I am so mad!! (Pet store experience...)

[bhanks]

I am furious!! And it's hard to get me that angry...but when it comes to treating animals properly, I get pretty riled up. Yesterday my husband and I went to Critter Corrner -- the pet store in Leonardtown. They had about 6 or 7 tiny little baby rabbits...all white (some lop) about 8 weeks old. We were enjoying looking at them for quite awhile...we have 2 buns of our own and always enjoy seeing baby bunnies.

Our trip ended on an extremely sour note. I, who am usually very calm, easy going and friently, got into it with an employee in the pet store. He was just a stupid high school kid... My husband and I were getting ready to leave when this employee rushed the rabbit tank at full speed. The rabbits saw him and ran and huddled together at the back of their tank. He grabbed one of the babies by it's hind legs and held onto its legs while it was desperatly trying to kick and run away. Then he would grabbed it and laughed while it was struggling to get out of his grip. We were walking away when this happend and I ran back and gave him a piece of my mind. Told him to stop it and that he couldn't handle a rabbit safely like that. He gave me this "look" and told me he worked there...I told him that the rabbits could easily injure their back when he handled them like that. (Not to mention that they can have heart attacks from being scared.) He told me that I couldn't tell him what to do...nice huh? The rabbits were about 8 weeks old and they were all terrified of this boy. If we could have taken all of them home, we would have just to get them away from this guy. My husband told an employee at the front of the store about what this kid was doing and the lady just looked at Dave and gave him the "SO?" look. Nice, huh? I guess the animals are just a product that the store couldn't care less about. I also pointed out to the girl that the rabbits had no drinking water left (many of them kept checking the bottle and it was dry) and I waited around til it was filled back up. We were pretty mad by the time we left. I don't think we'll be going back any time soon. But what was I supposed to do? Wait around while these obviously thirsty animals suffered under this guy's ways or speak up?

Okay, I'm sure this thread is going to get it's fair share of "rabbit for dinner" jokes, but I just wanted to let others know about my experience with Critter Corner. Was I out of line by speaking up?

 

[BuddyLee]

I remember when this place first opened. It was fairly nice. The last few times I've been in it wasn't so pleasant looking for the animals. This is the sad story of most pet stores though. If this is a serious issue with you I would contact a local official. Perhaps the health department could check on things for you. :shrug:

 

[Wickedwrench]

I used to buy a lot of fish from that place until about two years ago. I dumped a bunch of them in my tank at home and whatever disease the new ones were toting killed the whole bunch. A week later I went in there and they had sign on the tanks not to dump their water in your tank at home. Gee thanks.

As for the rabbits, they probably don't look at them as anything more than snake food. I know guys that purchase those baby bunnies and baby mice to feed their pets at home.

 

[Oolong]

The rabbits saw him and ran and huddled together at the back of their tank. He grabbed one of the babies by it's hind legs and held onto its legs while it was desperatly trying to kick and run away. Then he would grabbed it and laughed while it was struggling to get out of his grip.

I also pointed out to the girl that the rabbits had no drinking water left (many of them kept checking the bottle and it was dry) and I waited around til it was filled back up.

 

[Nickel]

bhanks, I don't know how it would work, but I know of a bunny rescue that a coworker adopted 3 bunnies from. Maybe you could notify them and they could do something about it. You're right, that is wrong that they're doing that, and the number one reason I don't go into pet stores...I feel the need to leave with every animal in there. Anywho, I can't remember the exact name or website that my coworker went to, but here's a link to Rabbit Rescues categorized by state.

http://www.rabbithaven.org/BunnyLinks/Shelters_Rescues/StateListings.htm

 

[vraiblonde]

Isn't there a manager around that place that you could complain to? Although I suppose if they're meant to be some snake's dinner, it probably doesn't matter how they're treated. But you have to wonder about some kid that would torment an animal like that, food or no food.

 

[vraiblonde]

I know guys that purchase those baby bunnies and baby mice to feed their pets at home.

Snakes have to eat too. :shrug:

 

[Sharon]

I used to have snakes but I never fed them rabbits because mice and rats were cheaper. I had a lop-earred bunny once too; snakes and rabbits are mostly cage animals, along with hamsters & guinea pigs. They're not much fun like a dog is.

 

[krankykrab]

That pet store is disgusting! It is filty! The smell will can send you right back out the door. I feel sorry for the poor people who live above it in those apartments, can you image? That smell rising up to the next level??

They (or use to) keep this huge turtle in this little 3x3x3 wooden box, the poor thing can hardly move. Also they have these huge snakes in 4 foot long boxes, no where to move and really extend their bodies at any time. Why keep an animal like that? What kind of life is that?

Don't pet stores have some kind standard they have to keep? who is making sure they are aloud to have the animals they possess? Who is regulating the well being of all those animals? I am sure that store would get a failing grade!

 

[vraiblonde]

How would you like to spend your entire life at the end of a chain or in a wire cage?

HELLO!!! I'm married with children!!!

Rodents and snakes are weird pets anyway. Like Sharon said, dogs (and cats) are more fun.

 

[bhanks]

I'm so glad to see that other people in this community feel similarly to me. (Sometimes I wonder if I get a little too overboard about this sorta stuff!) I suppose I see my pets as a part of our family and the thought of treating them this way horrifies me.

I know snakes have to eat too...just wish they preferred veggies to bunnies! (Don't think that'll happen any time soon, though!) It does seem that many of the animals in pet stores are simply seen as food for other pets, or simply something that exists to be sold. And, even though I understand that, it just doesn't seem right to treat the animals unkindly.

Nickel -- Thanks for sending the links to the bunny organizations. I know that Bunny Magic is our local rescue society. I'll send them an email so that they're aware of the situation. (Even if nothing else is done, at least I've made them aware.)

Oolong -- Thanks for the flowers! I needed a lift!

I don't post here very often, but I'm an avid lurker...I'm glad to have found so many who feel that I'm not crazy for thinking the way I do!

 

[Wickedwrench]

The difference is that in the wild, snakes and other predators catch and kill their dinner by natural selection. They victims aren't thrown into a cage where they wait to be gobbled up for some clown's amusement. I see no need to have an animal that can't roam freely (within reason). How would you like to spend your entire life at the end of a chain or in a wire cage?

Amen to that. This coming from a person who does hunt to stock his own freezer. At least the animals I hunt get to live their lives freely and get to die a quick and merciful death. Nothing pains me more than to hear the death cry of a small rabbit that's getting squeezed to death.

 

[BuddyLee]

That pet store is disgusting! It is filty! The smell will can send you right back out the door. I feel sorry for the poor people who live above it in those apartments, can you image? That smell rising up to the next level??

They (or use to) keep this huge turtle in this little 3x3x3 wooden box, the poor thing can hardly move. Also they have these huge snakes in 4 foot long boxes, no where to move and really extend their bodies at any time. Why keep an animal like that? What kind of life is that?

Don't pet stores have some kind standard they have to keep? who is making sure they are aloud to have the animals they possess? Who is regulating the well being of all those animals? I am sure that store would get a failing grade!

You live in the apartment above Corner Critters, don't you?

 

[Pushrod]

I happen to be one of those snake owners. On warm days she is out roaming around the yard while I do yard work and indoors she stays in a 10' long custom made terrarium with its own sunken mini-pool. She gets fed once every ten days 3 warmed turkey legs that I buy frozen from the grocery store and that I sprinkle with a multivitamen powder. I've had her for almost 10 years. Since she is albino she would never have survived in the wild.

We also keep a bunch of ferrets that run around the mid-level of the house (yes, they are litter trained) that are like members of the family to us.

 

[vraiblonde]

I want my own sunken mini-pool.

 

[boomer]

I've found the 'animal groups' in St. Mary's Co. to be very responsive. Start with with SPCA, then CRAWL. Tell them about that incident, ask them for referals to other local agencies, there are several. At the moment, I can't remember the names of the other groups. You can also call a local vet hospital and they should be able to give you some phone numbers. Also, ask for references to rescue groups.
good luck

 

[bluecat]

I am furious!! And it's hard to get me that angry...but when it comes to treating animals properly, I get pretty riled up. Yesterday my husband and I went to Critter Corrner -- the pet store in Leonardtown. They had about 6 or 7 tiny little baby rabbits...all white (some lop) about 8 weeks old. We were enjoying looking at them for quite awhile...we have 2 buns of our own and always enjoy seeing baby bunnies.

Our trip ended on an extremely sour note. I, who am usually very calm, easy going and friently, got into it with an employee in the pet store. He was just a stupid high school kid... My husband and I were getting ready to leave when this employee rushed the rabbit tank at full speed. The rabbits saw him and ran and huddled together at the back of their tank. He grabbed one of the babies by it's hind legs and held onto its legs while it was desperatly trying to kick and run away. Then he would grabbed it and laughed while it was struggling to get out of his grip. We were walking away when this happend and I ran back and gave him a piece of my mind. Told him to stop it and that he couldn't handle a rabbit safely like that. He gave me this "look" and told me he worked there...I told him that the rabbits could easily injure their back when he handled them like that. (Not to mention that they can have heart attacks from being scared.) He told me that I couldn't tell him what to do...nice huh? The rabbits were about 8 weeks old and they were all terrified of this boy. If we could have taken all of them home, we would have just to get them away from this guy. My husband told an employee at the front of the store about what this kid was doing and the lady just looked at Dave and gave him the "SO?" look. Nice, huh? I guess the animals are just a product that the store couldn't care less about. I also pointed out to the girl that the rabbits had no drinking water left (many of them kept checking the bottle and it was dry) and I waited around til it was filled back up. We were pretty mad by the time we left. I don't think we'll be going back any time soon. But what was I supposed to do? Wait around while these obviously thirsty animals suffered under this guy's ways or speak up?

Okay, I'm sure this thread is going to get it's fair share of "rabbit for dinner" jokes, but I just wanted to let others know about my experience with Critter Corner. Was I out of line by speaking up?

HELL NO YOU WEREN'T WRONG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is absolutely awful. Places like that, need to get bought out and have decent people working in them or they need to be shut down !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Way to go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BuddyLee]

I want my own sunken mini-pool.

You Can't Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones)


I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she was gonna meet her connection,
At her feet was her foot-loose man.

And you can't always get what you want,
Honey, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometime, yeah,
You just might find you get what you need!

We went down to the demonstration to get our fair share of abuse,
Singing, "We gonna vent our frustration"
If we don't we'll blow a fifty amp fuse
So, I went to the Chelsea Drugstore to get your prescription filled
I was standing in line with my friend, Mr. Jimmy
And man, did he look pretty ill
We decided that we would have a soda,
My fav'rite flavor was cherry red
I sing this song to my friend, Jimmy,
And he said one word to me and that was "dead"

And you can't always get what you want, honey
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometime, yeah,
You just might find you get what you need!

I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
She was practised at the art of deception,
I could tell by her blood-stained hands

And you can't always get what you want, honey
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want,
But if you try sometime, yeah,
You just might find you get what you need!

And you can' always get what you want, honey,
You can't always get what you want,
You cant always get what you want,
But if you try sometime, yeah,
You just might find you get what you need!

 

[Cletus_Vandam]

It's unforunate that defensless animals have to be subjected to idiots. That's why I pretty much avoid the shops like those at the malls. Typically the animals there are too in-bred and develope problems from the breeding later on in their life after your far too attached and its too late to take things up with the shop.

I typically rely on breeders to get my pets from. Doing a bit a research by calling their vet is a good idea and if they are a good breeder they should have nothing to hide.

I know this might not have to do with the original post, but that's my opinion on pet shops...

 

[krankykrab]

You live in the apartment above Corner Critters, don't you?

No, I don't,, I live on Clover Hill Road, Hollywood, Md. I just have apathy for other people!