What I saw made me sad...

[Lola13]

So, I want to start off by saying that before I ever got my little guy zentor, I had no idea what it took for proper care of a rabbit. I was one of thoes people who'd go to the mall and look at the buns and just say "aww, how cute". Of course not knowing how sick thoes buns really were and how fragile their lifes can be.

I went to the mall yesterday with my boyfriend and we stopped off at the pet store. They have 4 buns there that are "free with purhase of cage". they are all pretty small, they looked young, but this one bun in particular looked very sick (goopy eyes, crumpled whiskers, ect.). I know he doesnt have much time and it makes me so sad to see. I don't think that stores should all together stop selling animals, but if they do they should really take the extra time to make sure that they at least have proper neutrition. These buns are fed only pellets, but the bowl isnt clean and has their bedding in it. They dont have any hay at all, no veggiesand i dont remeber seeing any water (but i may not have been paying attention to that). There was another baby bun in the cage that has very long hair, and all i was thinking about was the fact that its probally going to get a hairball and die because of it. something like that is easily prevented with hay, and they cant even supply the buns with that. ugh, i wish i had more money and space, or i wish that the pet stores can just take better care of their animals.....sorry for the rant, i just dont understand people sometimes and i wish there was something i could do.

 

[Pipp]

Please write letters to the pet store manager, the owners, the SPCA, Humane Society and post a note on Craigslist. These places HAVE to know they're going to be held accountable for the care of their pets.

Also print up information sheets about rabbit care and take multiple copies into the store. Even if the purchasers don't see it, the staff will.

I think Tinysmom is working on an info sheet and there may also be one in our Library. Others exist at the House Rabbit Society website and other places. Hopefully somebody can pull them together.

Thanks for caring.


sas :clover:

 

[Amy27]

I agree with Sas.

There have been times I have been in a pet store and saw a rabbit that looked sick. I ask for the manager and question what is going on with the rabbit, when it has been seen by a vet. Then I call to follow up. I am not sure it helps much. But I like the pet stores to know there are knowledgable owners who are upset that they have sick rabbits in their pet stores.

 

[Cabrissi]

If you see this sort of thing, the first thing to do is to approach the manager and politely direct their attention to the problem. You don't need to be rude or confrontational but factually point out what you have observed and why it is a problem, then suggest solutions - sick bunnies need to see a vet who is savy in treating bunnies, a diet of pellets is insufficient and they need to provide appropriate hay and fresh foods, lack of water needs more bowls or waterbottles, unsanitary food bowls need to be cleaned more frequently or placed in an area they won't get soiled, animals who are stressed should have boxes or other shelters to retreat to etc

They are responsible not only morally but legally for ensuring their animals are cared for and their employees properly educated and doing their jobs. While the animals are in their store they have a duty of care toward them which means by law they are required to see to the animals care by giving it appropriate food, clean drink, adequate shelter and provision of medical care should it be necessary. Failure to do so constitutes neglect and if not addressed should be reported. Poor education and lack of awareness can be fixed with a polite word, deliberate neglect otoh just makes me ssd:

And who knows if you offer to put them in contact with a rescue or the house rabbit society or such, maybe they will not only educate themselves but choose to have 'adoption days' with rescued buns instead of selling baby bunnies. A couple petstores around here have opted to change to this because of public pressure and the number of people who have made it clear they will not buy supplies at stores where live animals are sold.

 

[Lola13]

This place also sells young kittens, puppies, turtles, frogs, birds ect. its one of thoes places that seems like the animals comes from mills, even though they have signs all over the place that say they dont. The people that work there dont really seem educated, and there is always a different person working when i come in. next time i go in i will try to tell the person working that the buns need some hay at the least. thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[digitalsushi]

oh that makes me mad. we have a chain of pet stores (not naming any names) in sydneywhich are horrible. all their rabbitsare inthese tiny little cagesthat are aredirty. i had to point out a bunny that had a runs once while in there buyinga hutch.poor guy was just covered in poop and they just didn't care enough to clean him- i just wish i could take them all and give them a good life - it justbreaks my heart.

:tears2:

 

[Pipp]

digitalsushi wrote:

oh that makes me mad. we have a chain of pet stores (not naming any names) in sydneywhich are horrible.

Hey, name names. People can boycott them. Hit them in the wallet and tell them why.


sas

 

[Violet23]

PJ's Pets in edmonton, every time i go in there i take a look at the rabbits, they always look so sad. of course im always drawn to the ones housed by themselves. They dont get any hay that i can see, but they get a shelter, and i never see them being very active. poor babies

 

[Lola13]

I just looked up what the place is called. its "california pets" in carlsbad/oceanside. i guess they also have a location in escondido. I worked with a girl that told me she bought a puppy for the carlsbad location and that it was sick and died in 2 weeks after she got it. stories like this are so sad.

 

[Lola13]

one note i should make is that the other location is also in a mall, and i have been in there before. but it was much much cleaner and nicer then the carlsbad location. just as an fyi.