Sick, horrible pet store. Picture update!

[Jaguar]

I went back today specifically to check on these girls... They're still there, but the one with the tumor has died since.  I took some photos to show you guys.  They're on the first post.

[digitalangel]

An SPCA report goes as followed, you call them up, the SPCA takes your name and number (only if you want) and what type of report you are filing, abuse, neglect, etc etc. They ask you for the address and what you saw, etc etc. They then submit it into the system and an animal constable goes out to the address unannounced to talk to the owner and find out whats happening. If they can't find anything illegal then they will talk to the owners and try to educate them, if they find something bad they can get a warrant and take the animals, if the animals are in immediate danger I believe they can take them on the spot and get the paperwork done after.  You can call again in two weeks time from the original report and they are obligated to go back out to the location and check again. Usually its one constable for an entire area so if you have two spcas near you, you would only have to call one of them. Even rats fall under the SPCA's mandate and I have heard of them taking rats before when their care was poor.

[Jaguar]

Yeah... the remaining three seem to be doing okay so I don't think the SPCA can do anything.  I will remember that for next time though.  Thanks 

[MitchPal]

That kind of crap would not fly at petsmart. Any pet that is sick goes right into ISO then a vet visit is scheduled, or an emergency vet visit is done if necessary. Petsmart will do all it can to make the pet 100% better and if not they are adopted out for free if there is anything wrong with that can be fixed. We even have a 14 day contract that if anything the pet gets sick you can bring back the pet and we will get them well again.

[vivianelizabeth]

I think neglecting them from vet care that they need is definitely not legal and they could get in trouble for it, but I'm unsure about how to do it?  If someone told me or there was an article about it somewhere that I could use I would be down for reporting them to the Humane Society or the SPCA or something...

I am in the Castlegar area Ema, the store is Total Pet, which is actually owned and operated by people from the Kelowna/Okanagan area.  There is one in Kelowna and a couple other areas like Vernon, Penticton and Prince George.

Those animals sound like they're in terrible conditions/pain.


You're in BC?
http://www.spca.bc.ca/cruelty/report-incident-animal-in-distress.html

GET. 'ER. DONE.

I hate to see digusting people like that get away with treating animals with cruelty.

[ema-leigh]

I called the Kelowna branch SPCA over a simular situation and they told me they can only investigate reports on SPCA rats.

Im sorry MitchPal but I would have to disagree, my PetsMart in Kelowna is pretty bad. They do use carefresh, plus the rats dont appear sick (although they are TINY!), and they ask their breeders for only male which I do give them credit for. But they never check the sex of the rats themselves (or if they do, not very well), I could put you in contact with at least four people who've got pregnant female rats from there. They keep them in tiny tanks, with what I consider terrible ventilation. Nothing in the cage except food bowl, water bottle and plastic hut. No bedding, no toys. Also a lady working there who claimed to be a rat expert told me they live to be around 5-6 and they are weaned at 3 weeks. When I read the stores pet info sheet, it also claimed that rats live to be 5-6 years old. And when I say the rats are tiny, I would compare them to some 2 week old babies that I have had. The store says they do QT for a week, and she told me the current babies were 3.5 weeks old... so that would mean they got them when they were 2.5 weeks... or she was lying about the QT. 

[digitalangel]

I called the Kelowna branch SPCA over a simular situation and they told me they can only investigate reports on SPCA rats.

I volunteer at an SPCA and have spoken with constables before, they will investigate any case of abuse, neglect, negligence etc etc etc.  They would not go after your case ema because there was no clear case of the animals being in danger

[LauraNat]

I called the Kelowna branch SPCA over a simular situation and they told me they can only investigate reports on SPCA rats.

Im sorry MitchPal but I would have to disagree, my PetsMart in Kelowna is pretty bad. They do use carefresh, plus the rats dont appear sick (although they are TINY!), and they ask their breeders for only male which I do give them credit for. But they never check the sex of the rats themselves (or if they do, not very well), I could put you in contact with at least four people who've got pregnant female rats from there. They keep them in tiny tanks, with what I consider terrible ventilation. Nothing in the cage except food bowl, water bottle and plastic hut. No bedding, no toys. Also a lady working there who claimed to be a rat expert told me they live to be around 5-6 and they are weaned at 3 weeks. When I read the stores pet info sheet, it also claimed that rats live to be 5-6 years old. And when I say the rats are tiny, I would compare them to some 2 week old babies that I have had. The store says they do QT for a week, and she told me the current babies were 3.5 weeks old... so that would mean they got them when they were 2.5 weeks... or she was lying about the QT. 

I hate our Petsmart. The rats (and I'm sure all the other animals) are so unsocialized it's horrible. I could barely pick up any. I was actually left alone with their aquarium in my lap while the lady went and helped a customer. What if I had been someone else and stole them?! I remember her saying they were males and not all of their testes had dropped. So not true, there had to be about 4 females in there with them.  Makes me mad that these are the condition these animals have to suffer through.

[lml8787]

That is just terrible!  I wish I lived closer to you and I would happily come to that pet store and buy them and take them right to the vet!  So sad.  I hope they do find a good home though.  Please keep us updated.

[LauraNat]

This was from a couple months ago, but its their standard of raising rats, one litter after the other. I couldn't imagine what the temperment of the hamsters would be like. 

[lml8787]

i could only imagine....

[Jaguar]

The worst part is, these girls are still at that store as far as I know.  I went in about 3 weeks ago to get a wheel and they were still there, in a smaller cage 

[ema-leigh]

Oh no way If I was closer I would rescue them!

[Jaguar]

I would take them if I had room.  But I just don't. 

[lml8787]

gosh i wished i lived closer and they would all have a home!