What have you got against Pet Shops?

[Bryony]

Originally Posted by da_donkey

it makes it to easy to buy an animal on a whim.

I agree. If they were to have display animals and you had to put your name down to contact a breeder...and maybe a lesson on how to keep said animal........that could possibly reduce the impulse buying and bad pet ownership.

I am only generalizing about pet shops because when i was a vet nurse 9 times out of 10 the dogs that came to us with parvo, heartworm, heart murmers, mits, ringworm etc... were all from pet shops. Same goes for cats, rabbits etc...

We had one family where the ringworm spread to their youngest child and caused severe illness...

There is just too many pet shops out there that act like a pet supermarket...just fill up your trolley and go IMO there should be strict licensing and training if any pet shop is to keep animals...

Originally Posted by mysnakesau

So my pet store has a very loving atmosphere. My husband wanted to be in his own business, I opened the store for the love of the animals.

See your pet shop sounds fantastic i would give it the thumbs up

[Bryony]

Originally Posted by Miss B

I also can't believe that people would pay $700 for a (as an example here) maltese x poodle puppy. Um, hello, it's a mongrel! You could buy a pedigree dog with papers for $700! And if you really want a fluffy wuffy cutesy little crossbred, pick one up out of the weekend paper for about $100.

Why pay money for a mutt from a pet shop when you could easily adopt from the many animal shelters - those dogs come with vet check, desex and vacs.

Alot of pet shop dogs that are pure bred...have genetic abnormalities...(eg breeder throw backs)

Maltese - shunts (heart condition)
Dalmatians - deaf
Shar peis- ingrown eyelashes
German shepherds - Hip dysplasia

Just to name a few....
(appologise now for any dog breeders and pet shops that do not do this)

[ari]

Well as a guide $9.95 for a small tub of medium crixs & calcium powder thats normally $14.00, going there for $29.00 - problem is that they cut of their nose sometimes to spite the face - sell at a decent & realistic price and many people will shop with them again.

Please note this is not based on all Pet Shops only the ones I know.

[mysnakesau]

Originally Posted by Bryony

I......and maybe a lesson on how to keep said animal........that could possibly reduce the impulse buying and bad pet ownership.

That might be easy if the lessons were available in the first place. I had to go to Brisbane to do my husbandry course because there's nothing at TAFE. The only ones I could find that were advertising Reptile courses were in the RA magazine - i did mine with Snakehandler. NSW license laws are too harsh so they can't come to NSW. My pet shop isn't the biggest or fanciest around but we strive for healthy and happy pets. I must admit there are times when I'm on my own I do fall behind with duties but I've had 2 surprise visits from the RSPCA and they have been more than happy with how I look after my pets

I've heard (unsure of accuracy) that reptiles in NSW shops is in the near future but shops would be expected to undergo TAFE courses before being able to get the license. I just hope they make these courses widely available, if it were true I've got my name down already.

[mysnakesau]

"Why by a mutt from a pet shop when you can adopt one from a shelter" because these puppies deserve a home, too. They are suppose to be microchipped and vacinated which mine get as soon as they arrive to protect them & I use top brand worming so that my puppies are healthy. If pet stores aren't following this standard practice they should be reported.

Speaking of dogs in shelters, where do you think a lot of those dogs come from? Yes many are unwanted pets but have you ever asked a pet store owner what they do with the ones they can't sell? Luckily I haven't crossed that bridge yet but I don't overstock which is so much easier to manage. So far I haven't had any trouble finding homes for my puppies.

[Bryony]

Originally Posted by mysnakesau

That might be easy if the lessons were available in the first place. I had to go to Brisbane to do my husbandry course because there's nothing at TAFE. The only ones I could find that were advertising Reptile courses were in the RA magazine - i did mine with Snakehandler.

There are plenty of TAFE courses that people can do
These are pretty good - the first one would be a great start for anyone and they are adding or have added a reptile section.

http://www.tafensw.edu.au/howex/serv...&CourseNo=1040
http://www.tafensw.edu.au/howex/serv...&CourseNo=1090
http://www.tafensw.edu.au/howex/serv...tCode=RUV2103A

Also -
Many places insist on doing an animal related course before they are aloud to even touch an animal
Many institutions that have their own 'in house' course and test at the end.
Employers that have a knowledge test before an interview is even commenced.
Companies that run small courses throughout the year to keep people up to date with new treatments and products (all promo but some good knowledge)

We could implement this into the pet shop world and turn its bad name into a good one

[nickamon]

Originally Posted by mysnakesau

Speaking of dogs in shelters, where do you think a lot of those dogs come from?

I'm sure that adopt/rescue advocates like me are pretty clear on where a lot of shelter dogs come from, and recognise the need to provide loving homes for them. Maybe if dogs weren't bred as indiscriminately as they are, we wouldn't have an overpopulation problem, but silly me, I'm daring to dream.

Incidentally, where do you get the puppies you sell in your shop?

[Bryony]

Originally Posted by mysnakesau

Speaking of dogs in shelters, where do you think a lot of those dogs come from? Yes many are unwanted pets but have you ever asked a pet store owner what they do with the ones they can't sell?

I do understand this.....but a $700 price tag for a mutt in a petshop? Its the revenue raising i have a problem with and also the pures that are breeder throw backs.
I am not saying you do this but alot do....all my rescue dogs in the past i have spent quality time with before bringing home to make sure i get a dog suited to me and my family i also have had to sign papers and all sorts of stuff before they will even let me walk out with an animal....

Thats how it should be - research - prepare - adopt - commit
We could even chuck on a few extra steps

[mysnakesau]

Nickomon I buy my puppies mainly from backyard breeders - I may not agree with backyard breeders but its not the puppies fault. 9 times out of 10 the puppies I have bought show signs of mis-management by their breeders, riddled with fleas, most likely not wormed at all. I pay for all the microchipping and vaccinations & worm them out with good brand. I use capstar which is an excellent flea killer. So really, providing the pet stores are looking after them then I think the puppies are better off than being dumped or sold from someone's car boot.

i agree $700 is too rich from a mutt. $400 is the most I've ever sold puppies for but this was suppose to cover their first 2 needles but we found ppl just weren't coming back for that second vax so. But $250-$300 is my usual price for them. I too have come across pet stores or shouldn't have animals so I do understand why you feel the way you do. I bought sick rabbits once just for the hell of being able to take them home and care for them.

[Sdaji]

Originally Posted by jimbo

Its the bad ones that ruin it for the good ones..simple as that. I would rather there be no reptiles in pet shops Australia wide, so there would none kept poorly.
As herptrader said, in some cases the people who work at the pet shops no nothing about reptiles and they give false info etc.

Yes, it's a shame that the 2% who are trying to do the right thing look bad because the 98% who are simply in it for the money ruin the image for everyone!

Sadly, even with the absolute best of intentions (and pet shop owners in that category are very few and far between), there are many problems which simply can not be avoided in a pet shop situation.

-Quarantine - this is an absolute nightmare! The shop doesn't hold the animals for long enough to quarantine the animals, the animals come in from a range of sources, are exposed to each other and then sent out to new homes!
-Added stress because of the extra move
-Added stress because of the inappropriate housing (in the vast majority of cases, the set up is not appropriate for the animal, but even when it is, there are kids poking at the glass, shop disturbances, etc etc)
-The link between breeder and pet owner is gone, along with the posession of knowledge of history of the line.
-Added costs to the consumer. Yes, to make a profit, shops need to slap high prices on their animals because of their overheads, but once you take an animal home, but the fact that the shop owner needs to pay rent, staff fees, advertising, etc etc doesn't help the customer. Mites and poor advice aren't worth the extra money.

...these are just a few of the inescapable problems which pet shops face, no matter how good the owners' intentions are.

If you then consider that the vast majority of pet shop owners are primary or exclusively in it for the money, it's hardly surprising that they take advantage of the increased ease with which they can poach, encourage impulse buying, neglect animals and treat them like merchandise (hey, snakes and lizards are low maintenance, right?), offload substandard animals on to the unsuspecting and naive community of new keepers, deliberately neglect animals in order to obtain 'sympathy sales' (animals in poor condition often sell better than healthy ones when on display, because people want to save them - saving a neglected animal financially supports and encourages animal neglect! NEVER pay good money for a sick or neglected animal from a pet shop, or anyone who is into animals for financial reasons, because you're making the situation much worse for other animals)

Yes, many of these points have already been raised, but I think it is important to understand that so many of these problems are completely and utterly unavoidable for shops, and because of what people are, they will take advantage of any opportunity to make money, even if it is at the expense of animals. Yes, private individuals do some of these things too, but commercial licenses and systems make it so much easier for people to poach and sell bad animals, etc etc. Allowing people to run shops will (and already does) massively increase the incidence of these problems.

[Mystery]

I have a petshop - I don't sell puppies or kittens. I ask ppl to go to the RSPCA instead. I did sell puppies when I first started and I was totally disgusted at the conditions some of these puppies came in from the "puppy farmers". It cost me a small fortune in vet bills - I ended up keeping one puppy and gave the rest to loving homes. I had a kitten dumped here a few weeks ago - a lady wanted it, I told her she could only have it if she brought me back a cert from the vet saying it was to be vacc desexed etc. Which she did. I refuse to sell feeder rats & mice and have lost a lot of customers for this. I reptiles at home - I did my course at tafe before I put reptiles in the shop - I must admit, this didn't teach me a lot - that is why I joined this forum, I have learnt sooo much from ppl it here it has been great. I would never sell a rep without the right info on lighting etc. What really gets to me are the ppl that go out and catch Beardies etc and then don't look after them. I nearly lost my licence the other week when the ranger paid a visit - I had a little Beardie that a lady had brought into me TO DIE! It was fitting something horrible - it had had no UV no head was on dirt. I gave it my best shot and saved the little guy! He is doing wonderfully. The ranger asked if it was wild caught or captive bred - I told him the story, I haven't seen the lady since she dumped it on me. Thankfully he said if she does not contact me he will sign it over to me. That means another adoptee for me - believe me I have heaps of them, but they make my life joyful - I wouldn't be without them. I am very passionate about every living animal. My dream when I was a child was to one day open a Pet store. Hey, I don't even take a wage - my partner supports me.
Finished now.

[Wrasse]

Originally Posted by mysnakesau

Nickomon I buy my puppies mainly from backyard breeders - I may not agree with backyard breeders but its not the puppies fault. 9 times out of 10 the puppies I have bought show signs of mis-management by their breeders, riddled with fleas, most likely not wormed at all. I pay for all the microchipping and vaccinations & worm them out with good brand. I use capstar which is an excellent flea killer. So really, providing the pet stores are looking after them then I think the puppies are better off than being dumped or sold from someone's car boot.

i agree $700 is too rich from a mutt. $400 is the most I've ever sold puppies for but this was suppose to cover their first 2 needles but we found ppl just weren't coming back for that second vax so. But $250-$300 is my usual price for them. I too have come across pet stores or shouldn't have animals so I do understand why you feel the way you do. I bought sick rabbits once just for the hell of being able to take them home and care for them.

As long as there is a market for these animals, backyard breeders will breed and sell them for the $$'s only. Keep buying, they will keep breeding. You are going to have a snowballing problem on your hands here.

[Pierced Soul]

Originally Posted by nickamon

What really annoys me are the pet shops that sell the "-doodle" mutts and don't mind charging $1000 for one. It's a mutt.

If you want to spend up big on a dog, buy from a professional breeder. If you want a mutt, apply to your local rescue or pound, and give a needy dog a home for the fraction of the price of a doodle-poodle.

yeah the doodle things are a rip, cant believe people actively seek them out. i guess it's a new fashion thing. I mean I've heard don burke talking about them as legitimate options as pets

I've got some of my cats form the animal welfare league, they look after their animals there, desex them, microchip them, worm etc and they cost heaps less. plus you know that the animal wont ever make it onto death row.

so unsold dogs and cats at the pet shop go to the pound?

[Miss B]

Yeah don't get me started on labradoodles, moodles, cavoodles and other assorted 'oodles'. I just think that's stupid. It's not a labradoodle, it's a MUTT. I hate the way people come up with 'designer breed' names for crossbred dogs.

[Mystery]

Originally Posted by Wrasse

As long as there is a market for these animals, backyard breeders will breed and sell them for the $$'s only. Keep buying, they will keep breeding. You are going to have a snowballing problem on your hands here.

We have a lot of puppy farmers around this way - there is one particular farm that makes a small fortune on selling their puppies to Brisbane petshops. This farm has every breed imaginable and every cross breed also. They won't let anyone go and view their pups and we knew there was some horrific things going on there. The dogs sleep down in old pig pens on concrete floors. I have a friend that managed to get into the pigpens when they where out - there where dead dogs and puppies everywhere. RSPCA has been informed many times - they can't catch them - these guys are making BIG dollars off the puppies - I said surely they could be done for tax evasion.