ANOTHER Pet Store Horror Story

I was driving around, and noticed a pet store that advertised having reptiles. Curious, I stopped and went in to have a look. The place was horrifying! I'll list the things wrong.

Ball Pythons:

Hatchlings housed with RTB, Juveniles crowded: 8 in a 10g tank. All have signs of mites and RI, soaking in water bowls continuously. Rodent/bird substrate (Little pellets), no hides. Temps at 75,120, based on strip thermometer. Water filthy, containing feces and urates. Bones showing.

Red Tail Boas:

Housed 4 Juveniles in a 10g, all soaking in water bowl. It's a really small bowl with hardly any water. They are pushing each other to get into the bowl. Signs of mites. More pellet substrate. Regurgitated mouse in corner. No hides.

Savannah Monitors:

Adults: Sand substrate, about .5 inches deep :O! No water, TREES FOR CLIMBING... Seem lethargic

Juveniles: Sand substrate, .5 inches. 6 in one 10g. More trees, filthy water.

Tegus:

(Simply labeled as Tegu)

Over 5 layers of stuck, peeling shed. Could not walk because of shed caught on legs. Filthy water, crickets in adult's tank. Wedged into a 10g. Animal about 2x length of tank, tail going up the side to fit. Feces around tank, and in water.


However, there were also other animals. Fish were dead in the tanks and on the floor! Birds had overgrown beaks and dirty feathers. Overall filth. NO AIR CONDITIONER!!! It's over 100 degrees! Store is about 80!

The store in question is R.I. Aquarium and Pet Center. PLEASE don't buy animals from them.

Anyway, I'm posting to ask for advice on how to take action. The animals shouldn't be forced to live like this, but I won't buy them, as the owner will just buy more. Any ideas on what action to take?

Thanks,

Apple2

How sad :tears: I live in MA and think I have actually visited that store before. It's disgusting. I'd start by reporting them to the BBB. You can also look into their local animal control, I know ours does investigations of neglect and abuse even in businesses.

Report the store to the local humane society or something. The police as well.

Even if the police can do nothing, the humane society or animal cruelty prevention team near you may.

If nothing else. . . CALL PETA! :D

This obviouslly has been going on awhile, I googled them, here are 2 reviews:

May 8, 2010
should be closed down! Ihave had tropical fish for over 30 yrs and have never seen a aquarium in this poor conditon before, Dead fish in most of the tanks,filthy tanks,many fish in very poor health. The only good thing is I did not bring my 5 yr old and subject her to this place. I read the other reviews and still visited them . Do your self a favor if you care about fish stay away!!!!!!!

Henry ‎ - Sep 6, 2009
Poor animal care, sick dying animals I've been to this store twice (visits spaced a year apart), and both times I've walked out in disgust at the sorry state of animals and the animal housing - filthy, small cages with inadequate heating and sanitation, often with animals which are obviously sick or outright dead. And these are not difficult animals - your basic frogs and snakes that anyone with half a brain could keep. On my most recent visit, a baby boa was dead from what was obviously Inclusion Body Disease by the characteristic death posture. IBD is an incurable disease which will wipe out the boa & python collection of anyone unfortunately enough to buy from this store. In spite of it being very close, I refuse to buy so much as a fake plant from this store. I even wash my hands intensively after visiting, just to make sure nothing I pick up there infects my own animals.

Wow, this place is even worse than I thought. I know that I used almost a whole bottle of Purell after leaving!

I think I'll call the humane society. I will keep you guys posted on any new events.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by apple2

Wow, this place is even worse than I thought. I know that I used almost a whole bottle of Purell after leaving!

I think I'll call the humane society. I will keep you guys posted on any new events.

---

I'd also try contacting the local board of health. Usually they only deal with "people" situations, but if this place is as gross as you described it could be an issue that the board of health and building inspector may want to know about....

That sucks! I found you the number to the Rhode Island Humane Society. Please call!!!

(401) 438-8150

:O I can't believe anyone would keep animals in such awful conditions! (Worse than Alley Cat Pet Center at the mall which still has bad conditions...)

I hope something gets done about that place... I'm in WA(on the other side of the US.) so I've never been there or heard of the place, but I'd be horrified if I saw anything like that.

I'm glad that the chain pet stores(petsmart and petco) are all good with their snakes. Petco is iffy with their dragons, but Petsmart is good. Luckily there is a PERFECT reptile store about an hour or less away that does everything correct. Not one thing wrong at all with any of the reptiles or their husbandry.(BPs are 1 to a cage even! They breed most of their own animals as well. I got a really good BP book from them. The guy at the cash register said it was a really great book and it is. :3)

Good luck... I hope that place gets shut down. I cannot believe...:colbert:

i had always wanted to own a pet store but i would never put any animal through that horrible crap if you have a pet store i think you should atleast know and provide the right housing for the animals you sell! wow

I'd hold off on callin PETA, those fanatics will just use it as an example of why reptile keeping should be banned.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like Ri has many specific pet shop laws. This may be a case where PETA would be beneficial although they aren't my favorite organization they may help. I would try to get ahold of someone there.

Although I did find this from here:
http://www.petstoreabuse.com/lemonlaws.html
Rhode Island - Contagious or Infectious Diseases are covered: 20 days; Congenital or Hereditary Defects: 2 years. A seller must reimburse 75% of the purchase price if registration papers are not provided within 120 days for animals sold as registerable. Further, if the seller misrepresents the breed of an animal, the purchaser is entitled to “all remedies” in the act.

I would think mites and or any other infectious diseases would be covered under That.
I also found this.

State Pet Shop Laws: Rhode Island
View Map
Definitions:

Adequate feed: the provision at intervals not to exceed 24 hours of a quantity of wholesome food suitable for the species and age sufficient to maintain a reasonable level of nutrition in each animal. The food must be served in a sanitized dish. (R.I. GEN. LAWS § 4-19-11)
Adequate water: constant access to a supply of clean, fresh, potable water provided in a sanitary manner or provided at intervals not to exceed 24 hours. (R.I. GEN. LAWS § 4-19-11)
Animal: any dog, cat, rabbit, rodent, nonhuman primate, bird or other warm-blooded vertebrate, amphibian, fish or reptile. Excludes livestock and domestic fowl. (R.I. GEN. LAWS § 4-19-2)
Dealer: a person [includes businesses] who sells, exchanges, or donates, or offers to sell, exchange, or donate animals to another dealer, pet shop, or research facility, or who breeds dogs and/or cats for the purpose of selling or donating to another dealer or pet shop, or research facility. (R.I. GEN. LAWS § 4-19-2)
Pet shop: a temporary or permanent establishment where animals are bought, sold, exchanged, or offered for sale or exchange to the general public at retail. Excludes breeders who sell from their premises. (R.I. GEN. LAWS § 4-19-2)
Vet Care:

N/A
Housing:

N/A
Lemon Laws:

N/A
Food and Water:

Pet stores must “adequately” feed and water animals in their custody. (Penalty: misdemeanor, seizure of animals, and license revocation) (R.I. GEN. LAWS §§ 4-19-11, -2, -8)
Sanitary Conditions:

N/A
Unweaned Animals:

Prohibits pet stores from selling chicks or ducklings. (Penalty: max 11 months’ confinement and/or $50-$500 fine) (R.I. GEN. LAWS § 4-1-8)
Miscellaneous Provisions:

License required for pet shops and dealers. (Penalty: max $100 fine) (R.I. GEN. LAWS §§ 4-19-5, -7, -9)
Sellers and dealers of psittacine birds must keep records for each bird, including identification and ownership history. The records must be kept for 2 years and are subject to inspection. (Penalty: max $200 fine per bird) (R.I. GEN. LAWS §§ 4-11-3, -12)
All psittacine birds that are sold or transferred must be banded. (R.I. GEN. LAWS §§ 4-11-4, -12)
Environmental management dept and local health officers have enforcement authority. (R.I. GEN. LAWS § 4-11-11)
Environmental management and Rhode Island society for the prevention of cruelty to animals agents can inspect and investigate. (R.I. GEN. LAWS § 4-19-15)
[See R.I. GEN. LAWS §§ 4-11-2, -4 for import requirements for psittacine birds.]
Prohibits destroying an animal using a high altitude decompression chamber. Exception for licensed dealers, breeders and hobby breeders. (Penalty: $500 fine) (R.I. GEN. LAWS §§ 4-1-3.1, 4-19-14)
CO chamber must use bottled or cylinder CO gas. Exception for licensed dealers, breeders and hobby breeders. (Penalty: max. $500-$1,000 fine) (R.I. GEN. LAWS §§ 4-19-11.1, -11.3, -14)
Prohibits euthanizing an animal with a gas chamber or CO chamber. (Penalty: max. 30 day sentence and/or max. $500 fine) (R.I. GEN. LAWS §§ 4-19-12, 4-19-14)
Notes:

Where “adequate space” is not defined the state has not established a definition for the term.
The definition of “animal” may actually be broadly written while the types of animals covered by the law (e.g., veterinary care, sanitation, food and water) may be more narrowly drafted.

Sorry I couldn't find more. I'll keep looking.


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I'd like to see some pictures of the snakes and cages if you ever happen to walk back in there; this sounds completely horrible.

I hate seeing gross conditions of reptiles.. such a shame.:mad:

If you can't call someone, protest the place until no one shops there. In this economy, it will take no time at all to shut em down.