I think I would start with talking to the general manager. Ask him what's up with the animals and if he's open to improve. Give him a chance, maybe by having a customer bring it to his attention he might reconsider his care, offer advice and suggestions in keeping the parrot occupied. Give him an ultimatum, and you can be passive-assertive with it- be nice but let him know it is not acceptable and you will go to authorites. Next, if he complies, get the SPCA in there for an investigation. If he does not comply then go to SPCA as a complaint. These things should be regulated not only by standard code but by health practitiioners if not animal investigators. :/ This upsets me.
Another Question: Pet Store Care
So I guess I'm reporting a pet store.
I've mentioned before that one of my roommates and I own rats and keep them together while sharing expenses on food and bedding. We're always open to a better deal, so I got a heads up from a friend that a local place, called Neff's Animal Supply, was a great deal for pet supplies.
We headed over and were quickly... horrified isn't the right word, exactly. And 'grossed out' is too mellow. But suffice to say, the place was filthy and disorganized. Along with that, the animals were living in terrible condition - I was momentarily endeared when I saw that they had degus, but the wire floors were black with caked feces, and the current bedding looked at least a month old.
But the most terrible thing was a Blue & Gold macaw for sale, and the poor thing was nearly featherless - it was stressed out beyond anything I'd ever seen before (the worst I'd ever seen before this was a Military on sale at a chain pet store had pulled a few chest feathers). You could literally see the shape of its body. I was disgusted by not only that, but its barren cage conditions. No bird that smart and rare should have to live like that.
My city is generally forward-thinking, and I'm genuinely surprised that this store hasn't been reported yet. I'm headed over in the next day or so with another friend to reconfirm that this is just as bad as I thought it was. I only *LITERALLY* just today got a working camera, and I'll be taking pictures. Is there anything specific I should do in order to properly judge and report this place, other than inform the local authorities?
I've mentioned before that one of my roommates and I own rats and keep them together while sharing expenses on food and bedding. We're always open to a better deal, so I got a heads up from a friend that a local place, called Neff's Animal Supply, was a great deal for pet supplies.
We headed over and were quickly... horrified isn't the right word, exactly. And 'grossed out' is too mellow. But suffice to say, the place was filthy and disorganized. Along with that, the animals were living in terrible condition - I was momentarily endeared when I saw that they had degus, but the wire floors were black with caked feces, and the current bedding looked at least a month old.
But the most terrible thing was a Blue & Gold macaw for sale, and the poor thing was nearly featherless - it was stressed out beyond anything I'd ever seen before (the worst I'd ever seen before this was a Military on sale at a chain pet store had pulled a few chest feathers). You could literally see the shape of its body. I was disgusted by not only that, but its barren cage conditions. No bird that smart and rare should have to live like that.
My city is generally forward-thinking, and I'm genuinely surprised that this store hasn't been reported yet. I'm headed over in the next day or so with another friend to reconfirm that this is just as bad as I thought it was. I only *LITERALLY* just today got a working camera, and I'll be taking pictures. Is there anything specific I should do in order to properly judge and report this place, other than inform the local authorities?
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I can't speak to all that you saw, but you've gotten good advice in the previous post.
I will say that many things can cause a bird to pluck/over-preen or pull it's feathers. Stress is just one of them. The birds could be showing the effects from previous owners. I've seen it in other birds, in other pet stores.
I'm not defending a bad pet store, but I've learned that things aren't always what they seem at first. Sometimes you have to ask questions and dig a little to understand what's happening, ...especially with animals. JMO.
Bob
I will say that many things can cause a bird to pluck/over-preen or pull it's feathers. Stress is just one of them. The birds could be showing the effects from previous owners. I've seen it in other birds, in other pet stores.
I'm not defending a bad pet store, but I've learned that things aren't always what they seem at first. Sometimes you have to ask questions and dig a little to understand what's happening, ...especially with animals. JMO.
Bob
I agree with Bob's post, mainly in regards to the bird.
I remember seeing negative reviews online for a pet store I used to frequent, claiming they were "abusing" their Cockatoos because they plucked. One did look really bad. But the thing is, the birds were rescues that the store took in to rehabilitate and they actually looked much better than when they were dropped off!
There's no excuse for the dirty wire cages but I agree that you should talk to the manager first.
I remember seeing negative reviews online for a pet store I used to frequent, claiming they were "abusing" their Cockatoos because they plucked. One did look really bad. But the thing is, the birds were rescues that the store took in to rehabilitate and they actually looked much better than when they were dropped off!
There's no excuse for the dirty wire cages but I agree that you should talk to the manager first.
I agree with those saying you ought to talk to a manager first.
Something interesting I've noticed, all of the notoriously bad pet stores in our area have mysteriously gone out of business. I think a large number of their customer base is becoming more educated on the care of animals and realizing that these conditions are not okay.
I'm happy to say I have found a local fish store that has my 100% approval
But it took a lot of research and a long time to find it. The best thing to do is support the stores you approve of and not support the ones that have sick animals (plus, you don't want a sick animal in the first place)
Something interesting I've noticed, all of the notoriously bad pet stores in our area have mysteriously gone out of business. I think a large number of their customer base is becoming more educated on the care of animals and realizing that these conditions are not okay.
I'm happy to say I have found a local fish store that has my 100% approval
But it took a lot of research and a long time to find it. The best thing to do is support the stores you approve of and not support the ones that have sick animals (plus, you don't want a sick animal in the first place)I wouldn't have a problem with volunteering my time to a pet store if it was understaffed and needed help keeping the cages clean. I know that some pet stores are busy and have customers who take up a lot of time with talking to store employees. If the store is adequately staffed and the cages go uncleaned, then it should be reported to the manager so that changes can be made. All animals have the right to be healthy and safe.
Okay, I'll give that a shot first. Thanks!
urofan,, most pet stores cant do that because they would be legally responsible for you if you got hurt,,
It's true--unless you are there often, can you be sure that the cage of Degus wasn't dropped off by someone just that day, and the staff had not had a chance to deal with it yet? If the place is consistently bad, then they should be reported to the proper authorities. Contact your local shelter and ask who to call.
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