# Pets at home



## Marcia

This petition is in circulation at the moment. It's to stop [email protected] from selling animals due to the countless amounts of problems customers have had.

Ban the sale of livestock at all 'Pets at Home' branches Petition

I don't want any arguments. But i do believe that that [email protected] should not be able to sell animals until their staff are re-trained and knowledgable.


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## Nicky09

I've personally never had any problems with the pets I've bought from there and the staff at my branch seem to really know what they're doing. Maybe its a one off or something


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## bexy1989

i totally agree!

when i sent the OH up there for advice about our gerbils they were useless and then put us in the adoption book as having an 'unwanted litter' which is untrue! 

argh they annoy me in that shop!


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## Marcia

I don't believe it is i'm affraid 

[email protected] are getting worse rep with each day that passes. Customers are no longer impressed. And the quality of life that the animals have in roughly 70% of [email protected] stores across the UK is disgusting 

Plus there hundreds of animals needing homes in rescues


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## thedogsmother

I would totally agree with them being unable to sell animals but I do think their adoption bit at least gives owners who are bored oops I mean can no longer keep their beloved pets somewhere to take them. I saw a grandparent buying her grandaughter a fish there yesterday and they had one of the very small plastic travel containers with lids, nobody asked if that was what the fish would be living in if it is it won't be living long.


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## 3 red dogs

Totally agree [email protected] should not be any where near live animals.. 
The Breeding,selling and after care of any pet, no matter how big or small should be left to those that know about it, The Professional Breeders.. not some hormonal 16 yr old that got a saturday job just to pay for his illegal habits what every they may be! 
I hate seeing any animal in a shop.. if this was ment to happen, every living thing would come with its own barcode!


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## Nonnie

Its not just the lack of knowledge that concerns me, but the fact that they are ALWAYS fully stocked with baby animals.
I used to work as a livestock buyer, and sometimes we would go weeks with no animals as they were hard to source, but [email protected] dont seem to have this problem, which makes me worry what sort of scale the breeding is done on.
I know in the US all [email protected] aniamls are bred en masse by their own centres, and i believe that the UK stores only use certain breeders.
I wonder what conditions these animals come from, and what the mortality rate is?


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## foxxy cleopatra

oooo i dont know about this one! i dont think they should be able to sell guineas or rabbits or chinchillas or degus....do they still sell birds? anyway, they should sell hammy and rats...and have a better selection of cages!


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## Nonnie

foxxy cleopatra said:


> oooo i dont know about this one! i dont think they should be able to sell guineas or rabbits or chinchillas or degus....do they still sell birds? anyway, they should sell hammy and rats...and have a better selection of cages!


So whats the difference between a rabbit/guinea/chin and a hamster or rat? 
Why sell one, but not be able to sell the other?


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## thedogsmother

Nonnie said:


> Its not just the lack of knowledge that concerns me, but the fact that they are ALWAYS fully stocked with baby animals.
> I used to work as a livestock buyer, and sometimes we would go weeks with no animals as they were hard to source, but [email protected] dont seem to have this problem, which makes me worry what sort of scale the breeding is done on.
> I know in the US all [email protected] aniamls are bred en masse by their own centres, and i believe that the UK stores only use certain breeders.
> I wonder what conditions these animals come from, and what the mortality rate is?


I saw an article on a rodent farm the other day, it was horrible the conditions they were bred in and it said that most are sold on a sale or return basis tothe pet shops and the older ones that don't sell are euthanised and make it into the frozen reptile food market. I don't know how accurate that is though.


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## Nonnie

thedogsmother said:


> I saw an article on a rodent farm the other day, it was horrible the conditions they were bred in and it said that most are sold on a sale or return basis tothe pet shops and the older ones that don't sell are euthanised and make it into the frozen reptile food market. I don't know how accurate that is though.


The place where i worked bought from a breeding centre and used the sale or return policy. Females were often used for further breeders, males were used for reptile food or just disposed of.

Tbh, in all the years i worked for them, we never sent anything back to them. But they were a huge supplier, and i imagine the amount of animals they bred in order to be able to supply whatever amount, whenever it was required, would have heavily outweighed the actual demand.

Ive heard figures such as for every hamster that finds a home, a surplus of 35 are bred. How accurate that is, i dont know.


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## thedogsmother

Nonnie said:


> The place where i worked bought from a breeding centre and used the sale or return policy. Females were often used for further breeders, males were used for reptile food or just disposed of.
> 
> Tbh, in all the years i worked for them, we never sent anything back to them. But they were a huge supplier, and i imagine the amount of animals they bred in order to be able to supply whatever amount, whenever it was required, would have heavily outweighed the actual demand.
> 
> Ive heard figures such as for every hamster that finds a home, a surplus of 35 are bred. How accurate that is, i dont know.


I know I will never buy another hamster, I bought Buffy because I didn't know any better but Angel is an adoption and whoever comes along next will also be. I was kinda hoping the article was wrong though because I once took a hamster back to [email protected] because it was really vicious and I think it would probably have gone back to the breeder although they assured me it would be tamed.


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## Nonnie

thedogsmother said:


> I know I will never buy another hamster, I bought Buffy because I didn't know any better but Angel is an adoption and whoever comes along next will also be. I was kinda hoping the article was wrong though because I once took a hamster back to [email protected] because it was really vicious and I think it would probably have gone back to the breeder although they assured me it would be tamed.


How often do you actually see the staff handling animals? I dont think i ever have, apart from when they are being sold.

Tbh, i think they are full of sh*t most of the time. They treat joe public like morons, when infact we probably know more about their companies going ons than they do.
They employ kids for the most part, who are just working untilsomething better comes along, or they go off to uni. Very few of them really care about what happens to the aniamls once they have left the premises.

It was welfare issues that made me leave the pet industry. I had to report the company i was working for, and it would have resulted in my sacking anyway.


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## foxxy cleopatra

just because rabbits have to be neutered ect...and its extra costs you know...and rabbits chins degus guineas can end up being as expensive as dogs...although hammys and rats need the same amount of love ect...in my opinion they are easier to look after...


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## thedogsmother

Someone on the forum the other day said if you are applying for a job with them and you put in your application that you love animals they automatically bin the application.


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## bexy1989

we got to [email protected] for our live food for the lizards because its the closest place to us..the last few times we have been they have either run out or still waiting for the delievery to arrive...and one time they tried to sell us DEAD grasshoppers to feed them. 
The people know what i want when i go in now and know i'll kick up a fuss so keep trying to give me decent hoppers...not that they last us very long anyway...


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## Nonnie

foxxy cleopatra said:


> just because rabbits have to be neutered ect...and its extra costs you know...and rabbits chins degus guineas can end up being as expensive as dogs...although hammys and rats need the same amount of love ect...in my opinion they are easier to look after...


So for you its about the cost of the animal, not its long term welfare, that should stop [email protected] selling them?


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## foxxy cleopatra

:/
dont you think that it is easier to look after a hamster than a rabbit??? i do! not just because of the cost...but for ALOT of people that is the main reason for pet neglect ect....


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## shellinch

i used to be head of livestock in pets at home and the way i managed it there were never any problems..... but the way managers and head office manage their livestock is CRAP! they use essex breading centre for rodents and essex breeding have been done for cruelty many a times as they have a big massive area where they chuck dead/half dead rodents to suffer and dont treat them.

although when i worked there i made sure everything was properly sexed and cleaned and treated.....now iv gone its a right nightmare!

i would always send things strait to vets and get them treated but unfortunately pets at home like to leave things until they are nearly dying!

to be fair pets at home do have really good training schemes, i was lucky enough that i went to college to do my national diploma in animal management so i know my stuff which is why llantrisant had such a fab reputation when it first opened and i was head of the livestock. i left a year ago and its completely changed now! its run by students in uni and college.

the wages are crap, the hours r crap and the way you are treated is crap.... they need to up the wages and only employ people who have a real care for animals. they are more interested in making as much money as possible!

and no they dont sell birds no more!


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## Nonnie

foxxy cleopatra said:


> :/
> dont you think that it is easier to look after a hamster than a rabbit??? i do! not just because of the cost...but for ALOT of people that is the main reason for pet neglect ect....


This isnt about pet ownership, but a multi-national company selling live animals, and not doing a very good job of it.
Tbh, [email protected] seem to have MORE problems with their rodent side of things, then they do with the larger animals such as rabbits and chinchillas.


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## foxxy cleopatra

oohh i get you! well at the pets at home in bangor and wrexham they do a really good job...from what i have seen! if they have any problems with the animals they treat them...and the people i talk to seem to know alot..the fish section is horrendous though! lots of people keep saying on here that the animals get put to sleep if they dont sell...i asked someone about it and they said they dont..which i believe! DEFINATLY shouldnt sell fish though!!! ...and if [email protected] dont sell them...would this encourage lots of private breeding? which isnt a good idea really...

hmm this is a good thread!


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## Nonnie

It certainly seems that some stores are worse than others. My local one seem rather good. Cages are always really clean, they have a low stocking density on show (they keep a lot "out back") and ive never seen a sickly animals. 
For me, its the major lack of knowledge, and education of new pet owners that gets to me. You should be able to go in there, and get good advice on keeping pets, and the sad fact is you cant. 
If you dont know about an animal, then you really have no right to sell it.


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## shellinch

Nonnie said:


> This isnt about pet ownership, but a multi-national company selling live animals, and not doing a very good job of it.
> Tbh, [email protected] seem to have MORE problems with their rodent side of things, then they do with the larger animals such as rabbits and chinchillas.


it depends who is managing the store. its down to the staff in each individual store and some pets at home stores are am,azing and other are bad. its life unfortunately and you need to tackle the individual stores rather than the whole pets at home stores!

small pet shops are way worse than pets at home!


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## dollydimple

I signed. Although I feel my local PAH is very good, I have an aversion to seeing animals on display to be sold to any Tom, Dick or Harry.


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## shellinch

but pets at home wont sell an animal if they feel they are in threat of being mistreated. thats why an animal cant be sold without there adress and details being written down so they can forward it onto the RSPCA if needed. you shut down sum1 like PAH then peolpe will turn to local ads, local markets and local pet shops who are literally people who dont give a crap where the animals go!


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## Nonnie

shellinch said:


> but pets at home wont sell an animal if they feel they are in threat of being mistreated. thats why an animal cant be sold without there adress and details being written down so they can forward it onto the RSPCA if needed. you shut down sum1 like PAH then peolpe will turn to local ads, local markets and local pet shops who are literally people who dont give a crap where the animals go!


You can write down any old name or address, they dont check it.

Plus ive seen many animals being sold, and very few members of staff bothered to question the owner as to the animals new housing, because they dont care. 
I know of one rabbit that was sold to someone who didnt even have a cage or hutch for it to go in! They also said they didnt need hay, and that pellet food was enough according to their vets.


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## shellinch

well thats what i meen you need to question the actual pets at home stores as their managers and staff arent doing a good enough job. when you seen that what exactly did you do about it?


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## foxxy cleopatra

ive put my name down to get checked by a phone call or something from the adoption bit....they never called! and they sold a hamster to my friend and i told the man not to let her have one!!! ...(she later gave it away)


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## gesic

I dont think any shop/store should be allowed to sell animals.
In an ideal world all people should sit exams n have a licence to own any live animal,reptile,bird etc!
Far too many people go into a shop n buy on a whim coz they think its cute, feel sorry for bla bla. What does the shop owner do replace the stock....note I say stock coz anyone willing to sell live animals to any old person obviously isnt an animal carer!
Sorry if this is harsh but I do feel pretty strong about it and am off to sign the petition!


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## Nonnie

shellinch said:


> well thats what i meen you need to question the actual pets at home stores as their managers and staff arent doing a good enough job. when you seen that what exactly did you do about it?


I knew the people that purchased the rabbit. I gave them a cage i had. I rang the store, and spoke to the manager, he basically called me a liar.


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## x.froggy.x

My local [email protected] are great! Also they have an instore vet!


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## shellinch

and its people like that who shut these places down know nowing the fully story.... to have a pet shop liscnece u NEED to have taken a test. you cant sell animals in a shop without taking that exam. although i do believe the exams should go into more depth as its only general knowldge. yes people do go in and buy whats cute as iv always said to buy an animal you should have a test yourself and pass and people to have a liscnence to keep pets, this would then sort out these problems. if pople have to pass a test to then be able to own an animal and be kept on a registered list. these things wouldnt happen! or less liekly to happen. you stop shops from selling animals then your gunna start local people breeding who dont have a clue about aniamls and then thats gunna cause more probelms in the long run. atleast shops have to go through a process of liscnencing, training etc.. to be able to sell aniamals!


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## alyssa_liss

x.froggy.x said:


> My local [email protected] are great! Also they have an instore vet!


mine seem ok aswell , they have a vet too

the woman who sold me my dwarf hamsters told me loads,asked what i was keeping them in etc.... she was really helpfull.


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## Nonnie

shellinch said:


> and its people like that who shut these places down know nowing the fully story.... to have a pet shop liscnece u NEED to have taken a test. you cant sell animals in a shop without taking that exam. although i do believe the exams should go into more depth as its only general knowldge. yes people do go in and buy whats cute as iv always said to buy an animal you should have a test yourself and pass and people to have a liscnence to keep pets, this would then sort out these problems. if pople have to pass a test to then be able to own an animal and be kept on a registered list. these things wouldnt happen! or less liekly to happen. you stop shops from selling animals then your gunna start local people breeding who dont have a clue about aniamls and then thats gunna cause more probelms in the long run. atleast shops have to go through a process of liscnencing, training etc.. to be able to sell aniamals!


Exam? What exam? I hope you dont mean the crap by the Pet Care Trust.

Can you link to the law that says you have to be trained in order to have a license and sell animals.


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## gesic

x.froggy.x said:


> My local [email protected] are great! Also they have an instore vet!


Dont be fooled into thinking an instore vet makes it ok to sell animals!
The vet is tightly regulated by the company, only allowed to sell certain products and have to adhere to certain protocols as far as treatment is concerned.
Its a bit like a factory when each animal should be evaluated on an individual basis and treated accordingly instead of fobbed off with the standard treatment!


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## shellinch

Nonnie said:


> I knew the people that purchased the rabbit. I gave them a cage i had. I rang the store, and spoke to the manager, he basically called me a liar.


if i were you i would have taken my 'friend' down that store and got her to explain how they sold her that rabbit. i would have also gone to head ofiice. one phone call wont do jack! its always better to have proven back up and to go strait to head office if there is no luck with the manager.


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## Nonnie

shellinch said:


> if i were you i would have taken my 'friend' down that store and got her to explain how they sold her that rabbit. i would have also gone to head ofiice. one phone call wont do jack! its always better to have proven back up and to go strait to head office if there is no luck with the manager.


They arent friends. They are pikeys my family babysit for. They werent at all concerned and know nothing about me complaining. To them, like with many people, its "only a a rabbit". I gave them the cage, plus advice, as for me the animals welfare was more important than anything else.

Do you honestly think head office would have done anything? I doubt it, they fob you off with piss poor excuses constantly.


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## shellinch

you ring head office and head office would have investedgated it. if your that worried you would have tried every alternative you could think of! surly


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## shellinch

and you knwo whats worse is your having ago at pets at home but you gave a 'pikey familly' as you call it 'who dont give a crap' about pets a free cage and advice. if they dont care about animals why did you help them??? why not just call RSPCA as if they didnt have appropriate housing RSPCA would have to take the animal off them and then they woudl question pets at home as to why they sold that pet without housing?


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## Nonnie

shellinch said:


> you ring head office and head office would have investedgated it. if your that worried you would have tried every alternative you could think of! surly


Im not stupid enough to think that they would do anything. For [email protected], pets=profits.

Ive complained to them, and other stores many times, plus got the RSPCA involved, and you know what? Nothing.

I could moan until im blue in the face, they still wont do anything, they wont investigate, cos they dont care. Simple as. This is how multi-national companies work. they are used to complaints, and im pretty sure [email protected] get a fair few, and they have standard, generic replies that all people get.


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## shellinch

yeah unforunately big compainies get away with murder... oh bit liek our government with their spending!


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## Nonnie

shellinch said:


> and you knwo whats worse is your having ago at pets at home but you gave a 'pikey familly' as you call it 'who dont give a crap' about pets a free cage and advice. if they dont care about animals why did you help them??? why not just call RSPCA as if they didnt have appropriate housing RSPCA would have to take the animal off them and then they woudl question pets at home as to why they sold that pet without housing?


They werent breaking any laws, and knowing this family, they would just go out and get another animal.

Plus if you know anything about pikeys, you know you dont cross them unless you want your house burnt down at 3am.

Can you answer my question about this so called exam pet shops have to legally take please.


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## shellinch

oh and police. as my cats got attacked by thugs and the police have done jack ****! and we know who done it!


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## shellinch

Nonnie said:


> They werent breaking any laws, and knowing this family, they would just go out and get another animal.
> 
> Plus if you know anything about pikeys, you know you dont cross them unless you want your house burnt down at 3am.
> 
> Can you answer my question about this so called exam pet shops have to legally take please.


or basily your too scared to say anything and its people like you who hide behind a computer screan and bitch about anything but real life you do jack! my cats got physicaly attacked and someone saw them do it and he done *bleep* all! if that was me id have run out with a baseball bat and hit that *bleep* around the head!

and yes you NEED to take an exam by law to sell p[ets! BY LAW to get your pet shop liscnence. and in pets at home you need to take leven 1,2,3,4,5 of the appropriate exams to become a manager and guess wot those hand books are the same as my national diploma in animal management that i spent 2 years in college for. shows how much you know or r willing to do for animals rights. all you can do is bicth but no action! me on the other hand i fight for what is right until the very end.

and those pikeys if they get caught with animal curelty thats one step closer to getting them banned from keeping animals so why ignore the fact they are mistreating just because your scared of them. all your blame is at pets at home....i wonder why... oh yeah they wont attack you back!

im not denying that some pets at home are [email protected]e they are. but to moan about them as badly as you do and then do nothing about actual animal cruelty. your just as bad!


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## shellinch

Nonnie said:


> They werent breaking any laws, and knowing this family, they would just go out and get another animal.
> 
> Plus if you know anything about pikeys, you know you dont cross them unless you want your house burnt down at 3am.
> 
> Can you answer my question about this so called exam pet shops have to legally take please.


and you say they wernt breaking any laws. corect me if im wrong but if you fail to accomidate a pet with the correct housing and food then thats classed as animal cruelty and will get invested by the RSPCA! so did you or did you not say earlier that they didn not have correct housing and food in which you had to give advice and give them a free cage?


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## EmzieAngel

I'm on the fence with this one.
But I know they are useless when it comes to sexing animals.
Also, my nearest Pets At Home isn't always stocked with baby animals, well not on show anyway.
I am in there every single week, buying bits and bobs, for my dog, hamsters or fish and admittedly I bought a hamster from there yesterday, as I love animals and have always had hamsters and it's the only pet shop in my town that sells animals, it's not like I can produce a hamster out of thin air.

However, I don't want people to argue with me, as I do agree with a lot of your comments. I have heard so many bad things about other Pets At Home stores in the country and I'm not gonna say I don't believe them. Things might be better if they did have proper trained staff that do actually care about animals.


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## Nonnie

shellinch said:


> and you say they wernt breaking any laws. corect me if im wrong but if you fail to accomidate a pet with the correct housing and food then thats classed as animal cruelty and will get invested by the RSPCA! so did you or did you not say earlier that they didn not have correct housing and food in which you had to give advice and give them a free cage?


They had a pellet food (which, as i mentioned, the [email protected] staff member told them was sufficient), so werent denying the animal the correct nutrition, they had a large wooden storage crate which whilst i, and many others consider it unsuitable, under the law, the RSPCA wouldnt have been able to do anything.
They didnt need the law set on them, they needed education, something [email protected] should have done, but didnt.


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## shellinch

EmzieAngel said:


> I'm on the fence with this one.
> But I know they are useless when it comes to sexing animals.
> Also, my nearest Pets At Home isn't always stocked with baby animals, well not on show anyway.
> I am in there every single week, buying bits and bobs, for my dog, hamsters or fish and admittedly I bought a hamster from there yesterday, as I love animals and have always had hamsters and it's the only pet shop in my town that sells animals, it's not like I can produce a hamster out of thin air.
> 
> However, I don't want people to argue with me, as I do agree with a lot of your comments. I have heard so many bad things about other Pets At Home stores in the country and I'm not gonna say I don't believe them. Things might be better if they did have proper trained staff that do actually care about animals.


completely agree. they take on people with no clue and they need to train every person up with a care about animals. but the way to get this into action to to fight them into making these changes. its no good complaining on here. but your more likely to get them to make this change thatn to shut down completely. so if you see anything bad in a certain shop. complain until your blue in the face! and go as far as you can get to make them change their policies!


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## Nonnie

shellinch said:


> or basily your too scared to say anything and its people like you who hide behind a computer screan and bitch about anything but real life you do jack! my cats got physicaly attacked and someone saw them do it and he done fuk all! if that was me id have run out with a baseball bat and hit that fuker around the head!
> 
> and yes you NEED to take an exam by law to sell p[ets! BY LAW to get your pet shop liscnence. and in pets at home you need to take leven 1,2,3,4,5 of the appropriate exams to become a manager and guess wot those hand books are the same as my national diploma in animal management that i spent 2 years in college for. shows how much you know or r willing to do for animals rights. all you can do is bicth but no action! me on the other hand i fight for what is right until the very end.
> 
> and those pikeys if they get caught with animal curelty thats one step closer to getting them banned from keeping animals so why ignore the fact they are mistreating just because your scared of them. all your blame is at pets at home....i wonder why... oh yeah they wont attack you back!
> 
> im not denying that some pets at home are crap......because they are. but to moan about them as badly as you do and then do nothing about actual animal cruelty. your just as bad!


If you are unable to answer in a civil manner, may i suggest you log off for while.
Ive worked in the pet industry for many years, both on the shop floor and off, and i have many suitable qualifications, which i dont need to list, as i have nothing to prove to you, or anyone else.

You dont need to pass an exam to obtain a petshop licence, you just apply to your local council, and you have to adhere to certain terms and conditions.
Only ONE member of staff must have completed City and Guilds Pet Store Management Certificate, or some other appropriate qualification. Thats the law.

I live a smallish rural village, and ive seen what the pikeys do to people that cross them. Im sorry, but as much as i love animals, i wont put myself, my home, my pets and all i love at risk for a rabbit whos problems i solved in a more diplomatic manner.

You dont know know what i do, and do not do about animal welfare.


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## shellinch

Nonnie said:


> If you are unable to answer in a civil manner, may i suggest you log off for while.
> Ive worked in the pet industry for many years, both on the shop floor and off, and i have many suitable qualifications, which i dont need to list, as i have nothing to prove to you, or anyone else.
> 
> You dont need to pass an exam to obtain a petshop licence, you just apply to your local council, and you have to adhere to certain terms and conditions.
> Only ONE member of staff must have completed City and Guilds Pet Store Management Certificate, or some other appropriate qualification. Thats the law.
> 
> I live a smallish rural village, and ive seen what the pikeys do to people that cross them. Im sorry, but as much as i love animals, i wont put myself, my home, my pets and all i love at risk for a rabbit whos problems i solved in a more diplomatic manner.
> 
> You dont know know what i do, and do not do about animal welfare.


well you obviously do dont enough! because you seem the type to bitch behind backs and do nothing upfront. and its people like that who do nothing for the community. for example the person who seen my cat be put into a plasticbag and thrown into a wall wont mention any names because they are scared of that person. also when my cat was screaming in pain he shut the door and didnt even check my my pet. i found her inthe morning fitting inthe street. now that person is just as bad as the boy who attcked my cat!

now i can imagine thats exactly wot do would do in that situation so for the fact you would not do anything to bring justice makes you just as bad as the person who is casusing trouble!


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## shellinch

you want to shut pets at home down well you just gave them a reason to stay open as you went and sorted that problem yourself without contacting any authorities. if you want to make a difference you stand up for what is right and you make sure someone listens!


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## Nonnie

shellinch said:


> well you obviously do dont enough! because you seem the type to bitch behind backs and do nothing upfront. and its people like that who do nothing for the community. for example the person who seen my cat be put into a plasticbag and thrown into a wall wont mention any names because they are scared of that person. also when my cat was screaming in pain he shut the door and didnt even check my my pet. i found her inthe morning fitting inthe street. now that person is just as bad as the boy who attcked my cat!
> 
> now i can imagine thats exactly wot do would do in that situation so for the fact you would not do anything to bring justice makes you just as bad as the person who is casusing trouble!


You're immaturity is showing greatly here.

I cant be bothered to have an adult discussion with someone who acts like a spoilt little child.

Says a lot about someone when they start hurling insults around with absolutely nothing to back them up.


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## alyssa_liss

IMO nonnie has said nothing wrong , i dont see the need in personal comments against her/him


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## bexy1989

alyssa_liss said:


> IMO nonnie has said nothing wrong , i dont see the need in personal comments against her/him


i agree there

i think the point has been lost...its not about shutting down [email protected] completely its about taking away the license until they have staff that are properly trained up


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## shellinch

alyssa_liss said:


> IMO nonnie has said nothing wrong , i dont see the need in personal comments against her/him


because its people like nonnie who will do nothing thats makes them as bad as the criminals themselfs.

so everyone would do exactly liek nonnie and the person who seen my cat being beaten up. you would ignore it because you dont want to get involved or possible have to go to caught????

you dont get noweher in life by being silent! and maturity... i think considering you wouldnt do the noble thing and report it and the difference is i would stand up and do everything in my power to bring anyone to justice that does wrong makes me one hell more mature any anyone who doesnt do a thing!


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## shellinch

so how many of you wwho saw animal cruelty would report it and make sure justice is served? even if the person who done it might come after you and personally attack you?


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## Guest

Nonnie said:


> They werent breaking any laws, and knowing this family, they would just go out and get another animal.
> 
> Plus if you know anything about pikeys, you know you dont cross them unless you want your house burnt down at 3am.
> 
> Can you answer my question about this so called exam pet shops have to legally take please.


What on earth is a PIKEY? some kind of fish?


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## shellinch

lol someone hasnt watched snach lol...... basicly gypsys! we got loads by us. constantly on fone to RSPCA. me and my 2 friends (RSPCA inspector) & (police officer) work together inthe community to get rid of them and we are slowly getting rid of them all!


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## shellinch

thats why i end up hosuing and rehoming alot of animals!


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## Guest

alyssa_liss said:


> IMO nonnie has said nothing wrong , i dont see the need in personal comments against her/him


Shellinch didn't say a lot wrong either imo - six of one half a dozen of the other springs to mind!!!


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## alyssa_liss

DoubleTrouble said:


> What on earth is a PIKEY? some kind of fish?


 that made me laugh


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## Marcia

This topic has got nothing to do with closing [email protected] down  It's about taking away their license to sell animals.

Their staff are utterly useless and i have heard staff members say that it's ok to keep more than 1 syrian together, chinchillas can only live alone because they'll fight, and my personal favourite, rabbits can be kept in wired cages!!!!! 

I have often had to speak to the manager of 3 [email protected] stores in lincolnshire and complain about the lack of good quality care that they give their animals. 
Most of the time, the rabbits and guinea pigs have no water for gods sake! And don't talk to me about the RSPCA, they are just as useless. We have reported [email protected] to the RSPCA on several occassions and nothing as been done 

We have a little independent pet store near us that's fantastic, they only sell hamsters, gerbils and some fish but the quality of life for these animals is exceptional. Plus, the woman who owns this pet store breeds her own animals, so they never have too many.

[email protected] need to realise that any tom, dick or harry can walk through their doors and buy an animal, and [email protected] won't bat an eyelid. When i used to have some animals from their adoption centre, yes they did take down my details but they never contacted me or anything afterwards. In fact, when one of our old gerbils got ill within 3 days of bringing him home, i went into [email protected] to talk to them about it and they had literally 'binned' their copy of the adoption form i'd filled in!!!  That doesn't exactly say great pet store to me. They even accused me of lying, saying that i must have purchused the gerbil elsewhere, even though i had my copy of the adoption form


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## Nonnie

DoubleTrouble said:


> What on earth is a PIKEY? some kind of fish?


Caravan dwellers/driveway tarmac providers. The sort you see at Appleby horse fair, although ours arent so Romany.

There are about 3 sites in my vicinity. For the most part they keep themselves to themselves. But cross one, you get the whole community on you. Even the police dont bother unless its a really serious crime.


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## Guest

I sort of live in a caravan!
Half the year!!! Am I a pikey??


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## Nonnie

DoubleTrouble said:


> I sort of live in a caravan!
> Half the year!!! Am I a pikey??


Only if you drive a top of the range Merc and still claim income support.


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## littlekitty

I got a couple of budgies from there about four years ago and they actually had a disease called scaly beak, which resulted in one bird dying and I took the other one back to [email protected] and told them about the disease. My vet said that they shouldn't of sold these birds in that condition and now [email protected] have stopped selling all birds. We also got some goldfish for our daughter and after a few weeks they died to, when we returned to the store there was a sign on the tank saying "sick fish". If they know these animals are sick why are they still selling them.


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## Poppy09

Ive never actually bought an animal from them but I know in our local all the animals & fish look really healthy and the staff always gave brilliant advise when we needed it for our cats and when we got Poppy...maybe some areas could do with re-training their staff tho by the sounds of things.


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## cassie01

i recently adopted two rabbits from pets at home that were unwanted childrens pets. they were fine and happy to just give them to me, no questions asked, until i asked if they had had their injections then told me they needed to go as house rabbits only as that is what they were before. i was just about to sign the adoption papers when i asked. when i was looking at the other animals there. (the same day) one woman told a customer who asked if rabbits prefered to kept together that it was cheaper to get the one and discouraged her form getting the two (probably because the shop makes more if they buy them alone) and another woman was scared to pick up the chinchilla, which not only scared the chin but put the owner off buying it because the woman said she was scared of etting bitten, even though in general chins dont bite, they nibble or if really scared spray.

idiots!


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## Stardust

I signed the petition. I have four rats from Pets at home (I felt I HAD to rescue them), all are under a year and I've have two respiratory infections an ear infection and pnuemonia in one, which will probably eventually kill her. I take great care of my animals so I put it down to breeding. Any fish I have bought died within two days despite perfect care on my part.

But they will never stop selling. THey are evil people. If pet shops didnt stock pets, millions less would be sold. Breeders dont have animals on display so there's no kids to walk past and go "I want". Pets at home know this...they know if they sell the animal the parents come back for the food and accessories.

I know for a fact that Essex breeders put small animals in big vans at the beginning of the week and the vans travel round the country dropping animals off everywhere...sometimes the animals go four or five days with no water. Its sick.


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## shellinch

i do strongly believe that onyl registered breeders should sell any pet and they should be very closely monitered by the council and the actual assosication you need to be with to be able to breed animals. and you should have to have qualifications and expeirence before getting the liscence. but unfortunately government dont give 2 figs about pets! 

you need to get this signed to stop anyone without appropriate training and liscence by anyone possible and get the national papers involved to see if you can get more petitions ove rthe uk and get it as much attention as possible!

and with reference to essex breeding centre they need to be shut up and in jail the state of them poor rodents! iv seen one batch cum in and when they ahve stapled the tops onthe boxed they stapled through a rats tail......they are scum!


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## lemmsy

> not some hormonal 16 yr old that got a saturday job just to pay for his illegal habits what every they may be!


That's a bit unfair 

I've never bought a pet from a pet shop so I can't really comment on the way they treat their animals. Agree though that if the animals quality of life there is poor then they should improve the facilities and care for the animals at the very least!


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## lemmsy

thedogsmother said:


> Someone on the forum the other day said if you are applying for a job with them and you put in your application that you love animals they automatically bin the application.


Yes I heard this too. I think though it's more to do with the company wanting professional individuals who want to help customers and their pets rather than someone who writes "I'm applying for this job because I love fluffy animals" with the impression that they will spend the whole day stroking rabbits etc...
They are looking for people who will approach customers asking if they need help, trying to advice them on the best product for them and their pet etc...
I must say when I've been to PAH I've always found them very helpful and at the end of each visit they would ask me if there was anything else I needed help on etc...
But like I said I can't really comment on the actual selling of animals side because I've never had an animal from a pet shop- it's only been breeders or rescues for me.


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## Tigerneko

> not some hormonal 16 yr old that got a saturday job just to pay for his illegal habits what every they may be!
> 
> 
> 
> That's a bit unfair
Click to expand...

I agree 

I had a 'Saturday job' the week I turned 16 and have never been out of work since, and I am 19. The same goes for most of my friends, and we do not indulge in anything illegal, thanks  in fact, i'd say i've done harder work in my 3 years of being in constant employment than many, many people twice my age have 

Anyway, back on topic. Just felt I had to put that straight, it's not a very nice thing to say about young people..... but we have to get our 'bad attitudes' from somewhere


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## PoisonGirl

My local pets at home is really good with its animals.
Before you can buy a fish you need to tell them what size of tank you have, how long it's been set up for and what else is in it, oh and what plants you have.

They don't have that many rabbits, usually about 4 and 4 ginea pigs too.. thats usually 2 of each sex. They are never over stocked on hammys or rats either.

I am good friends with 4 of the staff and have gotten to know a bit about PaH. It is their manager who chooses to order less animals than they are 'allowed'' per cage.


And yes it is true that if you write on your application ''I love animals'' they bin it. They want people who are hard wroking, honest, etc, because working at PaH isn't just about the animals, infact only a small amout of the work a 'newbie' does is with the animals- you'd be lucky if you're cleaning the empty cages out even after working there a few months.

xx

ps- the only thing I bought from there recently is 2 fish. They are still alive, but the ones I bought form a reputable pet section in garden centre died.


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## fluffybunny2001

The one in my home town is awful,the rabbits runs are over full,with guineas and rabbits together,most of thier fish tanks have dead fish in and the staff have no clue,mostly stand around chatting about their drunken escapades the night before or the lad/girl they pulled.
Their rodent cages are 2 small-i`m a bit biased though my rats have always had a 4 level chinchilla cage.
Most pet shops aren`t much better,when one of my rats died i wanted a companion for it.(i kept rats for 10 years)i went into my local pampurred pets and they had 1 male rat left,so i asked to buy it,and was met with 
"we only sell rats in pairs" 
ok so why is he on his own,
"he`s not very friendly"
ok thats fine i can deal with that.
"he will bite you",
ok thats fine.what are you going to do with him then if he has to go with another rat?"send him back to the breeder and er they will deal with it" 
by deal with it do you mean put it to sleep?
"erm i don`t think so" 
ok seriously i have a lonely male rat at home who needs a companion so please sell me the rat he will be much better off.
"thats not a good idea,they may fight"
if they do i`ve got plently of spare cages and time to make sure he gets enoght attention, 
"oh i suppose so,don`t come crying to us when he bites you"
I bought the rat and he settled in fine with my other one.


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## bexy1989

fluffybunny2001 said:


> The one in my home town is awful,the rabbits runs are over full,with guineas and rabbits together,most of thier fish tanks have dead fish in and the staff have no clue,mostly stand around chatting about their drunken escapades the night before or the lad/girl they pulled.
> Their rodent cages are 2 small-i`m a bit biased though my rats have always had a 4 level chinchilla cage.
> Most pet shops aren`t much better,when one of my rats died i wanted a companion for it.(i kept rats for 10 years)i went into my local pampurred pets and they had 1 male rat left,so i asked to buy it,and was met with
> "we only sell rats in pairs"
> ok so why is he on his own,
> "he`s not very friendly"
> ok thats fine i can deal with that.
> "he will bite you",
> ok thats fine.what are you going to do with him then if he has to go with another rat?"send him back to the breeder and er they will deal with it"
> by deal with it do you mean put it to sleep?
> "erm i don`t think so"
> ok seriously i have a lonely male rat at home who needs a companion so please sell me the rat he will be much better off.
> "thats not a good idea,they may fight"
> if they do i`ve got plently of spare cages and time to make sure he gets enoght attention,
> "oh i suppose so,don`t come crying to us when he bites you"
> I bought the rat and he settled in fine with my other one.


is that the [email protected] just north of portsmouth? my oh is from portsmouth and agrees that there are deff problems in that store!


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## sequeena

Pets at Home hasn't been open long in my town so I can't really comment but when I went in there was no overcrowding of animals and they were all lively, alert and looked well cared for.

It's a shame that all this could be avoided with proper training 
Of course, training doesn't mean everything, most staff just seem to be lazy!


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## Akai-Chan

Signed. How many signatures we aiming for?

Peace
Akai-Chan


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## hazyreality

I am really on the fence with this one because my local [email protected] is ok with the animals.
If on occasion there is a problem, it is sorted straight away. I went in there about a week ago, and they had the degos in their cage, the water bottle was put thru the bars and layed on the hay that was in the cut out corner section, obviously they had pulled some of the hay out and they couldnt work the water bottle because it wasnt tilted enough, i told a member of staff who said "oh, obviously that bottle isnt gonna work" and straight away went and got a bigger bottle that wouldnt fall down. Meanwhile I held the bottle up so that they could have a drink from it.
I don't think much of their fish but then I work at an aquatics store, and ours are immaculate, so I never will. 
I have brough a rabbit from there, and despite having a missing toe(looks like she was born without it) and a small split in her ear(which was healed completely) she has never had a problem.
I think they just need better staff, more knowledge, better breeders. Some of the "breeders" and small pet shops are no better! A local pet shop owner sold me 2 Female medium crossbreed rabbits that turned out to be 1 male and 1 female New Zealand White rabbits! Found out who bred them and he said the guy in the pet shop knew exactly what they were because he told him when he had the 2 from him!

*Heidi*


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## fluffybunny2001

bexy1989 said:


> is that the [email protected] just north of portsmouth? my oh is from portsmouth and agrees that there are deff problems in that store!


it`s the one in titchfield near fareham


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## lemmsy

hazyreality said:


> I am really on the fence with this one because my local [email protected] is ok with the animals.
> QUOTE]
> 
> Same here- my local [email protected] seems to be fine with the animals. Not to many really nice long runs for the bunnies and hutches. They seem well looked after. Obviously though if there are probs in other stores these probs need to be addressed


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## Midnight

I've signed it Marcia, i was really shocked when i went in there on Friday to my disgust they were selling little baby Degu's with mum in the cage to  some little kid said "oh mum i want one" she said they are cute aren't they .. so when is her child going to get bored of it or them  they were so small to  i asked one of the shop assistants why they were selling baby's and he said " " dunno thats what came in " GGGrrrrrrrrr


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## corn

totally agree, i have broght 2 hamster from them and one, when wetook tothe vets the day after buying because i noticed a lump on his leg when i brought him home died from cancer and they woulden't let me hold him before i brought him so i didn't know then the other one just died un expectedly 4 days later baring in mind they where in seperate cages and they never even saw each other as they where in seperate rooms then my step sister had two ( at different times) and the first one again died 4 days later then the second one had three toes missing but she wanted it so it woulden't be unsold and then die in that place that one lived 18 months i then went to a different pet shop a small scale non profit shop and brought my belovid dave and wispa and thayhave been alive for 2.5 years now


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## kaz_f

I don't really know enough about it to make a useful comment as to whether they should be selling animals. I'd have to look into it I think. My local Pets @ Home are knowledgeable although I must say it depends which member of staff you get. There are 2 or 3 that I always go to as they seem to be very helpful, happy to spend time with you and they can usually answer queries and give good advice. I recently got some tropical fish from there and before I bought them I took in a water sample from my tank so it could be tested. They asked me lots of questions about my tank, water changes, what fish were in there currently etc. The water test came back fine so I took some advice about which types could live successfully together and so far so good, they settled really well and no losses. These are the only animals I have purchased from them however so the situation regarding small furries could be very different. 

Apologies if this is a little off-topic as I guess it's more of an ethical question as to whether they should be offering pets for sale. In terms of the advice and help I've had though I'm quite impressed. It probably varies vastly from store to store!


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## smudgiesmummy

the local one near where i live are all friendly... but i have seen the state of the fish tanks and they are terrible


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## SmokeyRabbit

Do not touch pets at home with a 10 foot barge pole, i adopted a rabbit in there store a few years back at 12 weeks, took it to vets had myxi jab apart from saying he was a bit small for breed at his age vets werent concerned, he was provided with food, water and hay daily but was bearly touching it,[email protected] kept trying to fob us off with different brands of there food and vets still werent overly concerned got told he was taking time to settle in, one day a few days before his vhd jab we found him in the cage virtually at deaths door was ok night before, so rushed him to emergency vets he died that afternoon at vets at 14 weeks old, the vet wrote a letter saying in there opinion animal was ill when adopted from them. My mum tried getting her money back plus vet bills from there hq with no luck, in the end gave up but warn people not to touch them. They wanted a post mortem but considering he had been dead a week when they asked and disposed of by the vets it was too late, if they die at home they stay at home buried in our garden but he stayed at the vets i can remember sobbing my heart out telling my mum babies arent meant to die. 

It was a match made in heaven he was a spit of a rabbit we lost due to old age and an internal tumour at 9 so we took him home, cancelling the appointment we had at breeders next day never doing that again!

R.I.P BlueThumper


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## Guest

I am very very good friends with 2 people at my old local [email protected] and they knew what they where talking about HOWEVER they only knew because they took time out of their own lives to research what they had in. [email protected] didnt offer that training or research. 

I remember once getting a chinchilla from their "adoption" bit as it was handed in by someone who never spent time with it, it was vicious and in its own right wild. I got a taxi to take me to pick it up and wait for me as I dont drive. It took [email protected] staff 1 hour and 35 mins to catch it into a case. They had no idea how to go about getting it in and where chasing it the whole time.


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## Horse and Hound

kaz_f said:


> I don't really know enough about it to make a useful comment as to whether they should be selling animals. I'd have to look into it I think. My local Pets @ Home are knowledgeable although I must say it depends which member of staff you get. There are 2 or 3 that I always go to as they seem to be very helpful, happy to spend time with you and they can usually answer queries and give good advice. I recently got some tropical fish from there and before I bought them I took in a water sample from my tank so it could be tested. They asked me lots of questions about my tank, water changes, what fish were in there currently etc. The water test came back fine so I took some advice about which types could live successfully together and so far so good, they settled really well and no losses. These are the only animals I have purchased from them however so the situation regarding small furries could be very different.
> 
> Apologies if this is a little off-topic as I guess it's more of an ethical question as to whether they should be offering pets for sale. In terms of the advice and help I've had though I'm quite impressed. It probably varies vastly from store to store!


Pretty much what I would say. I can't say I've got any complaints about the one I've used.


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## happysaz133

I think more education is needed (staff and potential owners), bigger cages available for sale and higher prices for pets. If the animals cost even a bit more, it may make people think more before buying.

I've mostly been happy with all my purchases from there. 2 of my 3 guinea pigs, 2 of my 3 hamsters and both my rabbits are from there. I never bought the rabbits myself, but adopted them from someone who had bought them there originally.


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## holly1

My friend got a hammy. It died 2 days later. She returned everything back to the store.A week later,she had a courtesy call from pets at home,asking if the hamster was doing ok.
She said,no it died.
The woman said,so everything is ok? my friend said, didnt you hear me, its dead!
Best of it was,it was the same member of staff who she returned the dead one to.They said do you want to take it to bury it, it will only go in the incinerator!
I buried it here,as she lives in a flat.


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## Guest

I bought a goldfish from thre two months later it died along with the other two it was with and then I bought my old pleco Nemo he was only a baby he died six months later. He died way too young. I went back to speak to them and said I bought a pleco from here six months ago he died and they said glad he is doing well and I was like I said he died. I had one goldfish from there well seven days later he got sick and died I got a budgie Charlie from pets at home she died at hthe age of two years old had to have her pts but don't think that one was pets at home the rest were though.


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## sunshine80

My local Pets @ Home is currently closed (due to fire not actually at Pets @ Home but roof was damaged). When they were open however they were really helpful about the animals in their care. They were all suitably housed and I often saw staff with the animals out especially the rats etc. However I think this was more because the staff actually liked animals and had some themself not because of the way they were trained. I bought two chinese hamsters from my local one and they were really healthy and the biy that sold me them was really helpful but he had a chinese hamster himself. I only have a few stores near me which sell live animals but Pets @ Home is better than one of the others who I have had several bad experiences with.


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## critter

Hi, just to say that I have no problem with my local [email protected], I usually go there to stock up on fresh food for my dog, they also do a good range of dog accessories, collars, leads, harnesses etc, etc, the staff are always helpful, courteous and friendly, although I have never bought an animal from there, their animals seem healthy and well cared for. wayne.


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## Guest

critter said:


> Hi, just to say that I have no problem with my local [email protected], I usually go there to stock up on fresh food for my dog, they also do a good range of dog accessories, collars, leads, harnesses etc, etc, the staff are always helpful, courteous and friendly, although I have never bought an animal from there, their animals seem healthy and well cared for. wayne.


It's the pets they sell that I have had trouble with they die not long after I get them so no longer buy pets from there in fact I don't even go into [email protected] now lol.


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## holly1

danielled said:


> It's the pets they sell that I have had trouble with they die not long after I get them so no longer buy pets from there in fact I don't even go into [email protected] now lol.


Mee toooo.Fish are shocking


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## Sandysmum

I go to pets at home fairly often. My local branch is always very clean, the animals look well cared for and the staff are helpful.I take my dog to the groomers there, for a nail clip, and he's very happy there. I also use their vets,
I think it must be down to individual stores and obviously some are better than others.


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## Guest

holly1 said:


> Mee toooo.Fish are shocking


I've seen sick fish in there that they haven't bothered to treat or remove with white spot as well and also seen dead fish that haven't been taken out.


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## Argent

The two branches I've been to, the fish are in a terrible state. I also feel awful for the bettas...they can see each other through the glass and are stressing to death flaring at each other constantly in those TINY box tanks


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## Guest

Argent said:


> The two branches I've been to, the fish are in a terrible state. I also feel awful for the bettas...they can see each other through the glass and are stressing to death flaring at each other constantly in those TINY box tanks


I went into one where somebody was buying a pleco they asked if htey need to feed it and guesse what pets at home said no it will eat the algea don't need to feed it. Errrr no actually if you don't feed it it will starve to death.


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## magpie

Many [email protected] stores wash their fish tank filters in a washing machine, so it's no wonder the fish are always sick


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## Lulu's owner

I was at the vet's a couple of weeks ago and there was someone with a dying guinea pig that they'd bought from Pets at Home four days before and the staff were telling them to contact the shop to ask them what to do. The implication was that Pets at Home should be asked to pay the vet bill.


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## magpie

To be fair [email protected] usually will pay for vets bills, sometimes even when the animal was bought several months previous. 

We had a hamster in a while ago that a woman had brought back to [email protected] because she had let it loose on the floor and accidentally crushed its leg with the sofa . Instead of taking the poor thing straight to a vet, she marched into the shop demanding a refund and a new hamster . 
The staff gave her a refund (I think just to get the hamster away from her), refused to give or sell her another one, and then paid all the hammies vets bills as he had to have his leg amputated. He now lives happily with one of our vet nurses


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## xXhayleyroxX

It very much varies from store to store.


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## Saria

At my local stores the staff never seem to know what animals they have in store, and they never know the sex of any of the animals. The staff will usually attempt to sex the animal in front of the customers but all of them seem too scared to even touch the animal, let alone know how to sex it.
We went in to look into getting some gerbils, They brought out 15 gerbils in a small gerbilarium that's suitable for 2 at most.

Not all pet shops are as bad as [email protected] though, I know of a few where all of the staff have taken the time to research everything there is to know about the animals that they are selling. They also breed their own animals rather than buying from rodent farms so they never have too many animals.


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## DumboRatLove

fortunately my hammys that i purchased were fine- but my friend bought a hammy which had a disease, and couldn't move or open its eyes. it died(, and it is even worse that they probably get them from rodent farms.... ban them! kill them, evils which torture these sweet creatures!)


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## sianrees1979

i bought some hermit crabs a few years ago within two days two of the crabs died


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## Mophie

It has to be one of the most hit and miss places to buy livestock around.

3 of my old rats came from a small chain of pet shops in the south (couple in wales as well I think) where a very good friend of mine worked. I took pity on 2 rats in a local [email protected] they looked so sorry for them selves, I was in two minds of days on end and went in every day to see them. I gave in and brought them home and slowly intergrated them with my other 3 ladies. They has respiratory infections so I got baytril & treated them one remained fairly dammaged from it and very feral despite my best efforts to tame her. But my current local store seems to have some clued up staff & the animals seem fairly well looked after and healthy.


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## Sashadog

I own (and occasionally breed) bearded dragons - my ten year old cousin outsmarted their staff  
Wouldn't be hard, though....the idiots didn't know what a morph was!!!! and, what's worse - THEY WERE FEEDING THEM CABBAGE AND SPINACH!!!!!!!!!!!!! (not poison, but very very bad. They SHOULD be getting rocket and corriander, with the occasional carrot.) I dread the 'advice' the new owners are given....And I wouldn't go to their vets in a fit.

and guess what....They didn't even know what a morph was. 
(those of you who do not keep reptiles, a morph is a colour mutation, search royal python morphs/bearded dragon morphs to find out more) Half of the reptiles in she shop were morphs and she didn't have a clue!


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## DeguFan

I recently bought 2 degus from Pets at Home and the two members of staff I spoke to were very knowledgeable because they both had degus at home! They offered me lots of advice and correct information that I'd also heard elsewhere. I think as with any pet shop, whether it's a chain or not, it just depends on the people that work there.


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## Nico0laGouldsmith

Lulu's owner said:


> I was at the vet's a couple of weeks ago and there was someone with a dying guinea pig that they'd bought from Pets at Home four days before and the staff were telling them to contact the shop to ask them what to do. The implication was that Pets at Home should be asked to pay the vet bill.


we got our guineas from pets at home and one of them started hopping around like a rabbit and squealing when touched because he was in pain. . . turned out he had a vitamin c deficiency. ..we actually went to [email protected] and a young lad at the desk told us not to buy their vitamin supplement for the water because it will just denature in the water and it is pointless and to go to boots and buy the tablets you put in water for humans and syringe feed him it and force him to eat any fruit or veg with vitamin c in because he had completely stopped eating.
this lad was genuinely concerned for the health of the guinea pig but he had not had any training from [email protected] it was literally because he just knew about them himself. . . .
they're a crap place to buy animals from anyway though they once brought out literally a bucket of hamsters crawling all over each other for my OH to pick one from when he was little.


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## Nico0laGouldsmith

oh and I went in looking for a thermostat for my heater. . . they didn't know what I was talking about and fetched me a thermometer . . . "is this the same thing?" . . ."no . . . "


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## jacob11

I have a dog. I love my dog very much and my dog also to me. my follow my order accordingly and if i am in dander he does to my father to come to that particular place. i love him very much and i think every body should have a pet in his or her house.


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## sskmick

The pets I have seen in our local [email protected] are clean, they look healthy and the staff are knowledgeable about specific spieces. I know which member of staff to ask depending on which pet I am enquiring about.

I came across one incident where a sale person had refused to sell two same sex rabbits to a customer.

The customer made a complaint to head office and the assistant was called to the phone. I overheard the Assistant explaining why she had refused to sell two same sex rabbits, She stated she was prepared to sell them one of each and suggested the customer have them neutered/spayed. The Assistant told the the person on the phone that one or both rabbits would be returned as they would fight. The answer must have been "that is not our problem", because she repeated it, in a disbelieving manner. While I agreed with the Assistant, I haven't seen her since


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## MrRustyRead

As some of you will know I recently lost dotty my rabbit from [email protected] due to stomach problems. She was on the same [email protected] food and had lots of problems with her belly. When she passed I rang [email protected] to tell them as a warning of their rabbits having problems and they didn't care


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## sarahplanner

This thread really makes me chuckle. Do you know how many pet sales are refused at Pah.....loads. Why, because stupid people want what they want, when they want it without doing any research about what they actually plan on buying. Do you know how many people threaten the staff there because they don't have any guineas for sale due too it not being their breeding season....loads. 
At least you get asked questions like housing, general care etc.
What about places like gumtree....have you looked at their adverts by people who claim to "love" their animals but are willing to give them away free because they cant afford kennels whilst going on holiday.
Seems like we should just ban the stupidity of humans and then all animals would be fine


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## Guest

sarahplanner said:


> This thread really makes me chuckle. Do you know how many pet sales are refused at Pah.....loads. Why, because stupid people want what they want, when they want it without doing any research about what they actually plan on buying. Do you know how many people threaten the staff there because they don't have any guineas for sale due too it not being their breeding season....loads.
> At least you get asked questions like housing, general care etc.
> What about places like gumtree....have you looked at their adverts by people who claim to "love" their animals but are willing to give them away free because they cant afford kennels whilst going on holiday.
> Seems like we should just ban the stupidity of humans and then all animals would be fine


i know several `reptile` lovers that have `saved` reptiles from [email protected] and you know why ? because at my local store non of them know anything about reptile husbandry at my local store you are asked nothing , you walk in , purchase an animal hand over your money and are asked to sign a form saying you`ve had a care leaflet shoved in your hand i`d rather chance having a pet that has been raised in a home that someone can no longer keep at least you are going to know more about that animal in five minutes rather than having to feel like your having to extract gold teeth from a member of staff at my local [email protected] store. more to the point i no longer go in my local one , the fish section is diabolical and the cages they keep those poor chipmunks in i wouldn`t shove a small mouse in.


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## Guest

diablo said:


> i know several `reptile` lovers that have `saved` reptiles from [email protected] and you know why ? because at my local store non of them know anything about reptile husbandry at my local store you are asked nothing , you walk in , purchase an animal hand over your money and are asked to sign a form saying you`ve had a care leaflet shoved in your hand i`d rather chance having a pet that has been raised in a home that someone can no longer keep at least you are going to know more about that animal in five minutes rather than having to feel like your having to extract gold teeth from a member of staff at my local [email protected] store. more to the point i no longer go in my local one , the fish section is diabolical and the cages they keep those poor chipmunks in i wouldn`t shove a small mouse in.


I avoid pets at home like the plague now. Have been avoiding them for ages now a few years I think.


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## Guest

danielled said:


> I avoid pets at home like the plague now. Have been avoiding them for ages now a few years I think.


i know danielle its a shame round here a lot of people are wise to my local store where the selling of animals is concerned , i havent personally been in for a couple of years and only ever buy the odd thing or two from the online store last time i did go in it broke my heart


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## EllesBelles

Coincidentally, I've just ended up with five very, very small leopard geckos. They were being kept with just a light in a PAH close by...I'll take them up to the reptile vet now. They are tiny...probably only a week old, if that.

There are two PAHs near me, one is excellent, one is terrible. They are a mixed bag, but I wish they would tighten up husbandry and care across the chain, rather than relying on the staff to do overtime and go out of their way to look after the animals well.


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## Guest

EllesBelles said:


> Coincidentally, I've just ended up with five very, very small leopard geckos. They were being kept with just a light in a PAH close by...I'll take them up to the reptile vet now. They are tiny...probably only a week old, if that.
> 
> There are two PAHs near me, one is excellent, one is terrible. They are a mixed bag, but I wish they would tighten up husbandry and care across the chain, rather than relying on the staff to do overtime and go out of their way to look after the animals well.


good lord , poor things! glad you got to them but more to the point what on earth were [email protected] doing letting them go!! they know absolutely NOTHING about reptiles and imo shouldn`t even be selling them


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## EllesBelles

I couldn't believe it. The woman who bought them to me knew absolutely nothing about them...she said the woman just ticked the boxes saying to look on the internet for care guidelines. She only knew they were in bad condition because she has seen mine - who are a bit spoilt with 4 foot cages, it has to be said  I'll get them checked over and see what he thinks.

Honestly, I wish their reptile would be revoked like their poultry one was. They need such special care, and if PAH can't give it, they have no way of knowing if future owners can


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## Guest

EllesBelles said:


> I couldn't believe it. The woman who bought them to me knew absolutely nothing about them...she said the woman just ticked the boxes saying to look on the internet for care guidelines. She only knew they were in bad condition because she has seen mine - who are a bit spoilt with 4 foot cages, it has to be said  I'll get them checked over and see what he thinks.
> 
> Honestly, I wish their reptile would be revoked like their poultry one was. They need such special care, and if PAH can't give it, they have no way of knowing if future owners can


this has got to have taken place at my local one it sounds like them see problem is reptiles have now taken over as the nations number one pet they are now more popular than cats and dogs , so obviously [email protected] have found that niche in the market 
really glad you got to them , let me know their progress if you would i`d love to hear how they are doing lets hope their licence to sell reptiles gets revoked , i really hope it does as i know since they`ve been selling them at my local one , it`s been done with no care for the welfare of the animals involved


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## Guest

diablo said:


> i know danielle its a shame round here a lot of people are wise to my local store where the selling of animals is concerned , i havent personally been in for a couple of years and only ever buy the odd thing or two from the online store last time i did go in it broke my heart


When ever my cousin goes in there I tend to get text this tank has dead fish or why is this fish in with the healthy ones so I always reply because they are pets at home. I won't even buy food and stuff from there let alone pets.


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## Nico0laGouldsmith

danielled said:


> When ever my cousin goes in there I tend to get text this tank has dead fish or why is this fish in with the healthy ones so I always reply because they are pets at home. I won't even buy food and stuff from there let alone pets.


unfortunately I do buy food from there. . . just because they're the only place that sell the selection of different cat biscuits I have to buy to make the mix up for my hedgehog. . . if I could order it and know that I would be home for the delivery then I would but I absolutely hate having to chase up parcels. . .especially when they're enormous parcels (I normally buy 4 different types in one go)  the pet shop near me sells puppies and all sorts to anyone. . .in fact they used to sell hedgehogs without any kind of set ups or recommending a heat source or anything. . .and they sell siamese fighter fish without heat in a tiny tank or to go in with people's existing fish. . . so I think buying from that pet shop would be even worse than buying the food from [email protected] unfortunately 
why aren't there stricter rules on any of this???? places where you can walk in, make a decision there and then and come away with a living thing do not make sense!
the amount of times when I have been in [email protected] or other pet shops and thought "my god I really want to buy that just because I feel sorry for it where it is" without knowing anything about the type of animal it is or how to care for it. . . obviously I don't buy animals in that way but I have been tempted so many times and you shouldn't be able to just walk away with it! Like I once went into a pet shop to see if they had the specific food my guinea pigs eat because they're so fussy and they had a parrot in there in a tiny tiny cage and it looked so sad. . . I actually contemplated buying it! I have no experience or knowledge of parrot care but when I asked about him they talked him up and tried to make me buy him. . . therefore I could have easily have walked away with that bird with absolutely no idea of how to care for him.

and the saddest part is. . .

these animals in pet shops and places like pets at home (I'm only talking about the specific branches and shops that don't really know much about animals they just sell them) very very rarely get bought by experienced pet owners. . .they mostly get bought on impulse for children or by people who just see them and want them. . . most experienced pet owners do research into the animal they want and track down a reputable breeder and buy from them. . . . so the poor little things in the shops quite often go home with someone who doesn't know how to look after it properly and it will end up not living its full life


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## susanc

My daughter has her Diploma in Animal Management, she has applied for part time jobs 3 times at [email protected], and just gets an e-mail to say shes been unsuccessful in her application. You would think she would be a prime candidate with her qualifications-shes done the pet shop management module as part of her course. Shes not applying to be a manager, just wanting a few hours a week while shes at college doing dog grooming


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## aasterbeatrix

I have never faced any specific problem with pets at home. If we take care of them correctly, they will be healthy enough


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## aasterbeatrix

Well really i do not have any idea yet. Do your resource available for online buying and selling.


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## SiobhanG

I was offered a job at a Companion Care Vets and I must say I was absolutely horrified to see 'behind the scenes' at Pets At Home. Hamsters literally stocked piled in a tiny room with no natural light or ventilation. 

Also, one of the jobs for the nurses that opened up the vets each day was to collect a bin of dead fish that the shop staff would leave outside our door for us to put in our freezer. 

I wont mention which branch this was but the vets weren't much better. I quit after two weeks. This was two or three years ago so perhaps standards have improved.


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## MeganRose

I end up wanting to cry everytime I go into PAH! 
Last time I went there was about 15 guineas in one veery small pen. Must have been about 3ft at the most? (I'm crap with measurements!) They had NO room at all though, all crammed together.
They sell Chinchillas and Degus now, which I really hate! The idea someone can just stroll in, see a chinchilla and go 'Ooh those are cute, I think I'll have one of them' is horrible! My sister-in-law who's a chinchilla owner ended up having a rather strongly worded discussion with the staff there about the state the chinchillas were in! 
I looked into getting Degu's a while ago, and I came to the conclusion that they were not the pet for me, ALOT more hardwork than I was willing to put in, for what seemed like possibly not much in return!.. And that's coming from someone who absolutely adores them! Having them in a shop that people can just stroll in and pick, without any research is terrible. Plus if I _did_ decide to get them, it definitely would not be from there.

Also, the gerbilarium they sell comes with plastic toys, which are unsuitable for gerbils! AND they say that gerbils need sawdust for bedding which is also unsuitable!

I try to avoid going there at all costs, but it is SO good for supplies! >.<


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## munchkinpie

the store nearest me has had a refurb but no apparent staff training i asked advice on my cats diet (changing from royal canin kitten 36 to adult siamese food) i simply got a shoulder shrug " I dont know what does it say on the back of the packet?". great help and service, NOT. the sale of animals should be left to breeders who are passionate and knowledgable of their choosen breed and not some id**t just doing it because they get paid to. At the end of the day its a buisness,buisnesses are there to make money.


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## Sandysmum

I go to [email protected] quite often, and tbh I've never found a problem. The branch I go to is clean, the animals seem to be well looked after and the staff are friendly.


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## rockgirl

My local pets at home used to be awful, the rabbits never had any water, most of the fish were dead and the birds were as scraggy as anything. Then they brought in a new manager who was brilliant. They hired new 'animal people' staff and the place is now brilliant. They don't sell birds anymore but there other animals are kept extremely clean. The rabbits have a big run out the back, and all animal areas have clean fresh water and the staff are always checking up on them. 
I think it really depends on who's in charge and who's working there.


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## caitlinwade

i have had 2 hamsters from pets at home, they only lived for 1 year! theres something not right there because i had another hamster from my friends hamster who had babies and she lives 3 years!

i wouldnt recommend buying from there! we need to stop them by not letting them get any customers for the pets!!


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## mollymo

jetsmum said:


> I go to [email protected] quite often, and tbh I've never found a problem. The branch I go to is clean, the animals seem to be well looked after and the staff are friendly.


Our local branch is also clean and the small animals allways look well looked after and the staff are very nice and friendly.


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## elmthesofties

The experiences I've had with pet stores are AWFUL. Awful, awful, awful.
Whenever I went to a pet store, I didn't even buy an animal if at least one of the creatures seemed unwell. Yet quite a few died before they were 6 months old. Very, very few pet shop hamsters reached their second birthday, even though the hamsters I've had from breeders tended to live until their 3rd birthday or very close to then. 

Once I went to [email protected] and asked to see the hamsters round the back as they'd sold out. The woman there bought them out.
The cage? Clean. The woman? Knowlegable. The hamsters? Flaky skin around the eyes, although to be fair they had just woken up. But the cage SIZE? It was rediculous. It was a tiny blue box with a very shallow layer of sawdust, no nest material. There were, from what I can remember, about 5 hamsters in the box. Syrians, although I suppose they were still quite young. And that's considering she took a good 10 minutes to get them, at least. I don't know what took her so long, but she may have cleaned them out or put them in another cage in that time.

Sure, once they get into the 'viewing area', they're decently taken care of. But before then? The conditions they're bred in are awful and the conditions they're kept in are not that much better. It seems that so long as nobody finds out, it's all OK.


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## Kinjilabs

Could say the same about other pet outlets!!! wont name them and I dont buy from them but I dont think any "shop" should sell animals, its bad enough having breeders of animals for sale without having them in shops!


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## templatespow

small animels make super pets because they are so much fun generally very play ful and can be so lovabele.


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## Les E

A few years ago I heard from someone who worked at [email protected] of birds dead inside their delivery boxes because they were missed and neglected by staff.She had to get out because conditions were so bad.That was around the time of the high profile case of cruelty that reached the media in one of their Glasgow branches when a male member of staff was sacked for juggling three hamsters. I boycott the company.
I have a excellant pet store here in Midlothian at Dobbies Garden Centre next to the famous butterfly farm,its owned by Tesco and the quality of care of their livestock is renowned in this area.


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## Sandysmum

Kinjilabs said:


> Could say the same about other pet outlets!!! wont name them and I dont buy from them but I dont think any "shop" should sell animals, its bad enough having breeders of animals for sale without having them in shops!


If there was a law against the sale of animals in pet shops, it would stop impulse buying, and that can only be a good thing.


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## pink123

Selling is for profit, but if the corp. aims at looking new home for pets, that will be better.


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## Mazzawa

Les E said:


> I have a excellant pet store here in Midlothian at Dobbies Garden Centre next to the famous butterfly farm,its owned by Tesco and the quality of care of their livestock is renowned in this area.


We also frequently visit this store, and have to say we don't agree. Every time we are in there we have to point something out to the staff to do with the animals. Once we saw rabbits with the wire spring from one of their tubes just sitting there with the cover at the other side of their pen  could've easily taken one of their eyes out, knowing how dippy baby bunnies can be! Another time the GPs were out of water, and the rabbits litter trays were overflowing and had flies hovering around (any bunny owner will know of the dangers of fly-strike). Don't get me started on their chickens, I've stopped going to look at them, although I am unsure if the ailments they display (feather plucking, scabby eyes, limps etc) are from poor care or in-roost bickering. Maybe I have been going on the wrong days 

In saying all that, the animals seem to be of better condition to [email protected] so at least it is an improvement. We choose to go to the Dobbies pet place when we can, need to go somewhere!


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## McSquirtle

Apologies as I haven't read the whole thread. What I don't understand about Pets at Home is that they are so concerned about making money, the welfare of the animals isn't always foremost.
My local store has had lizards and geckos for a while now. I bought my recent crestie from them after having to sex it myself and tell them some information about husbandry!! Whilst there I noticed the lower vivariums empty and filled with little tubs - I asked about it and they are bringing in snakes to sell. I can't think of anything worse. Some people who go into the store, see an animal and buy it without being informed about care. Reptiles are not easy to keep and the fact that their staff couldn't provide me with any decent information regarding the geckos really worried me about the snakes. I can imagine they will start selling royal pythons which are notorious for not eating if things aren't 100% perfect with their environment and I think this will encourage dumping and selling of animals. 
I also went in to the store when my royal python began fasting to ask for some gerbil bedding (dirty) to scent prey with. They looked at me like I was nuts and offered no help what-so-ever.

I love going in there to buy toys/beds etc for the cats and bugs/substrate for the reptiles as its fairly good value but I can't look at the livestock as it makes me angry! I just hope they start educating staff better rather than forking out money on an expensive commercial and more stock to sell to clueless people.


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## Guest

I recently opened a Pet Boutique in Northamptonshire (please don't think this is a plug), I did this because I was sick of places like Pets at Home. I just feel uneasy about them. They're so corporate and faceless. I couldn't find any quality shops, so I opened one!

As for keeping the animals there, I agree that it seems odd that they are all very young. Do they sell enough that they replace them all of the time???


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## Les E

HI Mazzawa,
I dont have much experiance with Dobbies Pets because Ive not bought a pet in a long time.Im only going from what Ive heard from others,although like you they may of formed their opinion in comparison with [email protected] is hardly a decent benchmark!
I was in Dobbies yesterday to buy a budgie cage and my biggest problem was getting a assistant to serve me.One assistant a young lady was introducing new tropicals into the tanks and she seemed to be very gentle,careful and diligent in what she was doing,one other assistant was offering a customer advice on tropical fish,he was young too and looked like someone out of The Scheme complete with tongue stud but he seemed very knowledgable about budgies as well when he got round to serving me.The animals seemed OK and happy when I was there, perhaps they took note and acted on your concerns.


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## MissLJ

susanc said:


> My daughter has her Diploma in Animal Management, she has applied for part time jobs 3 times at [email protected], and just gets an e-mail to say shes been unsuccessful in her application. You would think she would be a prime candidate with her qualifications-shes done the pet shop management module as part of her course. Shes not applying to be a manager, just wanting a few hours a week while shes at college doing dog grooming


I am in the exact same boat as your daughter. For 5years now I have applied to both my local PAH for vacancies and every time I have recieved the same email. Make me wonder why I bothered doing my course in animal care. It is very frustrating especial when I go into PAH to buy products for my pets and hear staff members telling customers absolute rubbish.


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## MissLJ

Mazzawa said:


> We also frequently visit this store, and have to say we don't agree. Every time we are in there we have to point something out to the staff to do with the animals. Once we saw rabbits with the wire spring from one of their tubes just sitting there with the cover at the other side of their pen  could've easily taken one of their eyes out, knowing how dippy baby bunnies can be! Another time the GPs were out of water, and the rabbits litter trays were overflowing and had flies hovering around (any bunny owner will know of the dangers of fly-strike). Don't get me started on their chickens, I've stopped going to look at them, although I am unsure if the ailments they display (feather plucking, scabby eyes, limps etc) are from poor care or in-roost bickering. Maybe I have been going on the wrong days
> 
> In saying all that, the animals seem to be of better condition to [email protected] so at least it is an improvement. We choose to go to the Dobbies pet place when we can, need to go somewhere!


Due to the lack of knowledge and poor state of the animals in PAH, I chose to use Dobbies in Midlothian. I bought one of my guinea pigs and rabbit from the store. I must say....i had no problems with either pets, they were both happy and healthy and amazing little characters. I would agree that it does take time to get the attention of staff members, however it is worth the wait for the animals.


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## chrisd

From the animals I have seen in Dobbies, it is far worse than [email protected]


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## SpringerLex

I took on a female rat last week from Pets At Home who was in their adoption section. I asked if she had been handed in. She had been one of their babies to sell and because she had not been handled all that much and had become nippy they couldn't sell her. It then took the guy almost a half hour to get her in the box because he wouldn't touch her, when I asked if I could he said he didn't want to stress her out. Uhm...what are you doing chasing her around with a box? Chilling her out?

I've since spent six days working with this little girl and I can now pick her up and so far she has not bitten me. Time and patience is all it took. But I was very surprised that she had been put in the adoption section because she had not sold. The staff know me and how knowledgeable I am on animals so when I go in they tend to leave me to my own devices. I also give them advice when it comes to certain animals lol.


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## Snippet

I haven't read all of this thread, but these are my opinions. I can't stand pet shops that sell animals. Having live animals on show is encouraging people to impulse buy because they can't resist a cute face. IMO, if pet shops didn't stock live animals there would be less pets being neglected because people wouldn't see an animal, buy it then get bored of it because it would be harder to get a pet. I also can't stand the way the animals are bred. Most people wouldn't consider getting a puppy from a puppy mill, so why are rats/ hamsters/ degus/ chinchillas/ guniea pigs/ rabbits so different? I've seen the effects of poor breeding in a lot of small animals, and it isn't pretty. I guess most people don't think it matters if a £5 rat, or a £20 rabbit gets poorly as they can go out and 'replace' it when it dies.


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## Guest

I haven't read all this thread either but thought I'd chip in with my 2 cents.

The [email protected] nearest to me sell reptiles & there's one particular snake in there which is in a large enough tank, but it doesn't really have anywhere to hide. I was with a friend at the time who has owned snakes for years & he said that snakes really do need somewhere to hide away. I also owned snakes in the past so know they need some sort of cover. This poor thing was left out with a small space to sneak into to get away from the lights beaming on it.


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## Laura123

I must agree. I didn't really realise just how bad the conditions were until I googled rodent farms recently. I'm not saying that the staff are bad it's the suppliers. So I will be signing.


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## thedogsmother

I was listening to the staff at my local one, they were really lovely people and they dont sell animals in that branch so it isnt surprising that their knowledge wasnt great, but apparently "feeding charcoal dog biscuits helps to treat wet tail in rats and mice"  I corrected them and they were really nice about it but it did make me chuckle when I left


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## pawsforthought58

I had no idea they sold live animals! Their website doesn't mention anything of the sort. I guess they're all sold in store?


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## thedogsmother

pawsforthought58 said:


> I had no idea they sold live animals! Their website doesn't mention anything of the sort. I guess they're all sold in store?


Some of their branches dont sell live animals but they are few and far between, most stores do sell them though


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## Snippet

pawsforthought58 said:


> I had no idea they sold live animals! Their website doesn't mention anything of the sort. I guess they're all sold in store?


If you click on the small pets tab there is a link to a page called 'Small Pets Available in Store'. There's another one for reptiles.


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## pawsforthought58

Oh yes, I see this now. Thanks.


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## staffygurl

I've just read this thread and haven't read all the comments fully so excuse me if I'm slightly behind!

I worked for Pets at Home a few years back and the reason I left was because I just couldn't hack it anymore the way the animals are treated there is appalling they arrive all crammed like sardines in a cardboard box for a start!! 

The animals are mass bred with no interest in the welfare of them, only the pounds they earn being the main concern, half of them arrive already ill and if the animal was lucky enough to arrive healthy there was a very high number that would go on to fall ill and when they did there was a room (in the cold, dusty warehouse section of the store) where they are stuffed away, without any vet care, and just fed and watered like all the other animals and wait to die. 

The staff are put through a training program but it is very basic and I never felt like I was properly trained to do my job. 
There's people saying that when they go into their store everything looks fine, clean cages etc, yes because that's the bit they want you to see you can't see the room behind the displays where the animals waiting to be sold are kept and you can't see the "sick room" where animals are left. 

A good example to me is when I worked there we were told to always push the Pets At Home brand for example if somebody says to you I'm thinking about buying lets say for example this Bakers dog food we were urged to say oh no no you want the Pets At Home brand dog food because its this this and this, since owning a dog I've looked at their foods more closely and wouldn't dream of feeding my dog that trollop! If they cared about animals and were so clued in would they not want to sell you something that be healthier for your dog (even within a budget there are better things!!) That's just an example obv.


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## pawsforthought58

This really does make for upsetting reading. I'm not a fan of any pet shop but Pets at Home operate on such a large scale and make so much money from this. This is disgraceful. Funny, you get people telling you not to buy dogs online but I find that breeders and other sellers that advertise through these mediums are more responsible than these puppy mill shops.

My friend bought her last dog online from a classified website and it lived for 19 years without any health issues! Just goes to show doesn't it? It's such a minefield out there for buyers. So many dishonest people and businesses.

I don't blame you for leaving and thanks for the thread. We really need to push awareness of the way these sort of companies operate.


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## pawsforthought58

Have just signed and well done for circulating this.


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## elmthesofties

pawsforthought58 said:


> Funny, you get people telling you not to buy dogs online but I find that breeders and other sellers that advertise through these mediums are more responsible than these puppy mill shops.


I think that's partly because there aren't many organisations for small animals. If you want a labrador, go onto the official labrador club website or whatever and look up their list of trusted breeders. (my family have always rescued dogs so maybe it's not quite like that, but you get my drift)
Until rodents stop being seen as a childrens toy nobody will really care about it. I've never seen a website for a national Chinese hamster society, for example, but there's one for every dog breed that I've ever heard of. So for now I think a lot of small animal breeders have to advertise on websites like Preloved because they can't advertise via a well trusted organisation.


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## pawsforthought58

Yes you are right. Just because they're small doesn't mean they're not important


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## goose101

I used to work for dobbies and i left due to animal care issues and human related issues due to not caring about the animals welfare as much as they should... They are all individual stores and all run differently... Some staff have excellent knowledge, some are simply there to put the animals in a box or the fish in bags... If u get talking to the right staff... U will get amazing information... Everyone has different opinions on how pets should be sold... I left because i wasn't allowed to say no... Its not the staff... Its the management... Complain in store and to head office... Its the only way something will get done...
I wouldn't buy any animal from a pet shop after knowing what can go on behind closed doors... Very glad i rescued my bunnies from the fate that many face...


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## Hardwick Hounds

SpringerLex said:


> I took on a female rat last week from Pets At Home who was in their adoption section. I asked if she had been handed in. She had been one of their babies to sell and because she had not been handled all that much and had become nippy they couldn't sell her. It then took the guy almost a half hour to get her in the box because he wouldn't touch her, when I asked if I could he said he didn't want to stress her out. Uhm...what are you doing chasing her around with a box? Chilling her out?
> 
> I've since spent six days working with this little girl and I can now pick her up and so far she has not bitten me. Time and patience is all it took. But I was very surprised that she had been put in the adoption section because she had not sold. The staff know me and how knowledgeable I am on animals so when I go in they tend to leave me to my own devices. I also give them advice when it comes to certain animals lol.


I used to work for The Groom Room at Pets at Home, and was moved around to different branches to cover maternity etc.

The staff aren't allowed to handle the animals, they are given strict time slots for cleaning etc before the store opens and as soon as it does they are sent onto shop floor for deliveries etc. Almost all of the staff I worked with are so unhappy there and I think this is partly the reason why the customer service is poor.

I have a friend who still works in store at [email protected] and she was sent on the two day reptile training and was then "qualified" to sell reptiles. A few weeks after, she spoje to her deputy manager to explain that she didn't want to sell reptiles as she felt she had insufficient knowledge and wasn't confident. She was investigated the next day and was told she had no choice but to sell them!!

The company is run by slave drivers and they push targets so hard. I the Groom Room, we had targets of 20 grooms per day between 2/3 people! Hence why I left as I was fortunate enough to have the financial support from my parents to help me set up my own grooming business.

I have to say, half of the customers are as bad as the company itself. Everyday there were customers who took their terriers upto the small animal cages and say "what's that!" winding the dog up and scaring the pets half to death! Kids bang on the glass etc. Every day, people would bang on the Groom Room glass while we were grooming! Why would you want to do that?! I feel so sorry for animals in zoos 

I was working a late shift on my own one day and had taken my Great dane Bella with me (they're not allowed to do that anymore). I was grooming a dog and Bella was curled up in a ball asleep at my feet, when 3 teenage lads thought it would be hilarious to bang on the window and wave and jibe at me until it startled Bella in her sleep (I think she thought someone was breaking in lol) and ran towards the noise barking, scaring the life out of the teenagers who clearly hadn't realised how big she was. As they ran away, embarrassed with bright red faces, Bella remembered where she was, and went straight back to sleep. I was laughing my head off :thumbup:

(Sorry for the essay)


----------



## Hardwick Hounds

Whilst I do agree that the selling of animals in PAH is poor, I think that if they didn't sell them, that would push the demand towards people breeding them at home for a quick buck who do so in worse conditions than at PAH, where the cost of vet bills is no issue.

The public should educate themselves before buying and buy from reputable breeders or rehome animals in rescue. Information is so eay to come by with the internet there's just no excuse. The public have the power, if people didn't buy from PAH, PAH wouldn't sell them.


----------



## Sussexplumber

DoubleTrouble said:


> I sort of live in a caravan!
> Half the year!!! Am I a pikey??


Do you have a bit of left-over tarmac from a drive youve recently resurfaced?  Do you drive on the public roads but dont have a licence or insurance?

I`ve had a little experience of them, but fortunately not near to home. Some of them are very nasty individuals.


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## selvadoor

small animal is lovable at home


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## Louiseandfriends

:mad2:

Signed the petition!


----------



## Butterflybeaut123

Sorry but this is a load of BULL. The staff at pets at home are trained and actually have to be tested to actually SELL animals. The people who I know at both stores in Swindon do nothing but care for the animals and give the nutritional advice as well as giving the public information on animals... it is then the PUBLICS decision whether they follow that advice or not. I am a professional dog trainer and I have studied animal welfare, the animals welfare at my college got less care than the animals do at pets at home. I have seen the bunnies that my college sells to public be KILLED for the boa snakes... Now that was in front of me and a little girl... 
Pets at home will give any medical attention to the animals that need it, and don't even get me started on the fish department! All customers want to do is sit and point out the dead ones... Sorry but do the public actually know why the fish is dying? (it's probably because your children are smacking on the glass!) There is nothing wrong with the filter system, pets at home have the best of the range and I know this. Fish die all the time, no matter what store it is! And pets at home have a strong connection with top dogs who advise them what breeders to buy from to make sure that the animals are coming from a good background. Once it is in the care of pets at home they then are constantly health checking them, they get a vet check and they get health checked in the morning by whoever cleans them out, the staff are told to check any animals that they walk past and before selling they do another health check, OHH YES, the new owners are ENTITLED to a free health check at the pets at home vets when they purchase their animal, and staff have to tell the customer that. I could go on all day at how pets at home try their bloody hardest, if you were actually there, dealing with the stress of IGNORANT customers such as yourself you would understand how stressful it is! Its about time people stop being so darn rude to people who are just doing their jobs whilst caring for the animals. 
Also, go into any pets store or fish store and most likely the store will not take down your details, I go into fish stores to buy fish and I have never had my information written down, questions asked about tanks or filters or how far I have to travel. Pets at home will write down everything and they will make sure you have everything working and running smoothly before letting you have the animals/fish. AND they to pet callbacks which basically means whoever has bought animals/fish off of them they will call them to make sure that they are fine and doing well!
I am happy to argue all you want until it gets through your head that pets at home is not bad at all!


----------



## Butterflybeaut123

Sorry but this is a load of BULL. The staff at pets at home are trained and actually have to be tested to actually SELL animals. The people who I know at both stores in Swindon do nothing but care for the animals and give the nutritional advice as well as giving the public information on animals... it is then the PUBLICS decision whether they follow that advice or not. I am a professional dog trainer and I have studied animal welfare, the animals welfare at my college got less care than the animals do at pets at home. I have seen the bunnies that my college sells to public be KILLED for the boa snakes... Now that was in front of me and a little girl... 
Pets at home will give any medical attention to the animals that need it, and don't even get me started on the fish department! All customers want to do is sit and point out the dead ones... Sorry but do the public actually know why the fish is dying? (it's probably because your children are smacking on the glass!) There is nothing wrong with the filter system, pets at home have the best of the range and I know this. Fish die all the time, no matter what store it is! And pets at home have a strong connection with top dogs who advise them what breeders to buy from to make sure that the animals are coming from a good background. Once it is in the care of pets at home they then are constantly health checking them, they get a vet check and they get health checked in the morning by whoever cleans them out, the staff are told to check any animals that they walk past and before selling they do another health check, OHH YES, the new owners are ENTITLED to a free health check at the pets at home vets when they purchase their animal, and staff have to tell the customer that. I could go on all day at how pets at home try their bloody hardest, if you were actually there, dealing with the stress of IGNORANT customers such as yourself you would understand how stressful it is! Its about time people stop being so darn rude to people who are just doing their jobs whilst caring for the animals. 
Also, go into any pets store or fish store and most likely the store will not take down your details, I go into fish stores to buy fish and I have never had my information written down, questions asked about tanks or filters or how far I have to travel. Pets at home will write down everything and they will make sure you have everything working and running smoothly before letting you have the animals/fish. AND they to pet callbacks which basically means whoever has bought animals/fish off of them they will call them to make sure that they are fine and doing well!
I am happy to argue all you want until it gets through your head that pets at home is not bad at all!


----------



## simplysardonic

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Sorry but this is a load of BULL. The staff at pets at home are trained and actually have to be tested to actually SELL animals. The people who I know at both stores in Swindon do nothing but care for the animals and give the nutritional advice as well as giving the public information on animals... it is then the PUBLICS decision whether they follow that advice or not. I am a professional dog trainer and I have studied animal welfare, the animals welfare at my college got less care than the animals do at pets at home. I have seen the bunnies that my college sells to public be KILLED for the boa snakes... Now that was in front of me and a little girl...
> Pets at home will give any medical attention to the animals that need it, and don't even get me started on the fish department! All customers want to do is sit and point out the dead ones... Sorry but do the public actually know why the fish is dying? (it's probably because your children are smacking on the glass!) There is nothing wrong with the filter system, pets at home have the best of the range and I know this. Fish die all the time, no matter what store it is! And pets at home have a strong connection with top dogs who advise them what breeders to buy from to make sure that *the animals are coming from a good background*. Once it is in the care of pets at home they then are constantly health checking them, they get a vet check and they get health checked in the morning by whoever cleans them out, the staff are told to check any animals that they walk past and before selling they do another health check, OHH YES, the new owners are ENTITLED to a free health check at the pets at home vets when they purchase their animal, and staff have to tell the customer that. I could go on all day at how pets at home try their bloody hardest, if you were actually there, dealing with the stress of IGNORANT customers such as yourself you would understand how stressful it is! Its about time people stop being so darn rude to people who are just doing their jobs whilst caring for the animals.
> Also, go into any pets store or fish store and most likely the store will not take down your details, I go into fish stores to buy fish and I have never had my information written down, questions asked about tanks or filters or how far I have to travel. Pets at home will write down everything and they will make sure you have everything working and running smoothly before letting you have the animals/fish. AND they to pet callbacks which basically means whoever has bought animals/fish off of them they will call them to make sure that they are fine and doing well!
> I am happy to argue all you want until it gets through your head that pets at home is not bad at all!


You mean like the 'good background' of rodent farms? Or backyard breeders? Because no good breeder would sell the babies they've bred with care, ethics & love to a national chain of pet shops, where any idiot can stroll in & buy them


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## thedogsmother

I cant comment on all the species that [email protected] sell but I can comment on first hand experience of the "advice" given out regarding rats, my local branch regularly sell lone rats to live out their lives alone, and actually advised me that rats cannot be bonded. These highly trained members of staff sold me a rat that had got too old and "savage" to sell, it had been fighting all the other males in the tank so they seperated it and I adopted it. She was a female that these highly trained staff mis sexed, then forced to fight off all the males who were trying to mate with her, she was classed as savage due to being terrified and was the sweetest rat I ever owned once she realised I wasnt dropping her back in with the males. Whatever you want to post is your opinion only, I have first hand experience of their ineptitude in more than this instance, and that certainly isnt "a load of BULL". You cannot seriously be classing [email protected] as good simply because they dont kill rabbits for food in front of children, just because your college is terrible doesnt make [email protected] good.


----------



## Guest

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Sorry but this is a load of BULL. The staff at pets at home are trained and actually have to be tested to actually SELL animals. The people who I know at both stores in Swindon do nothing but care for the animals and give the nutritional advice as well as giving the public information on animals... it is then the PUBLICS decision whether they follow that advice or not. I am a professional dog trainer and I have studied animal welfare, the animals welfare at my college got less care than the animals do at pets at home. I have seen the bunnies that my college sells to public be KILLED for the boa snakes... Now that was in front of me and a little girl...
> Pets at home will give any medical attention to the animals that need it, and don't even get me started on the fish department! All customers want to do is sit and point out the dead ones... Sorry but do the public actually know why the fish is dying? (it's probably because your children are smacking on the glass!) There is nothing wrong with the filter system, pets at home have the best of the range and I know this. Fish die all the time, no matter what store it is! And pets at home have a strong connection with top dogs who advise them what breeders to buy from to make sure that the animals are coming from a good background. Once it is in the care of pets at home they then are constantly health checking them, they get a vet check and they get health checked in the morning by whoever cleans them out, the staff are told to check any animals that they walk past and before selling they do another health check, OHH YES, the new owners are ENTITLED to a free health check at the *pets at home vets* when they purchase their animal, and staff have to tell the customer that. I could go on all day at how pets at home try their bloody hardest, if you were actually there, dealing with the stress of IGNORANT customers such as yourself you would understand how stressful it is! Its about time people stop being so darn rude to people who are just doing their jobs whilst caring for the animals.
> Also, go into any pets store or fish store and most likely the store will not take down your details, I go into fish stores to buy fish and I have never had my information written down, questions asked about tanks or filters or how far I have to travel. Pets at home will write down everything and they will make sure you have everything working and running smoothly before letting you have the animals/fish. *AND they to pet callbacks which basically means whoever has bought animals/fish off of them they will call them to make sure that they are fine and doing well*!
> I am happy to argue all you want until it gets through your head that pets at home is not bad at all!


Aww are you a bit worried about the Watchdog episode airing tonight 

I have just skimmed your post, SS has bought up the fact that [email protected] buy their stocks from breeding mills, I know someone that works in [email protected] and she has confirmed the fish come from suppliers so I won't go over that again.

But the bits I highlighted....

1. Companion Care are *not* [email protected]'s vets, they are their own company that has a contract that allows them to have practices attached to certain stores.

2. [email protected] do *not * do pet call backs

So I suggest you get your facts right before trying to defend this business


----------



## Attack Mode

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Sorry but this is a load of BULL. The staff at pets at home are trained and actually have to be tested to actually SELL animals. The people who I know at both stores in Swindon do nothing but care for the animals and give the nutritional advice as well as giving the public information on animals... it is then the PUBLICS decision whether they follow that advice or not. I am a professional dog trainer and I have studied animal welfare, the animals welfare at my college got less care than the animals do at pets at home. I have seen the bunnies that my college sells to public be KILLED for the boa snakes... Now that was in front of me and a little girl...
> Pets at home will give any medical attention to the animals that need it, and don't even get me started on the fish department! All customers want to do is sit and point out the dead ones... Sorry but do the public actually know why the fish is dying? (it's probably because your children are smacking on the glass!) There is nothing wrong with the filter system, pets at home have the best of the range and I know this. Fish die all the time, no matter what store it is! And pets at home have a strong connection with top dogs who advise them what breeders to buy from to make sure that the animals are coming from a good background. Once it is in the care of pets at home they then are constantly health checking them, they get a vet check and they get health checked in the morning by whoever cleans them out, the staff are told to check any animals that they walk past and before selling they do another health check, OHH YES, the new owners are ENTITLED to a free health check at the pets at home vets when they purchase their animal, and staff have to tell the customer that. I could go on all day at how pets at home try their bloody hardest, if you were actually there, dealing with the stress of IGNORANT customers such as yourself you would understand how stressful it is! Its about time people stop being so darn rude to people who are just doing their jobs whilst caring for the animals.
> Also, go into any pets store or fish store and most likely the store will not take down your details, I go into fish stores to buy fish and I have never had my information written down, questions asked about tanks or filters or how far I have to travel. Pets at home will write down everything and they will make sure you have everything working and running smoothly before letting you have the animals/fish. AND they to pet callbacks which basically means whoever has bought animals/fish off of them they will call them to make sure that they are fine and doing well!
> I am happy to argue all you want until it gets through your head that pets at home is not bad at all!


For someone who only "knows" people who work there. You are taking quite an interest in this and another [email protected] thread.

Only 53 mins before Watchdog starts. You better get a move on.


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## simplysardonic

I'm gutted! I can't watch 'live' Watchdog as I don't have TV, so no TV license, so will have to wait until the show has finished airing


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## hawksport

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Sorry but this is a load of BULL. The staff at pets at home are trained and actually have to be tested to actually SELL animals. The people who I know at both stores in Swindon do nothing but care for the animals and give the nutritional advice as well as giving the public information on animals... it is then the PUBLICS decision whether they follow that advice or not. I am a professional dog trainer and I have studied animal welfare, the animals welfare at my college got less care than the animals do at pets at home. I have seen the bunnies that my college sells to public be KILLED for the boa snakes... Now that was in front of me and a little girl...
> Pets at home will give any medical attention to the animals that need it, and don't even get me started on the fish department! All customers want to do is sit and point out the dead ones... Sorry but do the public actually know why the fish is dying? (it's probably because your children are smacking on the glass!) There is nothing wrong with the filter system, pets at home have the best of the range and I know this. Fish die all the time, no matter what store it is! And pets at home have a strong connection with top dogs who advise them what breeders to buy from to make sure that the animals are coming from a good background. Once it is in the care of pets at home they then are constantly health checking them, they get a vet check and they get health checked in the morning by whoever cleans them out, the staff are told to check any animals that they walk past and before selling they do another health check, OHH YES, the new owners are ENTITLED to a free health check at the pets at home vets when they purchase their animal, and staff have to tell the customer that. I could go on all day at how pets at home try their bloody hardest, if you were actually there, dealing with the stress of IGNORANT customers such as yourself you would understand how stressful it is! Its about time people stop being so darn rude to people who are just doing their jobs whilst caring for the animals.
> Also, go into any pets store or fish store and most likely the store will not take down your details, I go into fish stores to buy fish and I have never had my information written down, questions asked about tanks or filters or how far I have to travel. Pets at home will write down everything and they will make sure you have everything working and running smoothly before letting you have the animals/fish. AND they to pet callbacks which basically means whoever has bought animals/fish off of them they will call them to make sure that they are fine and doing well!
> I am happy to argue all you want until it gets through your head that pets at home is not bad at all!


As a profesional dog trainer, what would your opinion of a member of staff showing a young child how to alpha roll an adult male lab that had just come out of rescue be


----------



## Butterflybeaut123

Attack Mode said:


> For someone who only "knows" people who work there. You are taking quite an interest in this and another [email protected] thread.
> 
> Only 53 mins before Watchdog starts. You better get a move on.


If thats your way of saying that I work there, then no I do not, Like i said I am a dog trainer. 
Yeah I know people who work there and I know their system! I will gladly watch watchdog and CANNOT WAIT to get on the phone and get my point across. :w00t:


----------



## Butterflybeaut123

B3rnie said:


> Aww are you a bit worried about the Watchdog episode airing tonight
> 
> I have just skimmed your post, SS has bought up the fact that [email protected] buy their stocks from breeding mills, I know someone that works in [email protected] and she has confirmed the fish come from suppliers so I won't go over that again.
> 
> But the bits I highlighted....
> 
> 1. Companion Care are *not* [email protected]'s vets, they are their own company that has a contract that allows them to have practices attached to certain stores.
> 
> 2. [email protected] do *not * do pet call backs
> 
> So I suggest you get your facts right before trying to defend this business


Ermmmmmm, YES they do, do pet call backs, so maybe its YOU who should get your facts right :wink5:


----------



## simplysardonic

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> If thats your way of saying that I work there, then no I do not, Like i said I am a dog trainer.
> Yeah I know people who work there and I know their system! I will gladly watch watchdog and CANNOT WAIT to get on the phone and get my point across. :w00t:


And I cannot wait to hear you on that blower getting your point across:thumbup:



Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Ermmmmmm, YES they do, do pet call backs, so maybe its YOU who should get your facts right :wink5:


Ermmmmmmmm, no they don't!


----------



## Grace_Lily

B3rnie said:


> 2. [email protected] do *not * do pet call backs
> 
> So I suggest you get your facts right before trying to defend this business


I haven't read the whole thread, just skipped to this page, my sister and I have both bought rabbits from PAH in the past few months and they do indeed do call backs.

Now, I'll be very interested to see what watchdog has to offer in a few minutes. The rabbit my sister took on has been seriously ill from day one, it turns out she has Bordatella and will require lifelong treatment. Obviously, as animal lovers we will nurse her through this for the rest of her life but it is a major problem on a daily basis, especially when we have other rabbits and have the constant fear of cross contamination. We bought a rabbit having being told she was fit and healthy, as it turns out our vet cannot believe the poor thing survived. PAH's response has been appalling.


----------



## Butterflybeaut123

simplysardonic said:


> And I cannot wait to hear you on that blower getting your point across:thumbup:
> 
> Ermmmmmmmm, no they don't!


Hahaa Blower?! Yeah I guess I will be 'Blowing' my point across.

Clearly you know EVERY THING, I'm so sorry for doubting your professional opinion. So where will I buy my pets if pets at home get closed down? Because all my pets I have bought there, 1Syn, 2Russians, 3Rabbits, 3Gerbils, Beardies, and lots of fish that have had perfect health. I guess I know how to look after my animals properly and understand that yes there are casualties but will do anything for that to be prevented  
Adios, watchdog is on


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## Attack Mode

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Hahaa Blower?! Yeah I guess I will be 'Blowing' my point across.
> 
> Clearly you know EVERY THING, I'm so sorry for doubting your professional opinion. So where will I buy my pets if pets at home get closed down? Because all my pets I have bought there, 1Syn, 2Russians, 3Rabbits, 3Gerbils, Beardies, and lots of fish that have had perfect health. I guess I know how to look after my animals properly and understand that yes there are casualties but will do anything for that to be prevented
> Adios, watchdog is on


From a breeder who is not a farm.


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## peter0

The sooner pet shops can't sell animals the better. 

[email protected] Sell cages SMALLER than the RSPCA minimum cage guidelines. Their food they sell isn't the right % and has ingredients that aren't good for certain animal. In my branch, it's all students my age who have not a clue about anything and probably couldn't tell the difference between a hamster and a rat. They know nothing about animals and them supplying stock from rodent mills is even worse.

I say the majority of this forum do not like [email protected] and think they should be shut down too. Have fun watching Watchdog i'm sure you might learn a thing or two.


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## Guest

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Ermmmmmm, YES they do, do pet call backs, so maybe its YOU who should get your facts right :wink5:


Ok maybe I worded it wrong, It is not company policy, if stores decide to do this (they are few and far between) then it is the managers of the individual stores that should be praised not the company they work for 

Any company that thinks that spaying 5 week old rabbits, transporting them across from Spain (where they were bred in a factory) to sell in their shops by the age of 8 weeks old is a company that needs to take a huge step back when it comes to dealing with live animals.

Notice you didn't say anything about the breeding facilities that [email protected] use, but then unlike me I doubt you have seen where they acquire their "stock" from 

Oh and as a little tip, I wouldn't take what your friends say as gospel, [email protected] are well known for "brainwashing" and "briefing" their staff, I know for a fact that staff have been told they are not allowed to comment on the Watchdog episode


----------



## Attack Mode

B3rnie said:


> Ok maybe I worded it wrong, It is not company policy, if stores decide to do this (they are few and far between) then it is the managers of the individual stores that should be praised not the company they work for
> 
> Any company that thinks that spaying 5 week old rabbits, transporting them across from Spain (where they were bred in a factory) to sell in their shops by the age of 8 weeks old is a company that needs to take a huge step back when it comes to dealing with live animals.
> 
> Notice you didn't say anything about the breeding facilities that [email protected] use, but then unlike me I doubt you have seen where they acquire their "stock" from
> 
> Oh and as a little tip, I wouldn't take what your friends say as gospel, [email protected] are well known for "brainwashing" and "briefing" their staff,* I know for a fact that staff have been told they are not allowed to comment on the Watchdog episode *


They could easily join a forum as a "friend" of people who work there.


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## HuskyMover

Where do people expect [email protected] to get there animals from, if not from some kind of farm. If they were to rely on people lovingly raising animals and then selling them to [email protected], they would not have a business..... And how would they insure that the Gerbils had come from a caring home anyway? 

I have recently bought some Gerbils for my daughter from [email protected], and was extremely impressed. Both Gerbils were checked by the Vets, before I was allowed to take them home. And the staff Gerbils, ie not a plastic hamster cage.
This was followed by a call back less than 2 weeks later, asking how the Gerbils had settle in 

And all this from the Swindon branch  

Every business messes up from time to time, sadly it the people who are not happy that shout the loudest!


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## Attack Mode

HuskyMover said:


> Where do people expect [email protected] to get there animals from, if not from some kind of farm. If they were to rely on people lovingly raising animals and then selling them to [email protected], they would not have a business..... And how would they insure that the Gerbils had come from a caring home anyway?
> 
> I have recently bought some Gerbils for my daughter from [email protected], and was extremely impressed. Both Gerbils were checked by the Vets, before I was allowed to take them home. And the staff Gerbils, ie not a plastic hamster cage.
> This was followed by a call back less than 2 weeks later, asking how the Gerbils had settle in
> 
> And all this from the Swindon branch
> 
> Every business messes up from time to time, sadly it the people who are not happy that shout the loudest!


2 new members with connections to the Swindon branch?????? Weird


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## peter0

Now that is weird

2 new members who have commented on nothing else. No introduction of themselves or their pets.


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## HuskyMover

Attack Mode said:


> 2 new members with connections to the Swindon branch?????? Weird


Your a friendly, person.

Where's the 'welcome to the forums'?

I was looking for some advice, when I came across this thread. So thought i'd add a comment.


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## peter0

Well you must admit, it does look a bit weird doesn't it?


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## Attack Mode

HuskyMover said:


> Your a friendly, person.
> 
> Where's the 'welcome to the forums'?
> 
> I was looking for some advice, when I came across this thread. So thought i'd add a comment.


Too suspicious sorry. Extremely low chance of 2 people from the same town joing and commenting on the same thread.

You got no welcome because you posted here not in the introductions section.


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## peter0

@Butterflybeauty123.

Pets at homes animals are so healthy - they have ringworm spreading in their animals.


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## Attack Mode

A bit of truth via a member of staff - http://www.petforums.co.uk/1062288121-post68.html


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## thedogsmother

Welcome to the forum, would you like to start a thread introducing yourself and perhaps you can ask the advice you were seeking on that thread. As Im sure you can understand from reading this thread feelings run high on this forum where animal welfare is concerned, most posters on this thread have witnessed poor animal care at [email protected] I am pleased that your daughters gerbils appear to be healthy and I hope they continue to be so, did you buy your gerbils home from [email protected] and if so which model was it? Im unaware of a model suitable for two gerbils that is currently sold by [email protected]


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## hawksport

HuskyMover said:


> Your a friendly, person.
> 
> Where's the 'welcome to the forums'?
> 
> I was looking for some advice, when I came across this thread. So thought i'd add a comment.


Because I'm friendly I will tell you that all I have to do is hover my cursor over a post and it tells me the ip address it was made from


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## Guest

hawksport said:


> Because I'm friendly I will tell you that all I have to do is hover my cursor over a post and it tells me the ip address it was made from


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Nice try :hand:


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## Butterflybeaut123

peter0 said:


> @Butterflybeauty123.
> 
> Pets at homes animals are so healthy - they have ringworm spreading in their animals.


Ringworm can lie dormant, and can often not show till its active. If the staff would of noticed the ringworm when it was active then the guinea would go to the vets?


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## Butterflybeaut123

hawksport said:


> Because I'm friendly I will tell you that all I have to do is hover my cursor over a post and it tells me the ip address it was made from


God, how much I'd love to see you face to face :hand:


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## Attack Mode

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Ringworm can lie dormant, and can often not show till its active. If the staff would of noticed the ringworm when it was active then the guinea would go to the vets?


Doubt it. They can't even spot which is a male and which is a female, in most of the animals they sell.


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## Attack Mode

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> God, how much I'd love to see you face to face :hand:


How friendly, making a threat. :nono: :nono: :nono: :nono:


----------



## simplysardonic

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Hahaa Blower?! Yeah I guess I will be 'Blowing' my point across.


Blowing a load of hot air more like



Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Clearly you know EVERY THING, I'm so sorry for doubting your professional opinion.


No need to apologise



HuskyMover said:


> *Where do people expect [email protected] to get there animals from, if not from some kind of farm*. If they were to rely on people lovingly raising animals and then selling them to [email protected], they would not have a business..... And how would they insure that the Gerbils had come from a caring home anyway?
> 
> I have recently bought some Gerbils for my daughter from [email protected], and was extremely impressed. Both Gerbils were checked by the Vets, before I was allowed to take them home. And the staff Gerbils, ie not a plastic hamster cage.
> This was followed by a call back less than 2 weeks later, asking how the Gerbils had settle in
> 
> And all this from the Swindon branch
> 
> Every business messes up from time to time, sadly it the people who are not happy that shout the loudest!


Maybe it's time pet shops stopped selling live animals full stop. 
I'd rather see people approaching good breeders than being able to walk into a shop, see a cute little animal & say 'oooooh I want that one' then walking out like they've just been & chosen a pair of curtains rather than a living thing.


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## hawksport

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> God, how much I'd love to see you face to face :hand:


Would that be a threesome


----------



## Butterflybeaut123

Attack Mode said:


> How friendly, making a threat. :nono: :nono: :nono: :nono:


Noo, I'd just argue my point to you, I'm not threatening and sorry it came out that way! You got to think they are dealing with animals, and then they are being asked left right and centre to sell animals, then having to get to their job for the day to stop customers complaining about stock or whatever, when I had a consultation with a member of staff, they were being asked by a number of people to sell, hammies, fish and what not when they were clearly selling to me. I just think people need to take a step back, think and stop being so rude.


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## peter0

Maybe they shouldn't sell badly bred animals or even animals at all. The vet even said how appalling it all was. As said the staff don't know the first thing about animals. You have been proven wrong and can't take it:lol:


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## Guest

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Noo, I'd just argue my point to you, I'm not threatening and sorry it came out that way! You got to think they are dealing with animals, and then they are being asked left right and centre to sell animals, then having to get to their job for the day to stop customers complaining about stock or whatever, when I had a consultation with a member of staff, they were being asked by a number of people to sell, hammies, fish and what not when they were clearly selling to me. *I just think people need to take a step back, think and stop being so rude.*


Considering one of your first few posts you open with:



> Sorry but this is a load of BULL.


I think the bit I highlighted is a bit ironic


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## Butterflybeaut123

B3rnie said:


> Considering one of your first few posts you open with:
> 
> I think the bit I highlighted is a bit ironic


Okay Bernie boy, whatever you say (Y)


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## Guest

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Okay Bernie boy, whatever you say (Y)


Jog on, the adults are talking :nono:


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## Butterflybeaut123

B3rnie said:


> Jog on, the adults are talking :nono:


Says the 'adult' who says jog on


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## hawksport

Try and keep things nice. It would be a shame if the thread got locked


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## peter0

Typing MSN emotions clearly shows that you're probably a 16 year old employed by [email protected] I think you need to find a new hobby other than this


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## Guest

Well as you have nothing constructive to add to the thread I suggest you go find somewhere else to play your games, I'm bored now 

Back to the thread, I wasn't surprised to hear [email protected] skirt around the issue of 2 rabbits dying within 2 weeks (and that customer isn't the first person to go through this).

10 dead fish in one tank was just disgusting


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## peter0

B3rnie said:


> Well as you have nothing constructive to add to the thread I suggest you go find somewhere else to play your games, I'm bored now
> 
> Back to the thread, I wasn't surprised to hear [email protected] skirt around the issue of 2 rabbits dying within 2 weeks (and that customer isn't the first person to go through this).
> 
> 10 dead fish in one tank was just disgusting


Couldn't agree more. I honestly don't know how they've not been shut down yet. Even the vet said how shocking it all was.


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## shetlandlover

There's always dead fish when I go in any of the Lancashire stores. 

Bottom line....DONT BUY FROM PET SHOPS.

Pet shops should sell pet supplies not live creatures. Leave it to those who have time and training to deal with independent needs of the animals.


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## MrRustyRead

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Ermmmmmm, YES they do, do pet call backs, so maybe its YOU who should get your facts right :wink5:


im ashamed to say ive bought many of animals from [email protected] and have *NEVER* had a call back.


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## MrRustyRead

B3rnie said:


> Well as you have nothing constructive to add to the thread I suggest you go find somewhere else to play your games, I'm bored now
> 
> Back to the thread, *I wasn't surprised to hear [email protected] skirt around the issue of 2 rabbits dying within 2 weeks (and that customer isn't the first person to go through this).*
> 
> 10 dead fish in one tank was just disgusting


and i know that first hand.


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## Calvine

Sure it must vary from store to store, you are obviously happy with yours, and yes, I have seen some of the customers' kids banging on tanks and cages, and when asked politely to stop, they get the usual mouthful. A friend of mine works p/t in one of their stores and says the animals are treated better than the staff in her opinion.


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## Guest

Has anyone seen the [email protected] drivel that they have released due to the Watchdog programme?

I have never read so much $hit in one paper, apparently they aren't to blame for the rabbit dying 14 days after purchase, if it was their fault the rabbit would have become ill sooner 

For the ringworm case they say:


> the difficulty with ringworm is that it can be present in animals but dormant for years


Which is wrong, ringworm can only lay dormant for 1 year and in all reality it is very easy to eliminate from an area.

They also say:


> We only source pets from breeders who fulfill the 5 basic freedoms laid down in the Animal Welfare Act 2006. We regularly inspect our breeders to make sure they meet our extremely high standards (which are above and beyond the standards required by law) and that they have the right attitude towards animals.


Well I for one have seen their breeding facilities and they do no such thing, just think puppy farm and then you will be close to what happens.....

And to top things off the same vets that decided spaying 5 week old rabbits was ethical is now saying that they disagree with the vet that noticed the 2 sick rabbits and 1 sick guinea pig (which they failed to comment on) 

This Watchdog episode isn't going to achieve anything tho, yes they covered some of the sick animals but they failed to cover the mis-sexing, the breeding practices ([email protected] won't allow normall joe blogs to see where their stock comes from, in fact many staff members won't even know fully because in reality head office know what they do is unethical, but ethical behaviour doesn't put money in their pockets :nono:

People are already starting to call it "media spin" so the gen public didn't take notice  Some people just don't want to listen, and these are the people that [email protected] know will continue to supply them with profit.
I bet the RSPCA keep quite on the whole issue too especially now they have jumped in together :nonod: Obviously the RWAF asked too much from [email protected] which is why their name wasn't mentioned......


----------



## dogferret

I went in there one day and there were 2 young ferret hobs in a cage with a notice above it saying they were to be sold together. I was appalled and mentioned it to an assistant pointing out that they would probably kill each other. She said that that would all be explained when someone bought them. I DON'T THINK SO!!! Ferrets should not be sold in any pet shops.

Also my son took his doberman puppy in and they thought it was a dachshound! Their adverts say their staff know all about animals. I reckon that's a case for trading standards, or at least misrepresentation.


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## Hardwick Hounds

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Sorry but this is a load of BULL. The staff at pets at home are trained and actually have to be tested to actually SELL animals. The people who I know at both stores in Swindon do nothing but care for the animals and give the nutritional advice as well as giving the public information on animals... it is then the PUBLICS decision whether they follow that advice or not. I am a professional dog trainer and I have studied animal welfare, the animals welfare at my college got less care than the animals do at pets at home. I have seen the bunnies that my college sells to public be KILLED for the boa snakes... Now that was in front of me and a little girl...
> Pets at home will give any medical attention to the animals that need it, and don't even get me started on the fish department! All customers want to do is sit and point out the dead ones... Sorry but do the public actually know why the fish is dying? (it's probably because your children are smacking on the glass!) There is nothing wrong with the filter system, pets at home have the best of the range and I know this. Fish die all the time, no matter what store it is! And pets at home have a strong connection with top dogs who advise them what breeders to buy from to make sure that the animals are coming from a good background. Once it is in the care of pets at home they then are constantly health checking them, they get a vet check and they get health checked in the morning by whoever cleans them out, the staff are told to check any animals that they walk past and before selling they do another health check, OHH YES, the new owners are ENTITLED to a free health check at the pets at home vets when they purchase their animal, and staff have to tell the customer that. I could go on all day at how pets at home try their bloody hardest, if you were actually there, dealing with the stress of IGNORANT customers such as yourself you would understand how stressful it is! Its about time people stop being so darn rude to people who are just doing their jobs whilst caring for the animals.
> Also, go into any pets store or fish store and most likely the store will not take down your details, I go into fish stores to buy fish and I have never had my information written down, questions asked about tanks or filters or how far I have to travel. Pets at home will write down everything and they will make sure you have everything working and running smoothly before letting you have the animals/fish. AND they to pet callbacks which basically means whoever has bought animals/fish off of them they will call them to make sure that they are fine and doing well!
> I am happy to argue all you want until it gets through your head that pets at home is not bad at all!


What you have written sounds wonderful but I can honestly say that I never witnessed any of these procedures in the two years I worked in PAH. Unless they are new, as i left a year ago. I worked in lots of different stores in the central region. How can they get vet checked when not all stores have an instore vet? The vets are franchised and charge PAH for any treatments they use. Some of the staff are excellent and they are given training but the training isnt refreshed. Maybe the region I worked in was a particularly bad area.


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## Hardwick Hounds

Butterflybeaut123 said:


> Ermmmmmm, YES they do, do pet call backs, so maybe its YOU who should get your facts right :wink5:


They are supposed to but it's often not carried out


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## Hardwick Hounds

peter0 said:


> Typing MSN emotions clearly shows that you're probably a 16 year old employed by [email protected] I think you need to find a new hobby other than this


aw i like emoticons! teemagers dont remember msn


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## Hardwick Hounds

Calvine said:


> Sure it must vary from store to store, you are obviously happy with yours, and yes, I have seen some of the customers' kids banging on tanks and cages, and when asked politely to stop, they get the usual mouthful. A friend of mine works p/t in one of their stores and says the animals are treated better than the staff in her opinion.


The staff are treated like sh*t! And kids are often left to run around PAH while they entertain themselves. Adults knock on the glass of the Groom Room!! WTF?! and adults let their dogs go crazy at the rabbits through the glass cos they think it's funny!! It's just not a nice set up, it's too busy for PAH to achieve what they say they will IMO


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## koekemakranka

shellinch said:


> well you obviously do dont enough! because you seem the type to bitch behind backs and do nothing upfront. and its people like that who do nothing for the community. for example the person who seen my cat be put into a plasticbag and thrown into a wall wont mention any names because they are scared of that person. also when my cat was screaming in pain he shut the door and didnt even check my my pet. i found her inthe morning fitting inthe street. now that person is just as bad as the boy who attcked my cat!
> 
> now i can imagine thats exactly wot do would do in that situation so for the fact you would not do anything to bring justice makes you just as bad as the person who is casusing trouble!


Whoa hang on there. I think you are being a little bit harsh with Nonnie. I know you are upset and angry, but it seems Nonnie did more than most would do. The animal was fed and sheltered, after all.


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## koekemakranka

shellinch said:


> because its people like nonnie who will do nothing thats makes them as bad as the criminals themselfs.
> 
> so everyone would do exactly liek nonnie and the person who seen my cat being beaten up. you would ignore it because you dont want to get involved or possible have to go to caught????
> 
> you dont get noweher in life by being silent! and maturity... i think considering you wouldnt do the noble thing and report it and the difference is i would stand up and do everything in my power to bring anyone to justice that does wrong makes me one hell more mature any anyone who doesnt do a thing!


I am sure if Nonnie saw a cat being beaten up, she would take the strongest action, as would I. The animal in question was being fed and sheltered, and in terms of the law, there was nothing she could do, aside from diplomatic intervention, which she did. I am a rescue volunteer and I find I can get a whole lot more done by speaking to people nicely about how to treat their animals, rather than shouting and screaming at them and threatening them. You should try it sometime.


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## koekemakranka

DoubleTrouble said:


> What on earth is a PIKEY? some kind of fish?


Thanks for asking. I am also not familiar with the term (but was too embarrassed to ask :blush


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## ameliajane

My sister used to work at a large garden centre that also had a seemingly clean, well cared for pet department.

She told me that the girls who worked with the animals would desperately try to persuade customers to buy the older animals that were passing the cute/baby stage because if they weren't sold they were PTS, although they weren't allowed to tell the customers that of course...


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## RachJeremy

I have had three hamsters from [email protected], one of my latest, Gizmo, who recently died suddenly... But she was obviously ill from the second i got her. I felt something was wrong with her eyesight, as she was nervous about noises, as if she could hear, but not see, and she could never walk straight and would walk into things. Later on i think her hearing went as she would walk with her head lop-sided. And even more worrying she would randomly come on and off her food, one day she'd eat just fine, and she'd start gaining weight, then she'd drop it all off again. I never changed her diet, she was kept on the food that [email protected] used for their hamsters apparently. She was about just over a year when she passed. I never took her to the vet because it was so varying, and whenever i'd make the decision to take her she'd perk up. 

But i feel like this was a problem that i couldn't help anyway. 

But i think it's not a problem with the company, as they seem to want to best for their animals. I think the problem lies with the staff... When i was job-seeking, i went to them to see what was going, and there was no jobs. But knowing a few different [email protected] stores the majority of the staff were younger people, similar to what you'd see working the self stacking at tescos.... And most of them looked like they were just there for the money, not the animals. 
I even have a friend who has studied National Diploma in Animal Care, who has been seeking a job with animals for over a year now, unsuccessfully for her she is not getting a job working in a care home for people (which she doesn't really want), and she went to them and they turned her away. She was more qualified than the staff members, she knows about most animals and loves them, and would be brilliant if she was left in charge of a [email protected] store, and knowing her wouldn't let any of this happen. But i feel they should hire people like my friend, who are actually qualified and gone through some form of training other than the staff training for the store. As any old school drop-out can get a job in [email protected] as long as they know a bit about animals, not had successful training for 2 years on actual animal care.
It's irritating!


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## Jessie123

I am a vet and have been for 20 years. I have seen the information thy Pets at Home sent to Watchdog and their level of training is outstanding. You will always get people like you who just want to complain and moan about things. I have even investigated [email protected] to issue them with a new licence and the condition in witch they keep their pets is outstanding they exceed law and it annoys me when people like you lot sit behind a computer screen and think you know everything when you really know nothing. You har never seen the level of training the staff have to go though and the routines they do every morning to keep there pets in tip top shape. I've been to some pet stores (not PAH) but other stores and the difference is incredible PAH really do put pets before profit an I've seen it myself. They pay through the odds to make an unhealthy pet healthy even though it would be cheaper to put it so sleep. So to finish don't think you deserve the right to sit behind your computer screen and decide the destiny of a billion pound company just because you think you know better. Pets at home is by far the best company I've ever had the privledge to investigate and I know what I'm talking about!


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## Jessie123

RachJeremy said:


> I have had three hamsters from [email protected], one of my latest, Gizmo, who recently died suddenly... But she was obviously ill from the second i got her. I felt something was wrong with her eyesight, as she was nervous about noises, as if she could hear, but not see, and she could never walk straight and would walk into things. Later on i think her hearing went as she would walk with her head lop-sided. And even more worrying she would randomly come on and off her food, one day she'd eat just fine, and she'd start gaining weight, then she'd drop it all off again. I never changed her diet, she was kept on the food that [email protected] used for their hamsters apparently. She was about just over a year when she passed. I never took her to the vet because it was so varying, and whenever i'd make the decision to take her she'd perk up.
> 
> But i feel like this was a problem that i couldn't help anyway.
> 
> But i think it's not a problem with the company, as they seem to want to best for their animals. I think the problem lies with the staff... When i was job-seeking, i went to them to see what was going, and there was no jobs. But knowing a few different [email protected] stores the majority of the staff were younger people, similar to what you'd see working the self stacking at tescos.... And most of them looked like they were just there for the money, not the animals.
> I even have a friend who has studied National Diploma in Animal Care, who has been seeking a job with animals for over a year now, unsuccessfully for her she is not getting a job working in a care home for people (which she doesn't really want), and she went to them and they turned her away. She was more qualified than the staff members, she knows about most animals and loves them, and would be brilliant if she was left in charge of a [email protected] store, and knowing her wouldn't let any of this happen. But i feel they should hire people like my friend, who are actually qualified and gone through some form of training other than the staff training for the store. As any old school drop-out can get a job in [email protected] as long as they know a bit about animals, not had successful training for 2 years on actual animal care.
> It's irritating!


Just because your friend has knowledge of pet doesn't make her any better for the job. Pets at home offer incredible training so it's completly different to a tesco shelf stacker!!


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## thedogsmother

Jessie123 said:


> I am a vet and have been for 20 years. I have seen the information thy Pets at Home sent to Watchdog and their level of training is outstanding. You will always get people like you who just want to complain and moan about things. I have even investigated [email protected] to issue them with a new licence and the condition in witch they keep their pets is outstanding they exceed law and it annoys me when people like you lot sit behind a computer screen and think you know everything when you really know nothing. You har never seen the level of training the staff have to go though and the routines they do every morning to keep there pets in tip top shape. I've been to some pet stores (not PAH) but other stores and the difference is incredible PAH really do put pets before profit an I've seen it myself. They pay through the odds to make an unhealthy pet healthy even though it would be cheaper to put it so sleep. So to finish don't think you deserve the right to sit behind your computer screen and decide the destiny of a billion pound company just because you think you know better. Pets at home is by far the best company I've ever had the privledge to investigate and I know what I'm talking about!


Read the thread, we are largely speaking from personal experience, if I could decide the fate of this company from behind a computer screen then they certainly wouldnt be selling animals again and as far as deserving the right to make that decision, I think who deserves it more than the people who are left to pick up the casualties of the pet trade.


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## simplysardonic

Jessie123 said:


> I am a vet and have been for 20 years. I have seen the information thy Pets at Home sent to Watchdog and their level of training is outstanding. You will always get people like you who just want to complain and moan about things. I have even investigated [email protected] to issue them with a new licence and the condition in witch they keep their pets is outstanding they exceed law and it annoys me when people like you lot sit behind a computer screen and think you know everything when you really know nothing. You har never seen the level of training the staff have to go though and the routines they do every morning to keep there pets in tip top shape. I've been to some pet stores (not PAH) but other stores and the difference is incredible *PAH really do put pets before profit* an I've seen it myself. They pay through the odds to make an unhealthy pet healthy even though it would be cheaper to put it so sleep. So to finish don't think you deserve the right to sit behind your computer screen and decide the destiny of a billion pound company just because you think you know better. Pets at home is by far the best company I've ever had the privledge to investigate and I know what I'm talking about!


I had to just check my calendar, I thought I'd lost a few months & we'd all been fast forwarded to April the first:blink:


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## Guest

Jessie123 said:


> I am a vet and have been for 20 years. I have seen the information thy Pets at Home sent to Watchdog and their level of training is outstanding. You will always get people like you who just want to complain and moan about things. I have even investigated [email protected] to issue them with a new licence and the condition in witch they keep their pets is outstanding they exceed law and it annoys me when people like you lot sit behind a computer screen and think you know everything when you really know nothing. You har never seen the level of training the staff have to go though and the routines they do every morning to keep there pets in tip top shape. I've been to some pet stores (not PAH) but other stores and the difference is incredible PAH really do put pets before profit an I've seen it myself. They pay through the odds to make an unhealthy pet healthy even though it would be cheaper to put it so sleep. So to finish don't think you deserve the right to sit behind your computer screen and decide the destiny of a billion pound company just because you think you know better. Pets at home is by far the best company I've ever had the privledge to investigate and I know what I'm talking about!


So you've seen the "factories" [email protected] use to stock their stores? If you have and still agree with them selling animals then I for one would avoid you as a vet 

This thread is full of peoples own experiences, so you are either saying they are lying?
I don't just sit behind the computer screen to decide their destiny, I pick up *some* of the pieces that [email protected] leaves behind in their quest to be a multi million pound company..

You can't tell me as a vet you agree with them transporting 6 week old rabbits across from Spain that were spayed/neutered at the age of 5 weeks........ or do you? :nono:


----------



## RachJeremy

Jessie123 said:


> Just because your friend has knowledge of pet doesn't make her any better for the job. Pets at home offer incredible training so it's completly different to a tesco shelf stacker!!


Well, given some experiences i've had, some members of the staff have no clue about half of the animals in the store. Granted i've seen a few who know a lot about animals, and when my dad's ex was given advice on something, he was very informative and a credit to the store, but he did in fact mention he'd spent 3 years at college doing the same course my friend had and that's where he'd learnt so much, and he was an avid animal lover. I myself have spoken to staff who've had to literally read a 'script' telling me how to care for a hamster. And some staff who've been rough with the animals when handling them. 
I actually love going in [email protected] and looking through the pet toys for my cats and hamsters. They're food products are nice and good quality. But judging by what was on Watchdog and personal experience, i'd say i'm not just judging and sitting behind a computer screen  Which FYI, is what YOU are doing to all of us! You're judging us despite the fact we're talking about personal experiences, not just what we saw on TV.

And i agree with B3rnie, if that's the way you act and think about something actually looked into properly, i wouldn't go to you as a vet for my animals. No offence intended... :\


----------



## Attack Mode

Jessie123 said:


> I am a vet and have been for 20 years. I have seen the information thy Pets at Home sent to Watchdog and their level of training is outstanding. You will always get people like you who just want to complain and moan about things. I have even investigated [email protected] to issue them with a new licence and the condition in witch they keep their pets is outstanding they exceed law and it annoys me when people like you lot sit behind a computer screen and think you know everything when you really know nothing. You har never seen the level of training the staff have to go though and the routines they do every morning to keep there pets in tip top shape. I've been to some pet stores (not PAH) but other stores and the difference is incredible PAH really do put pets before profit an I've seen it myself. They pay through the odds to make an unhealthy pet healthy even though it would be cheaper to put it so sleep. So to finish don't think you deserve the right to sit behind your computer screen and decide the destiny of a billion pound company just because you think you know better. Pets at home is by far the best company I've ever had the privledge to investigate and I know what I'm talking about!


If making up a story, it's best to do your research beforehand.

Vets do not "investigate" pet stores to issue licences. Licences are issued by the local authority. Vets are only used if the LA has concerns about the welfare of the animals during the inspection. Or some LA's only use vets to check (not investigate) stores that sell cats and dogs, or exotics for example.

So if you have really have investigated lot Pets at Home stores, that means lots of local authorities have had concerns during inspections. Or you are only checking a small percentage of the animals being sold, i.e exotics. So unless there is an animal welfare concern, you will not be checking the whole "range" of animals.

Also you wont have "investigated" lots of stores, as each LA use their own local area registered vets. So in truth you would only have "investigated" ones local to you.

Now you try to give the impression, "you know what you're speaking about", so this would suggest you have checked your local [email protected]'s a few times (as doing something once does not make you an expert).

I would be interested to know what stores you have been requested to check so many times. As it sounds like the LA have had many serious concerns about animal welfare, to call you in a few times. 

Or maybe lots of Pets at Home stores have opened locally, as other LA's only use vets for the initial inspection. 

The only vets used by Pets at Home (apart from the "in-house" clincs), are Maeve Moorcroft, who is Head of Pets and Peter Scott who consults them on animal welfare. In case you now try to say you are one of these people. 

By the way, this is a comma - ",".
It's "which" not "witch".
It's "privilege", not "privledge".


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## Jaredder

well i had never faced any such problem and never heard about such problem , so i can't say much about it.


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## Guest

Attack Mode said:


> If making up a story, it's best to do your research beforehand.
> 
> Vets do not "investigate" pet stores to issue licences. Licences are issued by the local authority. Vets are only used if the LA has concerns about the welfare of the animals during the inspection. Or some LA's only use vets to check (not investigate) stores that sell cats and dogs, or exotics for example.
> 
> So if you have really have investigated lot Pets at Home stores, that means lots of local authorities have had concerns during inspections. Or you are only checking a small percentage of the animals being sold, i.e exotics. So unless there is an animal welfare concern, you will not be checking the whole "range" of animals.
> 
> Also you wont have "investigated" lots of stores, as each LA use their own local area registered vets. So in truth you would only have "investigated" ones local to you.
> 
> Now you try to give the impression, "you know what you're speaking about", so this would suggest you have checked your local [email protected]'s a few times (as doing something once does not make you an expert).
> 
> I would be interested to know what stores you have been requested to check so many times. As it sounds like the LA have had many serious concerns about animal welfare, to call you in a few times.
> 
> Or maybe lots of Pets at Home stores have opened locally, as other LA's only use vets for the initial inspection.
> 
> The only vets used by Pets at Home (apart from the "in-house" clincs), are Maeve Moorcroft, who is Head of Pets and Peter Scott who consults them on animal welfare. In case you now try to say you are one of these people.
> 
> By the way, this is a comma - ",".
> It's "which" not "witch".
> It's "privilege", not "privledge".


Can't believe I missed that 
I did find it odd that a supposed busy vet has time to come on an internet forum to stick up for [email protected] right after the WD programme but it just didn't click :aureola:


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## Sussexplumber

koekemakranka said:


> Thanks for asking. I am also not familiar with the term (but was too embarrassed to ask :blush


Ok to let you know, pikey is another term for "traveller" or gypsy. The term came from their originally travelling/nomadic lifestyle...

According to the Oxford Dictionary of Slang, pikey dates back to 1847 and means gypsy or traveller.

The word is believed to be a contraction of "turnpike" - a reference to a feature of the travelling life in years gone by. I think turnpikes were a basic kind of toll collecting feature on early roads where travellers would pay to use the road and thereby help fund its upkeep.

"Pikeys" in general do not have a great reputation in the UK and are sometimes accused of carrying out shoddy driveway or other building work. They are sometimes accused of trashing the sites on which they park and being responsible for increases in local crime. They also do not have a great reputation for animal welfare.


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## Sussexplumber

Jessie123 said:


> I am a vet and have been for 20 years. I have seen the information thy Pets at Home sent to Watchdog and their level of training is outstanding. You will always get people like you who just want to complain and moan about things. I have even investigated [email protected] to issue them with a new licence and the condition in witch they keep their pets is outstanding they exceed law and it annoys me when people like you lot sit behind a computer screen and think you know everything when you really know nothing. You har never seen the level of training the staff have to go though and the routines they do every morning to keep there pets in tip top shape. I've been to some pet stores (not PAH) but other stores and the difference is incredible PAH really do put pets before profit an I've seen it myself. They pay through the odds to make an unhealthy pet healthy even though it would be cheaper to put it so sleep. So to finish don't think you deserve the right to sit behind your computer screen and decide the destiny of a billion pound company just because you think you know better. Pets at home is by far the best company I've ever had the privledge to investigate and I know what I'm talking about!


For a vet, your spelling isn`t great. But i have a great regard for vets, I just think some vets do, on occasion take customers for a ride (in terms of their charges)!

I am going to agree, I think you probably are vastly better informed than the majority of people on here. [email protected] have little or no control over the environment an animal goes into once it leaves their store, but it is clearly in their commercial interest to sell only strong, healthy pets.

[email protected] may not be perfect but I`ll bet they are a darn sight better than some of their competitors not least because they are very much in the public eye and nothing upsets the great british public more, than badly treated animals.,


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## simplysardonic

Sussexplumber said:


> For a vet, your spelling isn`t great. But i have a great regard for vets, I just think some vets do, on occasion take customers for a ride (in terms of their charges)!
> 
> I am going to agree, *I think you probably are vastly better informed than the majority of people on here*. [email protected] have little or no control over the environment an animal goes into once it leaves their store, but it is clearly in their interest to sell only strong, healthy pets.
> 
> Respect!


You're quite trusting! For all we know 'Jessie123' could be a tobacconist, a builder or a fighter pilot. Just because they claim in their first post they are a vet, doesn't make it true.

You're also insulting the large amount of members here who have first hand experience of [email protected], either through buying from there or picking up the fallout from people who have bought from there. I myself have rats that people have got 'bored of' that came from [email protected]


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## Sussexplumber

simplysardonic said:


> You're quite trusting! For all we know 'Jessie123' could be a tobacconist, a builder or a fighter pilot. Just because they claim in their first post they are a vet, doesn't make it true.
> 
> You're also insulting the large amount of members here who have first hand experience of [email protected], either through buying from there or picking up the fallout from people who have bought from there. I myself have rats that people have got 'bored of' that came from [email protected]


Nope, not trusting but I believe Jesse and I`m inclined to side with her/him/it. 

I consider everyone on here a friend of mine whether I agree with everything they say, or not.


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## Guest

Sussexplumber said:


> Nope, not trusting but I believe Jesse and I`m inclined to side with her/him/it.
> 
> I consider everyone on here a friend of mine whether I agree with everything they say, or not.


So you're happy that the animals that [email protected] stock come from "factories" because some random person stated they were a vet?
Why is it that people go metal when puppy farms are mentioned yet just gloss over the fact that rodent/rabbit/fish/reptile farms supply one of the biggest pet shops that claim "Pets come first" :mad2:

Oh and just to add, the reason that [email protected] is the main pet shop targeted is because [email protected] are *the worst offenders*, they will even go as low as transporting 6 week old rabbits across from Spain (that have been spayed at 5 weeks) just for a profit margin, and just incase you didn't know rabbits shouldn't be weaned before 8 weeks old let alone go though an intrusive op and then transported thousands of miles.....


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## Calvine

simplysardonic said:


> You're quite trusting! For all we know 'Jessie123' could be a tobacconist, a builder or a fighter pilot. Just because they claim in their first post they are a vet, doesn't make it true.
> 
> You're also insulting the large amount of members here who have first hand experience of [email protected], either through buying from there or picking up the fallout from people who have bought from there. I myself have rats that people have got 'bored of' that came from [email protected]


WELL, if Jessie123 really IS a vet she will be very useful to many of us, had you thought of that? I'd have expected better English from a vet, privilege, not privledge, over the odds, not through the odds etc...and which, not witch. But as I said, it would be handy to have a vet on the forum.:thumbup:


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## Attack Mode

Sussexplumber said:


> Ok to let you know, pikey is another term for "traveller" or gypsy. The term came from their originally travelling/nomadic lifestyle...
> 
> According to the Oxford Dictionary of Slang, pikey dates back to 1847 and means gypsy or traveller.
> 
> The word is believed to be a contraction of "turnpike" - a reference to a feature of the travelling life in years gone by. I think turnpikes were a basic kind of toll collecting feature on early roads where travellers would pay to use the road and thereby help fund its upkeep.
> 
> "Pikeys" in general do not have a great reputation in the UK and are sometimes accused of carrying out shoddy driveway or other building work. They are sometimes accused of trashing the sites on which they park and being responsible for increases in local crime. They also do not have a great reputation for animal welfare.


It is now seen as an offensive word, and many people have had action taken against them for using it. As a side note, it is seen as more offensive to Romani Gypsies, than it is Travellers. This is due to it's historical use among the Gypsy community. However it is still offensive to call anyone from the travelling community that name.

By the way, not all Travellers/Gypsies... _do shoddy driveway or other building work...are accused of trashing the sites on which they park...responsible for increases in local crime...not have a great reputation for animal welfare.
_
Some have never broken the law once, either animal welfare related or not. However I know one, who despite having never broken the law, still appears often in court...as a solicitor. (So believe it or not, they are capable of getting well paid jobs etc just as much as anyone else.  )

Just thought I would clear that up. As I am sure anyone would do the same, if I made any generalised remarks about any racial group.


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## Guest

Calvine said:


> WELL, if Jessie123 really IS a vet she will be very useful to many of us, had you thought of that? I'd have expected better English from a vet, privilege, not privledge, over the odds, not through the odds etc...and which, not witch. But as I said, it would be handy to have a vet on the forum.:thumbup:


there is a veterinary surgeon on here but his name escapes me,,,,


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## feathered bird lover

have only ever been in and purchased 1 item from [email protected] i was looking for a greyhound jacket for Max, i had measured him before going to store. one member of staff pointed me in the direction of aforementioned and stated that i could open up the protective covering and see which coat fitted the best. they left OH and i to get on with it and on trying the correct sized coat for Max then went to check-out. 

the person at check-out was none too happy at the protective covering being opened and when we stated that a member of staff had told us it was okay to do so, the member of staff was called by taniod to check-out and was given a rollicking in front of all and sundry it was soooooooooo embarassing.

we bought the jacket, had no intention of looking around the store and have never been back.

if they treat their staff in this manner what about the poor animals they sell.


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## LittlePaws AnimalRescue

I found out a few months back that a friend of mine works in [email protected] and after a rather long chat with her I was nearly in tears, she told me about where the animals come from (I knew rodent farms but she was very descriptive and it shocked me) she also told me what happened to the ones that were too old to sell....they dont end up in the adoption centres most of the time she said, they either get killed in the back room of the store or sold as live reptile food, or given back to the mass breeders so they can kill them.

While I was in there (my friend had wandered off to the cash register) I was looking at the syrian hamsters and another member of staff came up to me and was trying to persuade me to take 'a syrian or 2' because they had more 'stock' coming in later that day. He said they needed the space or they'd all just get put in together....I was gobsmacked.
He then went on to tell me a mini duna would be a great cage for 2 syrians....uummmm no, a mini duna is barely big enough for 1 dwarf ham. And syrians cannot live togehter.

So please, the people who are defending [email protected], tell me how well trained the staff are now!


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## Calvine

feathered bird lover said:


> have only ever been in and purchased 1 item from [email protected] i was looking for a greyhound jacket for Max, i had measured him before going to store. one member of staff pointed me in the direction of aforementioned and stated that i could open up the protective covering and see which coat fitted the best. they left OH and i to get on with it and on trying the correct sized coat for Max then went to check-out.
> 
> the person at check-out was none too happy at the protective covering being opened and when we stated that a member of staff had told us it was okay to do so, the member of staff was called by taniod to check-out and was given a rollicking in front of all and sundry it was soooooooooo embarassing.
> 
> we bought the jacket, had no intention of looking around the store and have never been back.
> 
> if they treat their staff in this manner what about the poor animals they sell.


A friend of mine works there p/t to pay for her pony (and gets 20% staff discount on its feed and dogfood) and says the staff are not treated too well, but that in her opinion the animals are treated rather better.


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## chichi

As far as PAH go....they are useless imo....so I am not sticking up for them BUT I think its really VERY rude and wrong to point out bad spelling on posts....bad spelling and grammar is absolutely NO indication as to low intelligence or professionalism. Many professionals with degrees hanging from their rear ends have grammar and spelling that is not befitting of their professional position. Dyslexia at low level can make the writer of the piece appear immature when they have impressive IQs. I have helped such people so I know.

I am very lazy with punctuation on here...not because I dont know where it should go but Im not in professional mode so why make a massive effort....so long as the poster gets their point across....that is all that matters. 

Making people feel bad for poor grammar is not very friendly imo.....because there are others on here whose grammar isnt great but wouldnt want them to feel worried about getting their posts ripped apart.


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## Sussexplumber

Calvine said:


> WELL, if Jessie123 really IS a vet she will be very useful to many of us, had you thought of that? I'd have expected better English from a vet, privilege, not privledge, over the odds, not through the odds etc...and which, not witch. But as I said, it would be handy to have a vet on the forum.:thumbup:


It would be nice to have Jessie as a Forum friend rather than "someone of use to us" but yes I think you are right, a really knowledgeable and professional ally.


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## Calvine

shellinch said:


> and you knwo whats worse is your having ago at pets at home but you gave a 'pikey familly' as you call it 'who dont give a crap' about pets a free cage and advice. if they dont care about animals why did you help them??? why not just call RSPCA as if they didnt have appropriate housing RSPCA would have to take the animal off them and then they woudl question pets at home as to why they sold that pet without housing?


RSPCA will not take on so-called pikeys as they are scared of them. Remember Jamie Gray and the dead horses? They will only tackle the easy targets who are unlikely to fight back.


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## Calvine

alyssa_liss said:


> IMO nonnie has said nothing wrong , i dont see the need in personal comments against her/him


And it was not NONNIE's fault the cat was attacked altho he's being spoken to as tho he /she was somehow involved. It's turning into a one-sided tirade. RSPCA would NOT take on a family of (supposed) pikeys and that is a fact. There would have to be hundreds of phone calls like Spindles farm and Crunchies.


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## Calvine

shellinch said:


> so how many of you wwho saw animal cruelty would report it and make sure justice is served? even if the person who done it might come after you and personally attack you?


There is a big difference between active cruelty and a lack of experience/knowledge.


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## Calvine

DoubleTrouble said:


> What on earth is a PIKEY? some kind of fish?


I never heard the term before I moved from the north of England. I think in the north they are referred to as gipsies or travellers; but I have always thought traveller was a misnomer as they don't travel.


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## Attack Mode

Can people stop using the offensive name for Gypsies/Travellers.

I have warned you it's deemed an offensive racial word, and people have been fined etc for using it.


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