hamsters as they're just too small and seem like they have heaps of room! or the baby girl rats, but when you get the larger male rats that have been there a while or the adoption centre ones i want to snatch and run!
That's when they need larger cages to deal with thoe ones that are there for aaaages or come back for stupid reasons (like "has lots of colds"!!!)


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## clairescunny55 (Dec 18, 2008)

i complained after the incident with a previous hammy and they had cages full of ones with wet tail. They are sending some gift vouchers  but what about fixing their problems


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## Midnight (Jan 17, 2009)

Have you guys all signed Marcia's post ? on the pet news topic i know i have  its the [email protected] petition NOT to sell small animals


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## xXhayleyroxX (Apr 18, 2008)

It's not just the sexing! I went to go see the black ghost knife fish (I love them and want them but they cost £20 each), and they were all lying gasping on the bottom of the tank! itwas so sadto see and i said to the guy 'umm, your fish are dying' and he was no they're not they're sleeping i was omg no they're not, but what could i do?
grrr


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## Fuzz (Aug 20, 2008)

If you feel that animals welfare is being compromised then talk to the RSPCA and inform the Pets at Home HQ.

My local independent shop give me a great service, plenty of advice and I can walk there in 5 minutes instead of driving to an out of town location and parking. I used to walk home with a 15kg sack of food on my shoulder - until they offered to deliver it free!

It's a small shop owned and run by the same couple. I always try to give my business to small independent people, you get a much better service and generally the prices are the same if not cheaper.

Vote with your feet and money!


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## flufffluff39 (May 25, 2009)

Sometimes its hard to sex rabbits and guinea pigs but I do agree that people should have more training when working with animals.


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