PetSmart

[BlackWolf0503]

I'm gonna see if I can get a Part-Time Job at PetSmart. Try to Improve conditions. I'll let you guys know what happens.

 

[Inchworm]

Good luck to you, BlackWolf0503!

The pet industry really needs people who care about animals and fish to work in the stores to help maintain some kind of quality of life for the pets until they are sold to permanent homes.

 

[Eelzor]

Yes, too right inchworm. I'm thinking to go to the store that held the crowded discus and elephant noses and get a job there. Give it a spit shine or two.

 

[guppymonkey]

A lot of stores that I have been too are very willing to hire people that know what they are doing. But they are unwilling to change their conditions. Crowding in tanks is going to happen because they are not willing to put the money into tanks that would be needed because of the cost. If it involves more money than they won't change anything. Its a business and like any business they are into saving money, which they do by stuffing the tanks. To convince them to make changes requires proving to them that it can save them money.

I hope that you can make a difference in the pet store that you work at. Too many pet store employees don't know anything about the animals that they work with. One employee at my local PetsMart grabbed a fish by its tail when I was buying my corys! I went directly to the manager and told him and got the kid fired.

 

[KnuckleHead]

I truly hope you get the position Blackwolf. I tried to do the same thing at a Petsmart near me. Just a few evening hours during the week is all I wanted. I was turned down. They ended up hiring a young man in his late teens. No offense to teenagers of course but my years in experience with fish prolly matched his age. They told me I didnt have ANY documented experience working with animals. Can you believe that??? I own Pa Aquatics!!!!! I have been breeding and raising fish for over 10 years. Also aside from keeping many small animals dogs, cats, birds and hamsters. I own 2 horses and board 3 more!!!!! No experience my butt!!! Im guessing they thought I would demand a higher pay rate and went with the youngster. I wasnt there for the pay. I wanted to work there for the sheer enjoyment of it. I also just wanted to make sure perspective customers get the same enjoyment that this hobby brings to all of us.

 

[Inchworm]

I own Pa Aquatics!!!!! I have been breeding and raising fish for over 10 years. Also aside from keeping many small animals dogs, cats, birds and hamsters. I own 2 horses and board 3 more!!!!! No experience my butt!!! Im guessing they thought I would demand a higher pay rate and went with the youngster. I wasnt there for the pay. I wanted to work there for the sheer enjoyment of it. I also just wanted to make sure perspective customers get the same enjoyment that this hobby brings to all of us.

It may not have been the pay, KnuckleHead. It may have been that they didn't want to hire someone who knew right from wrong when it comes to fish and other pets. You would have caused them too much trouble! So they went with the kid who didn't know any better and could be more easily managed.

Ugh! The more I learn and think about these corporate pet shops the more disgusted I get!!!!!!

 

[KnuckleHead]

Thats a very good point.

 

[BlackWolf0503]

Then I guess I won't get it either. But I gotta try. Atleast just to have clean tank with no dead fish floating or other fish eating other dead ones. I just can't stand it. I told the guy about the dead ones & he said "Yea I'll get to it" COME ON MAN. Thats when I went & asked the "manager" for an application.

 

[BlackWolf0503]

**UPDATE**



Now I now why the tanks in Petsmart are the way they are. I went in for my interview, 45 minutes later I left with a wealth of knowledge I wasn't sure I wanted. On to the reason they are so bad. I wanted to work in the Fish Dept. well the don't have a fish dept. they have what they call "speacialty" I would have to work with Mice, Rats, Hampsters, Lizards, Birds & FISH. I didn't get much detail. I would stock shelves, Face, & handle Customers in all of those areas. It's no wonder that the tanks suffer. They pull dead, feed, siphon, & algae clean only twice a day. I would have thought it would have been an all day proceedure-as you walk by-see a dead fish--pull it--. They They had two people running these depts. Needless to say I returned the application.

 

[Inchworm]

I'm not sure I know how to respond to your post, Blackwolf. I have such mixed feelings about it.

On one hand, I'm kind of glad you didn't go to work there. You would not have enjoyed it with those policies. But on the other, it seems that the poor animals just don't stand a chance. for the same reason.

At least now we have a better idea how these stores work. Thank you for that.

I just wish that caring people would not support these stores.

 

[Auratus]

I dont get it. The petsmart in my area is really clean. I have never seen a dead fish. I have in local fish stores but not in petsmart. And they are actually very educated. They people at petco on the other hand.... idiots. That's all I have to say.

 

[BlackWolf0503]

I'm not sure I know how to respond to your post, Blackwolf. I have such mixed feelings about it.

On one hand, I'm kind of glad you didn't go to work there. You would not have enjoyed it with those policies. But on the other, it seems that the poor animals just don't stand a chance. for the same reason.

At least now we have a better idea how these stores work. Thank you for that.

I just wish that caring people would not support these stores.

Thank you for understanding. I felt the exact same way. I came home feeling bad that I could help the situation not that bad that I didn't get the job. I feel bad for all the animals in their that are not being looked after properly. They also showed me their containment area wear the kept the quartined birds & small animals. I don't know wheather I should support these stores--more money = more people to staff the store = better care for all or to not support based on what I've seen. I think that the PetSmart/Petco chains are big enough & more importantly rich enough that my vote(going thier or not) won't really matter. & i think that this will continue & that is the truly sad thing about it.

 

[Cali]

They people at petco on the other hand.... idiots.

I cannot agree more! Petco is much worse than PetsMart, but that's really not saying a whole lot because some of our PetsMart folks are not informed....

 

[snotirl]

What is petsmart like because we dont have it here in ireland Is it just a big pet shop ??

 

[chaotica2010]

Here in Mesa Az we have a store called Pets Inc. It is mostly a fish store with some reptiles thrown in. There fish are very well maintained in large tanks they have at least 8 rows of tanks with all kinds of different breeds. It is where I picked up my two Dojo Loaches . They have people working there that are actually knowledgeable about fish not justy retail, most of them i talked too had more than 1 tank and have always answered my questions no matter how daft. There prices on tanks can't be beat, and they are very freindly. Not to mention it is the only place locally I can find more than just mutt Bettas ( they have some nice Crown tails

To answer the quetion on Pets Mart it is a big chain here in the states that has everything for pets but no one is really a "specialist and their prices are pretty spendy for the quality. Not as bad as Wal Mart (see my post on them) but the fish aren't well kept.

Too bad it is so hard for a really nice LFS to compete when they are being under priced by an inferior product.


Good luck in the job search

Rick 8)