This is why I don't buy from pet stores

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Zyzra wrote:
I agree with Luvall. (another inside opinion from a petsmart employee) I agree that mills are horrible places, and petsmart should not be getting the animals from them. But people should be upset with the mill, not petsmart. I have worked there for years now. I am now a dog groomer, but worked in the pet care department for a period of time. And everyone that i have worked with is very knowledgeable about the animals and makes sure that the customers leave with good information and also cares a lot about the animals. We have lots of rules in place to make sure that the animals are in the healthiest conditions possible. We dont often get sick animals, and when we do they go right to the vet and are given the proper medicine and monitored multiple times a day. No birds at all died during that bird outbreak thing. And like Luvall said, stuff like that just happens. So overall i dont like it where petsmart gets their animals..but once they are in our hands we treat them well. We also do lots of good things. LIke we dont sell dogs or cats because of the overpopulation. And every weekend we have shelters come in with animals up for adoption.
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that is all true, but if we support petsmart by buying rabbits, then we are supporting the mills where they get the rabbits......
 
luvall wrote
that is all true, but if we support petsmart by buying rabbits, then we are supporting the mills where they get the rabbits......
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Agreed. Petsmart has the power to enforce tighter standards on the breeders they buy from, and it appears that they *choose* not to.
 
Well, I appologize for misinforming people - don't enter your bucks into the does' cage!

Just to tell you where I got the info on, to prove that I'm not a lier, not putting a female in a male's cage was from somebody who bred rabbits I talked to over the internet.
Me and a friend tried to breed our rabbits one time and we brought the female to the male's cage. The female didn't get pregnant. We tried it twice. When I got in contact with this person he said she didn't get pregnant cause I did it wrong.
He mentioned that the female would feel more "safe" in her own cage.
Well, I guess there's people you can trust and can't trust!

Again, I appologize. I didn't mean to start trouble.
 
BethM wrote:
luvall wrote
that is all true, but if we support petsmart by buying rabbits, then we are supporting the mills where they get the rabbits......
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Agreed. Petsmart has the power to enforce tighter standards on the breeders they buy from, and it appears that they *choose* not to.
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I guess
 
Zyzra wrote:
BethM wrote:
luvall wrote
that is all true, but if we support petsmart by buying rabbits, then we are supporting the mills where they get the rabbits......
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Agreed. Petsmart has the power to enforce tighter standards on the breeders they buy from, and it appears that they *choose* not to.
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I guess
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They have the option to inspect the breeders they purchase from, to set up standards and tell the breeders that they will not tolerate poor conditions. They have the option to find a new breeder to supply their rabbits, or to say they won't sell rabbits.
Petsmart is a huge corporation. They have the power to do this, but they don't.

I don't limit my boycotts to big corporations. There are at least two locally-owned pet stores that sell baby bunnies with little to no education to their customers, and the rescue I work with gets in a lot of bunnies that came through those pet stores. I refuse to shop at those stores, too, and I make sure no one I know shops there. They could lower their prices to next to nothing, I don't care, I will not shop there.
 
The ones near me dont sell rabbits at all. I think there are just a few stores that are trying it out.
 
They were supposed to have stopped selling rabbits, a while back. I think I remember reading on the HRS site that petsmart decided to stop selling rabbits, in December 2007. I know they were under a lot of pressure from the HRS.

I have been really upset by this thread, I had thought that Petland was the only major chain pet store still selling rabbits. Do they really still sell rabbits?
 
I just want to share that in the case of TSC (Tractor Supply)...the rabbits are from local breeders in the area. I know because I was approached about them buying rabbits from me for "rabbit season".

I must've shocked her (and myself) with the blank look on my face. I'm not used to thinking of "rabbit season" or "bunny season".

Turns out she meant from March - May...

I said I didn't believe I'd have any for her. I didn't want to take up much of her time since it was Black Friday and the store was pretty busy. Besides - she's special ordering some DuMor food for me while she still can...so I wanted to be somewhat nice.

But she did tell me that each TSC store was on its own to find breeders in the area to get rabbits - that they didn't use one nationwide or anything like that.
 
I agree about TSC- same here. Quite a few years ago, they were selling very, very young babies and had tons at a time. But more recently, they've only been keeping 3-4 in the pen around Easter time and they all look older, even nearly full grown. So I'm happy to see that. I think they're sending a better message to their customers and also learning a bit themselves about the sale of rabbits.

I don't think selling rabbits in pet stores is a bad thing, IF they are cared for and consumers are educated properly. The sad part is that you just don't tend to see that. But luckily, TSC has stepped up a bit over the years. :)
 
Thank you for that clarification, Peg.

The TSC store nearest me (there's only two in the area) sells without educating their customers about proper rabbit care. Put it in a cage, feed it pellets, what a cute bunny!
They may indeed get their bunnies from a better breeder, but since they don't educate their customers, I won't shop there.

I've seen some obviously sick chicks in their tubs, too. I know a certain amount will naturally become ill, but I would think they would be removed from the population that is out on display. (I don't mean a chick that sort of looked off, the ones I saw had obviously been ill for longer than a day.)

ETA: It seems that other TSC locations are better at their animal care than the ones near me? That is good, and I hope it spreads to the rest of the locations.

 
Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears wrote:
Happi Bun wrote:
Does Petsmart still sell Rabbit's? I thought they stopped.
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Our Petsmart closed then reopened and sells Rabbits :(
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Are you sure it was Petsmart? I have never seen rabbits for sale at a Petsmart, but PetCetera has recently closed and re-opened some store. They sold rabbits.
 
BethM wrote:
They were supposed to have stopped selling rabbits, a while back. I think I remember reading on the HRS site that petsmart decided to stop selling rabbits, in December 2007. I know they were under a lot of pressure from the HRS.

I have been really upset by this thread, I had thought that Petland was the only major chain pet store still selling rabbits. Do they really still sell rabbits?
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I heard that PetSmart had stopped too. But the last time I went to the mall with PetSmart in it they had tiny glass cages with a few buns out front.

My Petland sells all animals including Rabbits.
 
BethM wrote:
Thank you for that clarification, Peg.

The TSC store nearest me (there's only two in the area) sells without educating their customers about proper rabbit care. Put it in a cage, feed it pellets, what a cute bunny!
They may indeed get their bunnies from a better breeder, but since they don't educate their customers, I won't shop there.

I've seen some obviously sick chicks in their tubs, too. I know a certain amount will naturally become ill, but I would think they would be removed from the population that is out on display. (I don't mean a chick that sort of looked off, the ones I saw had obviously been ill for longer than a day.)

ETA: It seems that other TSC locations are better at their animal care than the ones near me? That is good, and I hope it spreads to the rest of the locations.
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I wasn't trying to imply that folks should buy from there - but thought I'd share about what I was told. Chicks and stuff are sent in by headquarters...but rabbits come local.

Last year I had a fit at the Uvalde store.....a big tub full of babies of all sorts of varieties - some small - some big - and I'm sure they didn't know all the breeds (I saw lionheads and lops in with Californians for example).

So I understand what you're saying - which is why I would not agree to sell to them....

But I am glad that at least they get them from local breeders. The ones I saw last year were all healthy and none appeared ill.

But that doesn't mean I'll sell to them....
 
TinysMom wrote:
I just want to share that in the case of TSC (Tractor Supply)...the rabbits are from local breeders in the area.
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That is the way it is in all pet shops here. I've been approached several times when I buy large bags of rabbit pellets do I breed and would I be interested in selling them rabbits. There are no big rabbit mills, they usually come from people with a handful of rabbits who breed for fun.
 
The petsmarts in our area I've never seen them with rabbits.
I remeber some years ago they once had a sale of adult red ear sliders, but then they stopped selling them, saying because of the salmonella issue - but that "issue" had been going on for decades - why would they sell them in the first place if they already knew of the possible salmonella case that has stopped most pet shops from selling them for over 30 years?
 
I just want to point something out here, if nothing else, just to put a different perspective on things.

Walmart sells vacuum cleaners. Do they educate their customers on how to use them? Is there any reason they should have to, or is it the consumer's responsibility?

Ford sells cars, one of the most dangerous machines out their for casual use, nearly everyone has one! But does Ford teach you how to drive?

I understand that a store should get their stock, whatever it may be, from reputable distributors. You wouldn't want to be selling a dysfunctional vacuum, a car without breaks, or a sick animal. But why is it also their job to educate the consumer? Your main argument may be that "well, this is a LIFE, not a material object". But what if those objects, like cars or trucks, can TAKE lives?

Just something to think about, since the comments in these posts are turning into the store educating their customers. ;)
 
Silly arguement.

People have to have a driver's license to drive a car. If they are in an accident and hurt someone else, there will be penalties against them. Some states are now prosecuting (and convict) people who kill someone while drunk driving as first degree murder, which I fully support. Those are state laws.

I can't think of how you could kill someone with a vacuum cleaner? If a vacuum cleaner is unsafe, the companies are liable for that. If it's user error, probably no one will get hurt. Walmart does not have an obligation to teach it's customers how to use a vacuum. It's just a machine. They do have a responsibility to remove dangerous/defective items from their shelves. They only do a so-so job at that some times, I believe there are still childrens' toys and such with lead paint on their shelves, but a lot of thoseWERE recalled.

However, even states withtougher animal cruelty laws often neglect to do proper investigations, or to prosecute. Your neighbor gets his kid a cute baby bunny for $10 at Easter, it dies a week later, pretty much no one cares, even if the death is a direct consequence of something that neighbor or their kid did to it. Or they do care, but they don't do or even say anything about it.

I believe any store/breeder/individual selling living creatures has a responsibility to at least offer education on how to keep that living creature alive, healthy, and happy.

I've seen too many sick, neglected, injured bunnies come into the rescue I work with to ever think of equating a rabbit with a machine such as a vacuum cleaner. If my vacuum had a broken part, I would throw it away and get a new one. This is not how a living creature should be treated.
 
BethM wrote:
I believe any store/breeder/individual selling living creatures has a responsibility to at least offer education on how to keep that living creature alive, healthy, and happy.

I agree with you wholeheartedly on this Beth. As a breeder - I give an information packet with my animals AND my phone number for follow up questions and care (although I am not a vet and I do recommend that people see vets).

In addition - I've taken back animals if people could not keep them any longer. I know not all breeders can do this - I just always made sure I'd have an empty cage if needed (or been willing to go out and buy a cage - I bred that animal - I considered myself responsible for it - to a point)

 I've seen too many sick, neglected, injured bunnies come into the rescue I work with to ever think of equating a rabbit with a machine such as a vacuum cleaner. If my vacuum had a broken part, I would throw it away and get a new one. This is not how a living creature should be treated.

Something that is not being considered in this discussion is that vacuum cleaners and automobiles come with manuals - as do most of the items we get nowadays - like cell phones and even toasters.

Animals however do not come with a manual attached which is why the breeder/store should be held responsible for EDUCATING the consumer on what they are getting into, etc.
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I don't mean amusing in a sick way so don't take my comments as being such...


But I always find it amusing how everyone can bash a backyard breeder, in EVERY aspect of the animal world, rabbits, dogs, horses bla bla bla...

But do you realize or have any idea how cruel even top quality breeders are?

You guys do realize that a lot of top breeders will wean out 'useless' babies. They do toss out baby rabbits they don't feel they're going to help the breed. Just newborns tossed out to die.

People with top quality show horses, they have their show mares they'll foal, and they take the baby away and put it on a brood mare....taking the brood mares foal away to whatever will take it. I know this for a fact. A very close friend runs an animal rescue, she gets slammed with foals from kentucky.. she gets dogs from top quality breeders, that yeah they look nice in their photos but the dogs are ruined.


It irks me everytime people point fingers at 'backyard breeder's liket they're the only ones who possibly don't know what they're doing. In a way how i used to raise rabbits I'll fit into that category. I was raised on a farm where everything had to earn its keep. I sold numerous baby bunnies, not knowing what would happen to them, but thats happens no matter what. But my animals were ALWAYS healthy, i NEVER had health problems. We've always raised poms, they're not show quality and it was a hobby of my moms. She had a pair and sold the puppies when we had litters.

A lot of you just make it sound like only top quality places are 'top quality' when you have NO idea... that in the end they can be crueler. You see the crap people put online. But do you go visit locals that get by?

I disagree with puppymills because ugh, the disgusting situations there...but not every back yard breeder is bad, jsut like not every one of your top abra breeders are nice.



Getting info on an animal: its not the responsibility of the breeder to educate. If you're interested in an animal its your job to educate yourself before you get it. I raise reptiles, and I can't say enough how annoyed I am to go to a show and hear people go OMG ITS SOO CUTE! and buy it, and have NO clue what they need prepared. Yeah you can call and talk to someone before you get an animal, but showing up to buy it and then asking what it needs... DUMB.

 
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