# Petco



## Rattielover965

Have any of you seen the Guinea Pig Christmas commercial from petco?If you haven't seen it and want to be upset look it up.They say "joy,love,pets".So love is getting a animal that is probably going to live in horrible conditions,or possibly be neglected, or going to a shelter after a few weeks when it "stops being fun " or"it's not cute anymore"? At the bottom of the screen in really,really small print it says "do not wrap small animals" .Thanks again petco for "loving " pets.


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## Gribouilli

You're right it is disgusting. Don't go shopping at pet stores that sell animals. If enough people do that they will simply close. Very easy. The only reason they sell animals in the first place is because they will sell a cage, and regular toys and food to whoever buy the animals. Plus they hope irresponsible people will come in their store and impulse buy whatever cute pet they set their eyes on, "oh look that poor animal it needs saving", and here goes another sell and another animal from a pet mill takes the place of that pet that just got sold🙄 That is how people (even those who call themselves animal lovers) make the situation worse every single day.


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## Rattielover965

Gribouilli said:


> You're right it is disgusting. Don't go shopping at pet stores that sell animals. If enough people do that they will simply close. Very easy. The only reason they sell animals in the first place is because they will sell a cage, and regular toys and food to whoever buy the animals. Plus they hope irresponsible people will come in their store and impulse buy whatever cute pet they set their eyes on, "oh look that poor animal it needs saving", and here goes another sell and another animal from a pet mill takes the place of that pet that just got sold🙄 That is how people (even those who call themselves animal lovers) make the situation worse every single day.


I know I just hate it


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## Rattielover965

I know it's not how business works, and if it does happen it won't be soon, but I wish that the employees were knowledgeable and actually took care of animals well.I wish that they required a application to get a pet.And I know some animals are used as food,and even though I don't like it I understand that other animals need to eat,but it wouldn't be hard to at least check food and water levels.


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## Andromeda

I think it's fine to shop at pet stores that sell animals, just don't buy the animals. xP You have to show them that the supplies are what's bringing in cash, not the animals. That's why puppies and kittens aren't sold in most pet stores anymore. People stopped buying them.


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## moonkissed

IDK why anyone shops pet stores anyways. Most have their prices so jacked up lol find all of that online way cheaper! Plus I actually do suggest not visiting pet stores that sell animals because it is very easy to pick up something contagious and bring it home, even if you do not handle the animals. 

It sucks that pet stores try to sell living animals as christmas gifts. It sucks that people want them as gifts. And worse it sucks that oh so many people will buy one as if it were just an object without thinking that after Christmas u still have to take care of it and it is work and responsibility. 

People suck.


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## Gribouilli

Andromeda said:


> I think it's fine to shop at pet stores that sell animals, just don't buy the animals. xP You have to show them that the supplies are what's bringing in cash, not the animals. That's why puppies and kittens aren't sold in most pet stores anymore. People stopped buying them.


IMO can't compare puppies and kitten sold in pet stores to small animals sold in pet store. Pet stores make hundreds (maybe thousands on some breeds) selling puppies and kitten, only a couple dollars for a rat for instance. What does that mean? Petstores selling small pets make MOST of their money on the supplies. If you care at all about animal suffering in pet mills, don't shop at pet stores selling animals. Also as Moonkissed said, you can bring back some virus that can kill some or all your rats. I René mer a case here on RatForum about two months ago and another case on another rat forum a month ago (not sure if I can mention it here); of course it happened to many many more people they just didn't post about it.


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## Gribouilli

For whatever reason the edit your post wouldn't let me do any changes to my post above


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## Asteria

My local pet store doesn't carry animals, however they have adoption days and advertisements for shelter animals in their store which I think is really lovely. As mentioned above, pet stores don't make profit from the animals but from the accessories and stupidly over-priced cages that sell along with it. 
I recently went to visit a newer pet store and the conditions the animals where in was disgusting, the rats had open wounds and had discharge oozing from their eyes. Even after showering and changing my clothes, I was too scared to even go near any of my rats for the rest of the day. I wouldn't risk the health of my animals to shop at a pet store that carries animals.


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## Andromeda

Maybe it's a different in different places, but the animals at the pet store I shop at (Petland) are not a few dollars. xP The rats are about $15, the ferrets and birds are over a hundred dollars...pretty sure the rabbits and guinea pigs are around $50, and the reptiles are higher than all of them...this is also in Canada where everything is stupidly expensive.

I've found that a lot of places that don't sell animals don't have much in the way of small animal supplies. I think the only store in my town that doesn't sell animals is Bosley's, and they literally have a single shelf with all the small mammal stuff, and then another shelf for bird stuff. :/

I think pet stores make a lot more on small animals than you think...especially because when you buy an animal from there, they load you up with about $200 worth of crap, that is usually the wrong stuff anyways. I don't really like the idea of putting those stores completely out of business because at the end of the day, there are people who depend on those jobs to survive. I am 100% against selling any kind of animal in a store, because animals should not be treated like products. But I'm also 100% against getting rid of jobs when my province desperately needs more of them. xP


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## moonkissed

> I don't really like the idea of putting those stores completely out of business because at the end of the day, there are people who depend on those jobs to survive. I am 100% against selling any kind of animal in a store, because animals should not be treated like products. But I'm also 100% against getting rid of jobs when my province desperately needs more of them


I have to strongly disagree with you there. While getting rid of jobs does suck ofcourse, the animal abuse and cruelety is worse. And all of the mills that supply those pets are cruel and tragic. I think because people only see the cute little pets in the shop they don't think about where those animals came from. Mills are not good in any way. They turn out pets like they were nothing but a product. These animals do not have good lifes. 

It would be like saying you didn't want to shut down a child sweat shop because of the adults who run it would also lose their jobs.... 

There are pet stores that do not sell pets and they are still up and running. No one would have to lose their jobs if they did things smartly. They could host local events with rescues of all kinds of animals and that would bring in people who would need pet supplies and then after they got their pet would likely continue to shop there.


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## Gribouilli

Andromeda said:


> Maybe it's a different in different places, but the animals at the pet store I shop at (Petland) are not a few dollars. xP The rats are about $15, the ferrets and birds are over a hundred dollars...pretty sure the rabbits and guinea pigs are around $50, and the reptiles are higher than all of them...this is also in Canada where everything is stupidly expensive.I've found that a lot of places that don't sell animals don't have much in the way of small animal supplies. I think the only store in my town that doesn't sell animals is Bosley's, and they literally have a single shelf with all the small mammal stuff, and then another shelf for bird stuff. :/I think pet stores make a lot more on small animals than you think...especially because when you buy an animal from there, they load you up with about $200 worth of crap, that is usually the wrong stuff anyways. I don't really like the idea of putting those stores completely out of business because at the end of the day, there are people who depend on those jobs to survive. I am 100% against selling any kind of animal in a store, because animals should not be treated like products. But I'm also 100% against getting rid of jobs when my province desperately needs more of them. xP


No one said that small animals were only a few dollars, but that the PROFIT on those animals are only a few dollars for those pet stores- not the same thing. Also we exactly said that they do most of their money on supplies, that point was never underestimated. As far as jobs go, pet stores not selling animals are opening new stores every day, so no jobs are lost.


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## DamselChum

My unpopular opinion: I'm not opposed to pet stores selling small animals... I don't think there are enough breeders or even rescues to meet the demand in many areas. Personally, I'm not comfortable going the rescue route with small animals as is. I applaud those who do, but it is just not for me. 

Besides that, I don't think the majority of mice and rats being sold in pet stores are sold as pets anyways... So it's not as simple as just having the pet stores not sell them.


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## moonkissed

DamselChum said:


> My unpopular opinion: I'm not opposed to pet stores selling small animals... I don't think there are enough breeders or even rescues to meet the demand in many areas. Personally, I'm not comfortable going the rescue route with small animals as is. I applaud those who do, but it is just not for me.
> 
> Besides that, I don't think the majority of mice and rats being sold in pet stores are sold as pets anyways... So it's not as simple as just having the pet stores not sell them.


You are ok with people getting pets easier even if it means animals get abused? 

That makes no sense to me. If someone is so impatient and has to have a specific type of pet right there and now that they can't either try to find a breeder, wait for babies, or travel alittle bit to get them... perhaps they really shouldn't have a pet at all. 

If it meant no animals were being born and raised in cruel mills I'd be very happy with it meaning they were harder to get. The needs of the animal should be far above my WANTS of having one.

I have no issues with feeders being sold (though IMO people shouldn't feed live other countries have outlawed it, we could too) but by far most pet stores I have ever seen price their rats as pets. There is no way someone is paying those prices for feeders unless they are morons. there is really no comparing the two.


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## DamselChum

moonkissed said:


> You are ok with people getting pets easier even if it means animals get abused?
> 
> That makes no sense to me. If someone is so impatient and has to have a specific type of pet right there and now that they can't either try to find a breeder, wait for babies, or travel alittle bit to get them... perhaps they really shouldn't have a pet at all.
> 
> If it meant no animals were being born and raised in cruel mills I'd be very happy with it meaning they were harder to get. The needs of the animal should be far above my WANTS of having one.
> 
> I have no issues with feeders being sold (though IMO people shouldn't feed live other countries have outlawed it, we could too) but by far most pet stores I have ever seen price their rats as pets. There is no way someone is paying those prices for feeders unless they are morons. there is really no comparing the two.


I eat chicken nuggets and bacon. No way what goes on in the small pet mills is any worse than what goes on in factory farms. There are cruel mills and sanitary ones that adhere to laws. I'm not against the idea of small pet mills in general, but I do support stricter legislation enforcing the animal welfare in those facilities.

*shrug* My petco definitely is not selling the vast majority of their mice and rats as pets. I've had to wait in line for them and have spoken with other purchasers. They have a separate sales contract for the mice/rats than they do for the hamsters/gerbils/guinea pigs - because of the destiny they face. For some people, paying an extra couple bucks is worth the convenience. It's a 45 minute drive to my nearest feeder breeder. Petco is on my way home. But thanks for calling me and many other people morons. As for laws about live feeding, I wouldn't have a problem with it as long as it has the same grey area and loop holes that are in place in the UK that allows for exceptions in the case of animals with medical concerns from not eating. Which happens. I have 1 myself, she will not take frozen thawed period. The freezing and thawing process changes the scent. I'm lucky that she isn't stuck on live, she will eat fresh killed. I've simply learned how to humanely put rodents down so they don't suffer and my pet cannot be hurt by said rodent. All in all it costs $20 more per month buying her food at a big box petstore.


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## Andromeda

moonkissed said:


> I have to strongly disagree with you there. While getting rid of jobs does suck ofcourse, the animal abuse and cruelety is worse. And all of the mills that supply those pets are cruel and tragic. I think because people only see the cute little pets in the shop they don't think about where those animals came from. Mills are not good in any way. They turn out pets like they were nothing but a product. These animals do not have good lifes.
> 
> It would be like saying you didn't want to shut down a child sweat shop because of the adults who run it would also lose their jobs....
> 
> There are pet stores that do not sell pets and they are still up and running. No one would have to lose their jobs if they did things smartly. They could host local events with rescues of all kinds of animals and that would bring in people who would need pet supplies and then after they got their pet would likely continue to shop there.


Except that I already said I am 100% against selling animals in pet stores...I don't agree with rodent mills either. I think they're horrifying places that should be shut down immediately. In my opinion, you should only be able to adopt animals from rescues and breeders.

I'm not saying that people losing their jobs justifies the horrible care those animals receive. I'm saying that it's okay to continue to shop at stores that sell animals, as long as you don't buy the animals, and continue to try to educate others on why they shouldn't buy them either. The people who run pet stores aren't idiots (well, most of them). If they look at their sales at the end of the quarter and see that there was a massive drop in the number of live animals being sold, and a big rise in the amount of supplies being sold, guess what? They're not going to order as many live animals to sell in their shop, because they're losing money on them. That way, the store stays in business, people keep their jobs, and eventually, the store will stop selling animals.

IMO, that's a much better option than putting the whole store out of business.


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## Rattielover965

I'm sorry I shouldn't have created this thread,I didn't know that it would start a unnecessary fight. We should be glad to be able to use this forum, and communicate with other rat lovers,but instead we're fighting.Again I'm sorry.


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## Andromeda

I don't know that I would really call this a fight...it's more just a discussion or debate, which is kind of what forums are for. We're actually really all agreeing that rodent mills (and the practice of selling animals as objects in general) are terrible things, just debating the finer details. As long as everyone stays civilized, which we have for the most part, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to open up discussions about sensitive topics, especially topics that pertain to rats.

However, it's your thread, and if you would prefer that we leave it alone, I believe it should be your call.


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## Fu-Inle

moonkissed said:


> IDK why anyone shops pet stores anyways. Most have their prices so jacked up lol find all of that online way cheaper! Plus I actually do suggest not visiting pet stores that sell animals because it is very easy to pick up something contagious and bring it home, even if you do not handle the animals. It sucks that pet stores try to sell living animals as christmas gifts. It sucks that people want them as gifts. And worse it sucks that oh so many people will buy one as if it were just an object without thinking that after Christmas u still have to take care of it and it is work and responsibility. People suck.


So true, the prices in petstores are ridiculous. When I first got rats I bought my supplies from the petstore. $30 for one square hammock. On etsy I bought an 8 peice set for $38.


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## SoaringRat

moonkissed said:


> Plus I actually do suggest not visiting pet stores that sell animals because it is very easy to pick up something contagious and bring it home, even if you do not handle the animals.


I learned that the hard way. I went into the locally owned pet store here, and a few days later I noticed my girl, Inkie, was covered in bumps. Turns out I carried home mites, and my little girl got loaded with them. Several rounds of Revolution on my entire mischief (3 girls, 1 neutered male) later, the mites were gone.


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