I got the job.... AT THE PET STORE!

[showrabbits]

Well I applied last friday and today I went in tocheck on my application. They hadnt looked at it but got it out andthen sat me down for a interview and then they hired me. They asked meto start work that day, so i went and got some kaki pants, shoes and abelt and they gave me a shirt and I worked all day. It was fun everyonewas nice, and their policies are great! I am tired though because Iworked till closing wich was at nine thirty, and then I had a half hourdrive home so its been a long day. I made through my firstday without taking anything home so I guess I am doing good so far LOL.

 

[mygrl2k3]

Wow you must have really impressed them when you started that very same day. I hope you like it.

Cristy

 

[Carolyn]

They would've been crazy not to hire you on thespot. You didn't walk out with someone the first night, butthe question is, do you have your eye on anyone inparticular? Be Careful!

Congratulations, Showrabbits. I'm so glad all those little critters have you, and the customers too.



-Carolyn

 

[dmmcnair]

Congratulations...It's good to know that onepetstore out there actually hires people who know about the animalsthey sell!!! They are lucky to have you and your experience.

I'll tell you something...I went to our neighborhood petco to get myson a new guinea pig ( no breeders in the area that have shorthairsaround here), so I go in and wait 30 min just to get someone to help me( about 2 or 3 people were on the floor, and walked by me severaltimes!), while I was waiting, I noticed in the male guinea pig's cagethat one was trying to mate with the other one...well the other onejust took it...I thought, that's not right, someone messed up somewherealong the way, when someone finally came to help, I pointed out thatone of the guinea pigs was a girl in the boys cage! Heactually knew how to sex them...and guess what, there was a girl in theboys cage...now they don't have to purchase any more guinea pigs...theyhave their own breeding program going on because of neglect!!! Then ittakes another 30 min to get out of there! Anyway, that's whatI have to put up with!

Thank goodness for the folks that go to the pet store you are working for...they don't have to put up with that!!!

Dawn

 

[bluebird]

Congratulations,thats one pet store that will give correct information to people buying rabbits.bluebird

 

[showrabbits]

Yeah this store isnt as big as a petco, but Ithink that it is a chain or something from austrilia. All day yesterdayI went through training and had to watch videos from the sixties. ITWAS TORTURE! LOL I had to sitin the back while everyone elsegot to play with the animals lol. I finally got out onto the floor thelast part of my shift. Boy I didnt know that selling animals would beso hard. It was kind of hard though because I had to follow around aperson and listen to them sell animals, and some of the stuff that theywere saying werent exactly right but I was in no position to correctthem.....YET. It was kind of wierd seeing the behind the scene stuff,like alot more goes on than you know about. Dont worry nothing liketortured animals or anything. They have a qarenteen area for all petsthat look like they are having problems and those pets get checked outby a vet. The puppies are in like cages in one of the walls, the frontof the cage is like a window and that is what the people see, and thenyou go through a door, and in the back is where the doors are and thatis where you get the puppies out of. There is staff that work backthere all day, there is grooming areas playing are and everything likethat. So all day the puppies and kittens get attention and cleaned andeverything. They told me all about how they pick out the puppies frombreeders so that way they arnt coming from a bad situation, and howthey are all checked over by a vet for any problems at all, and youhave all of the vets notes. Then the new people have to take the dog tothe vet within the first five days wich that vet visit is free. Thedogs also come with a free grooming, and all of their shots of course.Oh the dogs are also trained by the kennel staff how to sit and stufflike that. They come with a warrentee for three years and then a lifetime warentee against more stuff like sturcture problems. And theirmission is actualy education not to sell animals. That means that youteach that people all about the animal they are buying all of its needseverything! and if they ever have any problems you help them with it.They discourage people buying them for presents and such, and if youhave a bad feeling about the people even though you have taught themyou dont sell them the animal.

I never thought about like how I turn away people from the stores ifthey need help. The first person I got to help solo was pretty rude insaying that she didnt need help. Everybody says that you will get thatall day, I cant waitJK. From now on I am just going to saywith a smile no thanks im just looking. The smile orthe butthanks realy makes the difference esspacaily since you are heaing thatalot all day. Well I better get going I have to take one of my rabbitsto school today because I am doing a speech with them, then after thatits back to work. lOL.

 

[AnnaS]

its kinda weird to get a warranty on an animal,especially lifetime warranty. Its not like you are buying a vacuomcleaner. Anybody can get sick.

 

[bunsforlife]

They do that because many people know petstorescan be iffy. Some dont quarantine their animals, and many aresick. There are nice petstores out there, like this new one Ifound in Meriden, but the majority of them, are not so nice places.

Usually if a place offers a warranty, they are sure their animal hadthe best of care and wont be having to honor that warranty.

Of course... when I used to have fish and they had a 7 day warranty onthem, I could never scoop out a dead fish, put it in a cup and bring itback to the store to get a new one. Maybe if it was a 100dollar saltwater fish I'd feel differently =p

 

[AnnaS]

Fish can die pretty fast, especially with thechange in water. But then if its an animal that you actually fall inlove with like a cat or a dog or a bunny or a hampster it will be hardto just exchange it.

 

[Stephanie]

Wow, that's good to know that you're working fora good petstore. We've all heard so many horror stories about them. Itmakes me feel better, and doubt some of what I've heard.

So, how many bun buns do you have your eye on now?

 

[LuvaBun]

Good for you - it sounds like a pretty good petstore, and they seem to care for their animals. Best of luck - try notto fall in love with too many critters -Jan

 

[Buck Jones]

Happy to hear you're so happy with your newjob. Your experiences already have been an eye-opener to me,in that there are pet store companies such as the one you work that,apparently, do attempt to do a good job.

Good luck. Who knows, might be the beginning of a career in animal care, eh?

Buck

 

[Cupcake]

Congrats on getting the job! Hope you get a chance to take care of the bunnies. They do have bunnies there I hope

Sue

 

[showrabbits]

They have bunnies here. Last week we got somedutch and yestday we got some mini lop, holland lops, and a few dwarfmixes. They are pretty cute but I like my flemish giants andenglish lops.LOL. I think that I am falling in love thoughwith a cockatoo. OPPS. Its sold though so luckly I wont have enoughtime to realy fall head over heals for him.(JK I can bestrong, After all I go torabbitshows almost everyweekendtons of babies there so Ive had practice.)He is quite the guy though. He is always sitting on the edgeof the parrot display showing off, and he is a realy fast learner.Today he started to make a laughing sound and does a dance at the sametime.

I actauly didnt sell any animals today but everyone kind of let me runthe small animal department so like everyone who came in I taught allabout the rabbits, geanie pigs ect. Three of the people actauly I havea realy good feeling that they will come back I sent them home with abunch of info so they will be able to be all ready for them. One gal Iam realy excited aboutshe seems like a super owner. She waslooking at the geanie pigs and hers just passed away. She wanted tocome back so that way it wasnt a impulse buy, she asked me all aboutthem and everything and I asked her all about the caging thatshe has and such. She has a huge cage and wants to get it nuetered andmaybe get more than one but she would get another cage just to be inthe safe side even though if they are altered they "arnt soppose tofight" according to the books apperantly but we always suggest to havethem altered and a back up cage.

One thing did happen though that I got a little upset about. I went toschool and was tell my friend about my job the teacher walked and wasgetting ready for class and over heard us. Apperantly he didnt do hisresearch and chewed me out about how the poor animals are "like inprison, jail, torture chambers ect......" and such I tried to tell himthat it wasnt like that. About the back kennel room, the volunteers whocome and walk the puppies, the staff that train the puppies, how theroom is set up to be puppy friendly, about the stores mission and how Iagree with him but this store isnt like that. WELL he realy didnt wantto hear that and was too hiped up to hear any of it, and the wholeclass time he kind of had a harsh tone with me. I was upset at firstbut then I figured hey I know what I am doing why I am there, and Iknow the FACTS wich he doesnt abvisily. I tried to teach him but hewouldnt have it, I will try again but if he wont listen than it is hisloss, and even if he doesnt believe me or listen to me or what everthan if he keeps his attitude at me than he will hear me wether helikes it or not! LOL. I couldnt believe that he acted that way like Iwas a horrible person for getting a job there. I could understand it ifthis store was the stereo type pet store but this one isnt and I did mybest to tell him that but he wouldnt here it. I even offered to talk tothe managment to see if there was any way to help him understand likeshow him the kennel area but he wouldnt hear it. Sighh I guess thatsome people will be like that, and I just figured that I know what itis like, I know why I am working there (I wouldnt be working atsomething I didnt agree with 100 percent) and I know that I wont be oneof those people that just sells animals. SO there that is the best Ican do. I plan on telling him that tomorrow at his office hours. LOL.

 

[showrabbits]

Oh almost forgot too. On my ten minutebreak ( I was too excited about working with the animals to use itlol.) but I went through the small animals, I checked teeth, feet,condition, bottoms, ears, eyes, and noises. ALL LINEDUP,CLEANand CLEAR! YEAHHHH. I was afraid that Iwould find one that wasnt. Somebody said that they do check for all ofthat when they check in and they watch for all of them. If there is anyproblems then they will nurse them back to health or but usauly andsince they dont want to sell a animal with any problems they willreturn them to the breeder. Just thought that you all would be releavedto hear that too. I am realy excited about this store... can you tell.LOL.

 

[Buck Jones]

As a former high school teacher, I know some ofus can become rather pedantic andcloseminded about what wethink. With such a man, I think there is little you can do tochange his already made-up mind. I wouldn't waste my timetrying to convince him during office hours, as he will probably thinkthat, "Thou dost protest too much."

The "best convincing" might occur as you continue to tell yourfriend(s) about your, obviously, pleasant experiences workingthere. If he hears more of that, it might make him a bit morereceptive to opening up his mind somewhat. Perhaps, you could"show your friends" pictures of what living conditions are like foranimals at the pet store, or mention the name of the veterinarian whois contracted to insure the animals are healthy, etc.

I've found that "pig headedness" in teachers is more apt to change, ifthey think they have learned something on their own, rather than being"taught" by a student. Unfortunate, but true, I'm afraid.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter as you know what the truth is, and you're telling it.

Buck

 

[bluebird]

Many people are like that their mind is made upand you cant change it ,all breeders are bad all pet stores are bad.Iknow a couple privately owned pet stores that are great the animals arewell cared for and the owners love animals.bluebird

 

[labell]

At our PetsMart, I don't know about our smallanimals, but the Cats and dogs they have are rescues from the shelterswhen their time was up...like an excess shelter. I even volunteeredthere once and helped walk, groom, feed, and play with the dogs, andgroom the cats and cleaned their cages. I got one of my dogs fromthere, and she was rescued as a puppy when her mom was hit by a car. Ishould find out about their small animals. But not all pet stores arehorrible

 

[AnnaS]

Buck Jones wrote:

As a former high school teacher, I know some of us can becomerather pedantic and closeminded about what we think. With such a man, Ithink there is little you can do to change his already made-up mind. Iwouldn't waste my time trying to convince him during office hours, ashe will probably think that, "Thou dost protest too much."

The "best convincing" might occur as you continue to tell yourfriend(s) about your, obviously, pleasant experiences working there. Ifhe hears more of that, it might make him a bit more receptive toopening up his mind somewhat. Perhaps, you could "show your friends"pictures of what living conditions are like for animals at the petstore, or mention the name of the veterinarian who is contracted toinsure the animals are healthy, etc.

I've found that "pig headedness" in teachers is more apt to change, ifthey think they have learned something on their own, rather than being"taught" by a student. Unfortunate, but true, I'm afraid.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter as you know what the truth is, and you're telling it.

Buck

I think you are right, even if the teacher thinks she is telling thetruth he may not want to feel like he was wrong. Especially if he isgetting a lesson from a student.

 

[showrabbits]

Okay another update,

I went to school today planning to just discuss the teachers feelingsabout where I work and then about what he thinks of me because I workthere. I was just hoping to hear his opinions and just discuss themlike not say OH your wrong about this store, or anything like that.Just kind of say yeah I see your point I havent seen any of that, andjust kind of drop the info in there. BUT one of my great friends (needto figure out wich ones) beat me to him. Maybe they talked to him afterclass. I knocked on his door and he was suprised to see me. He saidthat he actauly was happy that i stoped by because somebody after classtalked to him and made him realize that although he didnt mean to hekind of went "on a chewing out rant and rave attack on me and that hewas sorry" I said that it was okay and that I could understand hisfeelings about those kind of things, I felt the same way, but I foundout that those thoughts although 100 percent right about some placesturns out not to be true about this place. I said that I hope that hecomes back into the store sometime and I will be more than happy toanswer any of his questions and show him around. I said that he doesnthave to believe me or anything and how I didnt know of a way to changethat, but I said that I hope that the fact that work there would notaffect me in this class. He said that he totally understands my worryment that he could see how I could worry about that after yesterdaysclass but that it absolutly would not affect me. That he would never dothat. I said that I assumed that I just wanted to answer any questionsthat he might have, and just make sure that there was no hard feelingsany way. SO it all worked out I guess. He realy suprised me,i realy did not think that he would ever say im sorry or anything likethat, I wasnt going to bully him into it or anything I just wanted tomake sure that he didnt have any harsh feelings towards me sinceyesterday I guess i felt like he kind of realy preyed on everything isaid and used it against me and stuff, so I was realy worried so Iguess we will see how the class goes tomorrow.