Don't go to Pets at home/Petsmart!!

[Jo]

now I know that I have mentioned this before, but I feel the need to have a rant, so bear with me for a minute....

Just been to Petsmart to get some new food for my fish.

I can never resist having a browse round the tanks...I was REALLY shocked about what I saw..there are two walls FULL of really unhappy looking fish!

In my opinion, fish should be lively creatures, that are interested in each other and whats in their tank...I can honestly say that I didn't see a lively one in there, they ALL have faded colours and many of the tanks had dead fish in them....They had some really beautiful looking goldfish, but they had about 10 fancy goldfish (of not insignificant size) in a tank that (in my estimation) was about 15/20 Gallons, they all had raggedy fins and their colours were all dull...

They also had a "mixed" tank which didn't seem to follow any rules at all...they seemed to be mixing some strange fish together and had sholing fish in tanks on their own..

I have honestly NEVER seen such miserable fishs in my life...!

I REALLY wanted to buy them all and give them a better life, but unfortunately I don't have the tank space and I'm sure that they're all diseased and will kill all my other fish off...

They had a breeding net (a small one) with 4 mollies in it....I mean WHAT...?!

I didn't think that a fish could look like it was frowning, but these all were...all I can hope is that someone buys them and gives them a better life! (

Sorry to rant, but I dont know what to DO to make them have a better life!

 

[brookie]

some times they are not that bad but i got two guppys there and the male died from some strange disease and we returned it and got another one then the replacement male died too like 1 out of 4 times they have someone there that can actually hepl me

 

[Jo]

yeah....sorry, perhaps the one near you is better, but I was just upset by it )

 

[BlackWolf0503]

Only reason I go is for supplies. Their prices cannot be beat, but I feel the same way you do. Last time I was their the just got in a Group Cory's. They were to be sold for $3.59 each. They were 1/2 an inch long at the most. The Tiger barbs were silver & black striped, no orange. They had dead fish in just about every tank. If it wasn't that it's two blocks from the house & their prices I would never go there. I starting to think that it's not worth it. They are hiring in the Fish Dept & Thinking that I'll work there just to improve the conditions.

 

[KnuckleHead]

I applied there once for a part time job to supplement my full time one. With all my years of fish keeping and breeding they turned me down. Im even considered self employed since I have a license to sell my fish wholesale. They in turned hired what looked to me a 17 year old. Nothing against tennagers at all but I just didnt understand it. They get someone with years of exp looking for a side job and they turn him down to bring in someone with very limited exp. Go figure.

 

[MAM]

in defense of my local petsmart, yes, they quite often have a number of dead fish (mainly those 49 cent goldfish, but they die so easily anyway), but they never seem to be overstocked or have weird combos, and i have yet to see single schooling fish. they actually have two or three people who do know what they are talking about and will openly tell you what you need to know and i've always heard them asking about current tank size and other fish already in it. now, they don't really have the best selection most of the time, and don't carry more rare varieties, but they also don't carry salt water fish because they know these fish require more care than what the people they employ can handle (they openly admitted this to someone looking for nemo) and will suggest other lfs to try for fish like that. plus, their prices on hardware and supplies are great. but i do know that these chain pet stores can vary greatly depending on individual management. some stores are better than others, some do actually care about animals (though yes, some just care about taking your money......).
jsut my two cents worth.

 

[sandyd]

I actually have a good petsmart by me, the people there in the fish department actually know what they are talking about, and will find out as much about your tank and fish before selling you any others to put in. Now if we were talking about my local Walmart, i would be screaming. I complain to management every time i go there, and it seems to clean up for a bit, but then right back to where it was. Every time i go there, i find floating bettas in their cups, as well as them put together in the same cup. I sepaerate them, and report it, but every time i got there it starts again. I have explained to management that if people keep looking into those tanks and seeing all of the dead and sick fish, people are going to stop shopping there for fish. He shows his concern, but never does anything. Sorry i could go on and on about that store.
Sandy

 

[Jo]

hmm, sorry if I have offended someone, that wasn't my intention... )

sounds like the petsmart in America have got their stuff sorted out more, they could probably teach the british ones a thing or two...

I think that it's terrible that they turned you down for a job knuckle head, whats the use of having someone with no experience when they can have someone with lots?

Sounds like your local walmart is as bad as my local pets at home sandyd!

 

[Phase2]

I sent this email to Pets at Home
I visited your Kettering store on Wednesday the 1st October and, being keen keeper of tropical fish, I was disturbed to see several tanks with dead fish floating and all the tanks looking in a shabby and run down state. Many other fish where obviously stressed and distress, so I pointed this out to the staff. From their reaction they knew that they had a problem but seemed lethargic in what they were doing to resolve this. Simply by removing the dead fish isn't good enough and may I suggest that if your staff are not capable of keeping fish in a proper and correct manner that you consider removing the tanks from this shop until such time as you have someone who can.

and got this reply

I'm sorry to hear you found our fish tanks not to be up to standard on your visit. As you visited on Wednesday, I can only assume it was after our delivery. Every Wednesday we have our delivery of new fish into store, where they are subsequently climatised and released into the tanks and left to rest for 24 hours with the lights off. On occasions some of the fish are stressed from the journey and change in environment, so appear lethargic and may die. We have set routines in our stores where upon the tanks are checked hourly and daily cleaning and water tests done to ensure the fish are being kept at their best. All our staff are trained in how to maintain the system we have, and basic knowledge of fish keeping. Some are more experience through training and interest in the subject. I hope you will visit us again, and I will be happy to answer any more questions you may have. Lisa Walker Deputy Manager.

If you find a bad shop then let them know.....if they do nothing report them to the RSPCA and get them closed.....
read on Lisa Walker & Sophie Bonham (Pets at Home)
c/o SBonham@petsathome.co.uk

 

[Aqua_Princess64]

Big pet stores that don't specialize in fish like Petsmart and Petco don't really know much about about fish. I do occaisonally get a fish from there, though, when it looks healthy and when that shipment has been there a long time and had time to acquire a disease.

 

[aberdeen aquarist]

i understand that many people use these pet supermarkets as they are cheaper than your local lfs (some of them are your nearest fish supplier), but the advice that they (in my experience) give out in your lfs is worth paying the (usually little) difference in price.
i personally would never use anyone but one or two trusted lfs's cos if we don't support them, we lose them. i have lost count of the number of people who have opened shops locally only to have them close a few months later due to lack of business (and we don't even have a petsmart etc. in the region).

oops......................i think i used too many brackets


at the end of the day it all comes down to personal experience with lfs's and pet supermarkets, there are good and bad examples of both to be found.

 

[gi4get]

Phase2-

you should do a follow up and go back on a day other than wednesday (remove their excuse), see what the tanks look like, and then write them back. i wonder what they'll say then.

Fishy Breeder-

after wandering through the petsmart and seeing fish in such poor conditions i'm guessing, in your anger, you stormed over to the register and bought the fish food. you commented that you wanted to buy all the sickly looking fishes and "save them" from the store but didn't because you lacked the tank space. the absolute best thing to do in a sad situation like this is not to "save" the fish, but chew out the manager for negligence and then walk out of the store and not support them until they clean up their act. as a customer, you have more power than you realize and it all comes from your billfold (or purse). i think it's great that your speaking here...it's a good place to spread ideas. keep it up.

ps-when reaming out the manager, nastiness is not necessary. just keep a level head and stick with logic and knowledge as your main weapons.

 

[guppymonkey]

I usually go to the local petsmart in my area because it is cheaper and better than most of the local pet stores. Most pet stores only have fish as a side. They make most of their money from supplies and the animals (fish, dogs, rodents) are there to draw people into the store. Most stores don't care that much about their fish because they are usually relatively cheap so they won't lose as much money as they would if someone stole supplies from the store.

The reason most stores don't hire people that know what they are doing about fish is because informed people usually want more money. If you have two employees doing the same job (selling fish) and one knows a lot more than the other. The more knowledgable employee will want more money for doing a better job than the person who doesn't know anything. Thats why they hire kids that don't know anything about fish.

My petsmart usually isn't that bad. They sometimes have people that know what they are doing and the tanks usually look pretty good. They even quaratined a tank when i showed them that they had an ick outbreak (which is astounding because most of the time lfs employees ignore whatever people say). I am kinda ticked out because they gave me a deformed neon that ended up dying but since I didn't notice til I got home I guess I can only blame myself.

 

[Fishy_Fish74]

all the petsmarts i've gone to have very healthy fish so i'm suprised to hear all

this...I usualy buy my fish from a small store 2 but they have worse fish then

petsmart...and I have gotten deformed neons 2 and they all dies a day later

We dont have a petsmart where i live but when i travel i usulay stop by at all the

pet shops i see! but I have found a very good shop in florida that has

the most colourful fish i have seen and lots of marine fish...and their bettas were

so healthy and they actualy gave each betta something a little bigger then a cup

so they have more swimming space.



fishy

 

[Feline]

If you find a bad shop then let them know.....if they do nothing report them to the RSPCA and get them closed.....

There's a program called "UK Worst Petshop" by BBC on tv some time ago.
They said RSPCA didn't even have the "power" to go in petshops for a check if someone's reporting cruelty in it?!?! i.e. Shopkeepers can refuse RSPCA officers to go in their shops!

So let's face the fact. I'm sorry to tell that I'm not sure what condition in the petshop has to be if RSPCA would consider it to be "bad" as to get them closed down... I don't think they will bother unless they see real animal cruelty (in that it would be hard to define).

On 14 Nov 2001, we hit a dog at midnight on a main road. Called RSPCA for emergency, since the animal hospital is not far away, they said they'd come in 10 minutes. We waited for 1/2 hour, n even patrolling police stopped and some neighboors in that area helped us calling them again n again. All of us waited for another 1 1/2 hours but the RSPCA ambulance never came n the dog died in front of all of us

Now I've got NO reason to trust RSPCA again ...