me and my dad are protesting petsmart this weekend

on suday me and my dad are protesting petsmart one time we saw a hamster eating anther and asked an employe and they said they do that some times. isn't that sad! and another time hamster only had 1 eye another hamster attacked and they did nothing have you seen the "back room" is it crazy its filld with sick and injured animals left to die it make me angry

[SnuggleHam]

I've never had the opportunity to see the back room of Petsmarts in my area. I'm pretty sure unless your an employee there you would not be permitted in the back. However I have not always been entirely happy with the animals Ive seen there, though in most cases what the public experiences is usually a happy time, with well cared for critters, but thats really only the outward facade.

My main issue with all large pet stores is about where these animals come from? Large breeders that are probably responsible for many of the rodents that are poorly bred and prone to diseases.

Its horrible what you witnessed at your local Petsmart. Did your father get in touch with the manager of that store? And what are you both doing in order to protest? whats your plan?

my dad siad he has a plan.

[SnuggleHam]

Well please keep us updated. I'm interested to know what he plans to do in order to make a statement.

[suga]

Sometimes you have to say how unhappy you are about situations that you see. I guess that is what distinguishes us from the crowd.

[Rach]

The UK version of Petsmart, Pets At Home, is nothing like that - even if they're hamsters are poor quailty they're not mistreated. I've never seen the back room though, but the one in my area is quite good. They'll only sell the hamsters at the right age. I watched the video though and I think your very brave to protest but I totally agree with your cause!

[suga]

I was in Pets at Home a couple of weeks ago getting supplies for the girls. They had a new batch of syrians in and they actually looked quite healthy, maybe a bit on the young side, but overall okay. The one near me is quite good too, staff are helpful and you have a lot of choice of products etc.

I think the main thing these places lack are knowledge.

[Rach]

I agree. It depends on the member of staff though, my first hamster from there - Nibbler - was chased into the box very gentally and seemed fine. My second - Dusty - was traumatised by it all and never got tamed because of it. My third - Summer - actually got placed into the box and she was find until I gave her a bad experience. Overall, Pets At Home isn't that much of a bad place. I've even seen wild birds fly into mine to get a piece of the action!

[Holly]

After reading the thread about Petsmart in the US I went to my local Pets At Home the other day for a nose around. I found it ok, though obviously didn't see round the back and only had contact with two members of staff. Here is my post about it from the other thread:

Originally Posted by Holly

I saw this thread yesterday (though I didn't watch the video) and, on the spur of the moment today, I went in to the Leicester branch of Pets At Home, just for nose around.

It was pretty empty, just a couple of other customers and me, so I lurked in the aisles watching and listening to the staff (I must have looked highly suspicious if they've got cameras but I don't think the staff noticed anything untoward!). The lady feeding the small animals seemed very knowledgeable - I listened as she talked to a man who was asking about hamsters - he said one of his children's hamsters had died and they were thinking about replacing it. He was pointing at the Syrian hamsters but talking about introducing a new one to a cage with several in together . The assisstant told him that Syrians can't be kept together and showed him the dwarf hammies (Campbells I think, though I'm no expert)...he recognised them (sigh of relief) but then said he thought the one that had died was being bullied - the assisstant said she certainly wouldn't recommend introducing a new one to an established colony anyway and certainly not if one of the originals had possibly been killed in there. The man then left.

I then asked her about the Syrian hamsters in the two tanks as my friend's son (mad on our hammies) has been told he's allowed to get one by his mum at the end of this week (though we are going to my lovely family owned pet shop to get him). They were awake (just been fed I think) and they all seemed very interested in me and not at all timid - the lady said they'd only come into the shop yesterday after being kept in quarantine for a month and that they seemed quite tame and very well handled compared to some of the hamsters they get - she said this not me. I watchd her (from a distance)handling the mice while she cleaned their tank and she seemed very competent and kind - she was talking soothingly to them.

I also asked about cages and the male assisstant said that lots of the cages they sell are only really suitable for dwarf hamsters - he pointed out the Ferplast Duna Fun (I think that was the name) to me as being a good size for a Syrian.

So, in conclusion, I had a fairly positive experience there - I felt that what I was being told matched what I know about hamsters and everything seemed clean and well run though the tanks were very small. Obviously I didn't see the back room and I only spoke to a couple of the staff who seemed knowledgeable enough - I can't comment on other P@H branches.

Oh and I fell in love with a beautiful and inquisitive little Golden Banded hammy ...had to tell myself firmly that we aren't having any more (yet!) and that we are going to a breeder next time - but it was very hard to walk away

I really hated what I heard about Petsmart in the US though - I'm interested to know what you are planning, Jessie.

[Rach]

I do that when I go into Pets At Home - It's how I ended up with two hamsters instead of just the one. It was a amazing - really, it was out of this world - that my Mum said yes.

Petsmart is just plaint cruel, I've seen worse than whats on the video when I had Animal Planet, thats probably how I could watch it, but its still ever so aweful and the poor animals had hardly started out life.