The Truth About Pet Stores

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WHAT IS LIVE MERCHANDISE?

Webster:
Merchandise = the commodities or goods that are bought and sold in business.

Live merchandise is any item for sale that is breathing, has a heartbeat and pulse. Live merchandise is puppies, kittens, fish, birds, pocket pets etc.

Merchandise are items that the business sees as a profit, items that require little if any expense. Items that can be stocked and forgotten until sold or placed on sale to rid the inventory.

WHY IS SELLING LIVE MERCHANDISE BAD?

Businesses are open for one reason, to make money. They make money by buying low and selling for a profit. There is nothing wrong with that. They buy a shipment of pet food, mark it up 10%, stock it on the shelf and dust it on occasions. If it sits there too long it gets a sale tag to get rid of it. That is not a big deal; this is what stores are good at.
Now add life to that item for sell. No one in the store knows enough about animal health and care. No one knows that diarrhea can kill, that dirty rooms promote illness and that illness need to be treated. No one checks the background of the person buying that item, no one makes sure that living item can not reproduce, no one can offer any help to the
customer except for handing them a receipt that reads no warranties on living items.

Pet stores are not an ideal place for an animal to spend the very important first months of their life. They are dirty, ill equipped to handle the frequent cleanings the young animals need. They need to sell the animals for a profit so that means no investing any money to treat sick animals, no vet trip, no disease screens. They get one vaccination whether they are healthy or not and get one de worming. These two small acts mean nothing after 3 weeks unless repeated as the vaccination and de worming series. So after 3 weeks or when the cute little youngster is no longer cute, they get marked down. After they get marked down and the remain they are considered a liability, costing the store money so it's off to the pound were they are most likely killed.

Pet stores need to remain focused on items for pets, items that do not cost money to keep in the store, items that do not require attention, socialization and care.

HOW TO SHOW YOU CARE!

If you are in a pet store and see it is selling live animals ask to see the owner. Tell the owner that you are going to shop elsewhere to show your support of stores that do not sell live animals. That you do not believe that selling live animals should be part of a business. If the owner isn't there (surprise) get the owners name and write a letter. Let the owner know that you will resume shopping there once the selling of animals is stopped. Let them know that you would support them even more by donating the space to a shelter or rescue (enclose a nice healthy receipt from a competitors store, hit them were it hurts - the pocket book) If they try to make a point that these animal would have
been dropped off at the pound and killed inform them nicely that if this space was donated to the shelter or rescue they would have more room to taking in and assist even more animals. That by the ethics shelters and rescue install does the community and the animals the good of finding a life that is good for them. Ask a pet store to offer statistics
on how many pets are still living in good homes and have not reproduced. Ask for proof not just words or what they think. (Anyone can say I sold 44 pets these months and make it sound good, but the life of those pets need to be accounted for as well) Sometimes euthanasia is more kind then the unchecked homes these animals are subject to.

Documented Photos

This should never happen! Not for a minute, definitely not for the hours I kept track.

Picture on July 9th 2003 and little before the rescue org took him in.

 

 Pet stores do not have the time and manpower needed to socialize and tend to young animals.

Can he get any skinnier? Pet stores do not always have the time to feed and give the necessities of life, nor do they check the animals weight or condition. This kitten lived, his brother, Doc died from neglect. As you can see his brother was healthy July 8th 2003. His sister Grumpy (Now named GG) has battled URI's, congivitis and infections and is healthy now. All these pictures were taken July 8th 2003.

One might argue that kittens are messy, that the cage or area is messed again right after it's cleaned. Well then you are now aware that kittens do take time and need care and if that cannot or will not be met then obviously you shouldn't be dealing with them. This was the cage that Doc died in. This cage is only cleaned twice a day if
remembered. Kittens need more attention and care then that. The bed I added to keep them warm in the 68 and less degree room.

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