Heartbreaking......:(

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Originally Posted by Salamander

Western MD.
It's the Hagerstown PetCo.

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You live close to me. I would have definitely said something to the manager. And I also would have said "this snake is skinny, needs to eat properly, needs proper temps and humidity. It also is going to need a vet because these animals you carry are most likely ill and need some sort of treatment. I will give you X amount of dollars for it, seeing as it needs all this."

Then again, thats how I am. I understand that these employees at these chain petstores do not have the proper knowledge of care for these animals, and the same goes for the managers. I will give them such and such reason ( depending on the specific animal ) what exactly it needs and why it would be best to go with me. Yea sometimes I over pay for an animal, and that's the reason Chad tries his hardest to keep me out of those places.

I do the same with Craigslist. I'm a sucker for animals in need.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Take the photos, and send them to CORPORATE. Go over the store manager's head. Tell them that if they don't act, you're planning to make a fuss and post the photos, because if this is how they treat their animals, the world should know.

Petco corporate doesn't hate animals, and they aren't completely heartless. The problem is individuals, and if you put a bug in their ear at corporate, it's a lot more likely that something will get done about it. Particularly if you tell them it's an ongoing problem.
Mention the lack of hot water as well. It's hard to imagine anything being properly cleaned without hot water, as well as the issue with thawing rodents for the snakes.

They're a big corporation, and they have a lot of inertia--they had a vet write up their care protocols, and unfortunately, he just wasn't enough of a reptile expert to do it properly. Since a vet told them to, now it's hard to convince them to change. They do think they're doing the right thing.

The only way to get them to fix it, is to keep at them over it. Be polite, be reasonable, but be resolute and definite.
It can work, and has worked.

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I agree with this. Im sure there are many members of this site who have bought their snakes from Petco/Petsmart or insert store name here and had great service. Both of my local stores have been great with Sheldon but maybe I am just lucky. The problem comes from the individuals who run the stores not caring about the animals. Corporate can only do so much. I do wonder if they routinely visit stores. When I worked at Target we would see corporate executives all the time. Maybe this sort of thing, inspections, would help fix these problems. I know for me personally it would be hard to walk away from that little guy even though it would probably be expensive and ultimately, in vain. To me the real tragedy in that the Animal Control and humane societies do not care about these animals. Yes there are people who claim that snakes (or frogs, lizards, iguanas, tarantulas, etc) are heartless creatures that belong in the wild, or worse but tell that to someone who has actually owned one for long enough to love it. It is really sad that, outside of enthusiasts, that no one cares about these animals.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Take the photos, and send them to CORPORATE. Go over the store manager's head. Tell them that if they don't act, you're planning to make a fuss and post the photos, because if this is how they treat their animals, the world should know.

Petco corporate doesn't hate animals, and they aren't completely heartless. The problem is individuals, and if you put a bug in their ear at corporate, it's a lot more likely that something will get done about it. Particularly if you tell them it's an ongoing problem.
Mention the lack of hot water as well. It's hard to imagine anything being properly cleaned without hot water, as well as the issue with thawing rodents for the snakes.

They're a big corporation, and they have a lot of inertia--they had a vet write up their care protocols, and unfortunately, he just wasn't enough of a reptile expert to do it properly. Since a vet told them to, now it's hard to convince them to change. They do think they're doing the right thing.

The only way to get them to fix it, is to keep at them over it. Be polite, be reasonable, but be resolute and definite.
It can work, and has worked.

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"Corporate" already has a list of complaints against this woman a mile long.
Her latest sin was to remove a Conure off the show floor into "quarantine" because she wanted to buy it at a mark-down price for herself.
It stayed in quarantine a full year before another employee [no longer working there] convinced them to get involved.
They did...by having her put the Conure back on the sales floor where it was purchased immediately by other people.
She got no disciplinary action, no firing, no nothing.

For whatever reason, she's "bullet proof" and the entire staff is terrified of her.

The lack of hot water is almost superfluous to all the other travesties.

I watched an employee feed the snakes during the "Starving Pastels" saga and the time he was allotted to feed everything [or lose his job] was about 1 minute per animal.
Approx. half of the snakes actually ate.
From start to finish, removing the snakes from the tanks, feeding and returning to the tanks was about a half hour.

Unless one of 2 employees is working tomorrow, I won't be able to get photos.
They don't allow it, most likely because of why *I* want to take them.
Hopefully at least one of the 2 people I mentioned will be working tomorrow.

I will try, though.

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Originally Posted by heathers*bps

You live close to me. I would have definitely said something to the manager. And I also would have said "this snake is skinny, needs to eat properly, needs proper temps and humidity. It also is going to need a vet because these animals you carry are most likely ill and need some sort of treatment. I will give you X amount of dollars for it, seeing as it needs all this."

Then again, thats how I am. I understand that these employees at these chain petstores do not have the proper knowledge of care for these animals, and the same goes for the managers. I will give them such and such reason ( depending on the specific animal ) what exactly it needs and why it would be best to go with me. Yea sometimes I over pay for an animal, and that's the reason Chad tries his hardest to keep me out of those places.

I do the same with Craigslist. I'm a sucker for animals in need.

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I did talk to the manager on duty.
I've talked to every/all the floor managers on duty, at various times.
They were upset, sympathetic, concerned, etc but they have no real, hands on authority over any of the animals.

Everything has to be cleared through "Robin" first, and she simply doesn't give a crap.

I have never even laid eyes on the head manager because she comes in whenever she 'feels like it' and no one can predict when or if she'll be in on any given day.
I have left messages for her to contact me.
She never has.

I, too, have tried to educate, reason, cajole, plead, bargain, convince, to no avail.
The store floor managers hands are utterly tied.

The 2 decent, caring people who work the herps are concerned but powerless.
In this trashed economy, they can't afford to lose a job in an area where few are to be had by "winging it" themselves.

I've offered to take home animals, fix them up and return them with no thought of personal compensation.
I just wanted them to live.
No dice.

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Originally Posted by python_addict

Yeah this is true but you can try to save as many as you can

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The Starfish *
Author Unknown


Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing.

He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day he was walking along the shore.

As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer.

He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day.

So he began to walk faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out, "Good morning What are you doing?"

The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"

"The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it.

You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely.

Then bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said,
"It made a difference for that one."

I chase a lot of rainbows.
I tilt at a lot of windmills.
I throw a lot of starfish.
It's how I'm built.

However, broke is broke, no matter how much I want to throw this 'starfish' back into the ocean.

I will try to raise a stink with corporate but unless money falls from the sky tonight, that's all I can do for this one.

Thanks to everyone who replied.

At least I know I'm not crazy for trying.

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Originally Posted by twoninerfan

I agree with this. Im sure there are many members of this site who have bought their snakes from Petco/Petsmart or insert store name here and had great service. Both of my local stores have been great with Sheldon but maybe I am just lucky. The problem comes from the individuals who run the stores not caring about the animals. Corporate can only do so much. I do wonder if they routinely visit stores. When I worked at Target we would see corporate executives all the time. Maybe this sort of thing, inspections, would help fix these problems. I know for me personally it would be hard to walk away from that little guy even though it would probably be expensive and ultimately, in vain. To me the real tragedy in that the Animal Control and humane societies do not care about these animals. Yes there are people who claim that snakes (or frogs, lizards, iguanas, tarantulas, etc) are heartless creatures that belong in the wild, or worse but tell that to someone who has actually owned one for long enough to love it. It is really sad that, outside of enthusiasts, that no one cares about these animals.

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You should try ginning up sympathy for rats.

At one time, I had over 100 rats here with an entire room dedicated to them and their huge habitats.

Thankfully, the store that was allowing them to languish injured, maimed and mutilated has gone out of business.

I have only 4, now.

The humane society said they were "wild" and told me to call the DNR.
The DNR said they were "tame" and told me to call the ASPCA.

Luckily for me, those rats were much cheaper than chain store BPs.

Rats and snakes are not high up on the 'cute things that need saving' list.

Some animals are more equal than others.

first try putting pedolite in as water (get the one the is flavor free)
the will help re-hydrate it and then it my kick in the feeding part the has been missing.

when my BP goes on her hunger strike i give her pedolite just to keep her electrolite up, and she only goes without eating maybe a month at a time and then she'll eat real good. you can get off brand of pedolite at the dollar store.

good luck with her

I'll definitley help!!!! Seriously! How can we work this. What's the per stores number. If I can get them to come down on the price I will pay for it myself right over the phone and u can pick it up. Where r u located. Message me if u want... I am serious...

The board of agriculture has laws and regulations for every store that sells any animal. I would look up their number and speak with them. Unfortunately you can't save them all an buying it only perpetuates the cycle. I hope something works out for that little guy.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

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Originally Posted by Homegrownscales

The board of agriculture has laws and regulations for every store that sells any animal. I would look up their number and speak with them. Unfortunately you can't save them all an buying it only perpetuates the cycle. I hope something works out for that little guy.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

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The local humane society was not interested which is ironic because tomorrow they're having a big animal adoption/education event at that very store.

I don't know where our 'board of agriculture' is, locally.

We used to have an Ag extension office in Hagerstown but it's been closed for years.
I went in last night to get stuff for the mouse mites and was shocked to see it's still alive.
I have no idea how it's managing to even hang on.