spykerherps
-sssSpyker ExoticSsss-
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Hello, this is Jess. I don't often post hear, but do discus with my husband (nearly every day) what is new on the forum. But today something happened and I know there is something that can be done to at lest help the situation. I apologize in advance for the length of this rant.
We weir in a big name corporate pet store today. The kind I vowed never to support, even with the perches of food, yet with the economic situation as it is I have succumbed in resent months. No longer. Today they received there last penny from me. Zach and I decided to check out there animals to see what kind of condition they weir in. I was looking at a ball python hiding under its large water dish because it was not provided with a hide, when I heard Zach say "Oh that dose not look good". When I looked down I quickly realized what he was looking at. There weir 12-15 hatchling Leos in a very small enclosure, most of whom looked in very pore health.
We could not walk away and say nothing. I found some one to call for the employee in charge of reptiles and upon returning to the Leos felt sick. I have vary rarely felt such a reaction. It encompassed every shred of by being. I luckily had several minutes to collect myself before the woman arrived. I told her the condition of the animals was disturbing and that I could not in good conscience walk away from there and do nothing. She said the animals had just been shipped in and weir in that condition when they arrived. I said they very well may have arrived in poor condition but there were other problems that needed to be addressed, such as the over crowding. They were in a situation suitable for 4 geckos at the very most. I also told her that if an animal is in poor health they should not be put in the more stressful situation of being on display. She informed me that the animals were being housed and kept in accordence with corporate regulations, which was determined by an entire board of veterinarians, whom had deemed there current conditions to be plenty adequate for the animals.
At this point I was hart broken. I asked to speak to some one else. She gave me number to call and said that any of there operators would be more than happy listen to my concerns. I asked for a name. I wanted to talk to some one who may listen, I was not satisfied to speak with an operator, I wanted a name. So she offered to have her manager come and talk to me. When she returned I was informed that the manager was busy with another customer, my best bet was to call the number. I said I would wait. What do you know, the manager was right there.
He gave me the whole shpleel the employee had given me but added " Now mam, I don't see any medical concerns or issues in this tank. Now a board of vets has deemed this appropriate for these animals." At which point I called Zach over, who had bean keeping his distance in fear of physically attacking some one, and asked him if he thought a vet board would think thees animals looked acceptable. His answer was no chance. The manager started to repeat the vet thing again, I interrupted him and said "Fine, forget corporate regulation and the vet board, can you in your hart, in good conscience, can you rely say that these animals look OK?" He repeated that he didn't see any problems. I said they are over crowded, way under wait, having shed problems, and lethargic. He told me that he would have his "animal care specialist" soak the one gecko tomorrow when she comes in. In our harts Zach an I both know there is good a chance that particular gecko will not make it till tomorrow, and even if he makes it till than, his chances of recovery will be slim. At that point all I could do is walk away almost yelling "If that is what you consider appropriate for animals that is just disturbing, truly disturbing!"
We do not yet know how to approach it, but I am sure there is a way to reform the regulations regarding animal care and husbandry in pet stores, and ensure they are enforced! If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them.
We weir in a big name corporate pet store today. The kind I vowed never to support, even with the perches of food, yet with the economic situation as it is I have succumbed in resent months. No longer. Today they received there last penny from me. Zach and I decided to check out there animals to see what kind of condition they weir in. I was looking at a ball python hiding under its large water dish because it was not provided with a hide, when I heard Zach say "Oh that dose not look good". When I looked down I quickly realized what he was looking at. There weir 12-15 hatchling Leos in a very small enclosure, most of whom looked in very pore health.
We could not walk away and say nothing. I found some one to call for the employee in charge of reptiles and upon returning to the Leos felt sick. I have vary rarely felt such a reaction. It encompassed every shred of by being. I luckily had several minutes to collect myself before the woman arrived. I told her the condition of the animals was disturbing and that I could not in good conscience walk away from there and do nothing. She said the animals had just been shipped in and weir in that condition when they arrived. I said they very well may have arrived in poor condition but there were other problems that needed to be addressed, such as the over crowding. They were in a situation suitable for 4 geckos at the very most. I also told her that if an animal is in poor health they should not be put in the more stressful situation of being on display. She informed me that the animals were being housed and kept in accordence with corporate regulations, which was determined by an entire board of veterinarians, whom had deemed there current conditions to be plenty adequate for the animals.
At this point I was hart broken. I asked to speak to some one else. She gave me number to call and said that any of there operators would be more than happy listen to my concerns. I asked for a name. I wanted to talk to some one who may listen, I was not satisfied to speak with an operator, I wanted a name. So she offered to have her manager come and talk to me. When she returned I was informed that the manager was busy with another customer, my best bet was to call the number. I said I would wait. What do you know, the manager was right there.
He gave me the whole shpleel the employee had given me but added " Now mam, I don't see any medical concerns or issues in this tank. Now a board of vets has deemed this appropriate for these animals." At which point I called Zach over, who had bean keeping his distance in fear of physically attacking some one, and asked him if he thought a vet board would think thees animals looked acceptable. His answer was no chance. The manager started to repeat the vet thing again, I interrupted him and said "Fine, forget corporate regulation and the vet board, can you in your hart, in good conscience, can you rely say that these animals look OK?" He repeated that he didn't see any problems. I said they are over crowded, way under wait, having shed problems, and lethargic. He told me that he would have his "animal care specialist" soak the one gecko tomorrow when she comes in. In our harts Zach an I both know there is good a chance that particular gecko will not make it till tomorrow, and even if he makes it till than, his chances of recovery will be slim. At that point all I could do is walk away almost yelling "If that is what you consider appropriate for animals that is just disturbing, truly disturbing!"
We do not yet know how to approach it, but I am sure there is a way to reform the regulations regarding animal care and husbandry in pet stores, and ensure they are enforced! If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them.
