Response to READ THIS.........

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Posted by cwatbay on February 19, 2003 at 19:08:00:

In Reply to: READ THIS posted by DANA456 on February 19, 2003 at 13:34:45:

Well Dana I am going to cut you some slack and give you the benefit of the doubt concerning this store and the people that run it.

First, could you please not write everything in CAPS. It is rude and very tough to read. It is akin to shouting and no one really likes that.

Based on your statements, it sounds like you know this store very well, the husbandry practiced and the disposition and experience of the owners. If you know all this, please give us the FACTS on what you know.

I believe however that you are reading more into the story than what it says.

I personally have been in the store and have seen all the set ups, caging, electrical wiring, husbandry, conditions of the animals, types of food offered, etc. I have talked with one of the pricipal owners.

Based on what I saw, all of the points I have listed above would have been rated from below average to poor. But, I do not go with just my subjective opinion. So I brought up the store to respected breeders and management of stores that have a long term excellent history of providing good husbandry and conditions for their animals (not stores that are just out to make a buck or the types of horrendous stores that get mentioned on the forum).

So, not just based on my opinion, but on credible sources, I was informed of the inspections and subsequent closing by several contacts and not just someone with a grudge or some other agenda.

Now, I am just as bothered as you about the conditions of the animals and the loss of animal lives because of this fire. On the other hand, you need to look at the conditions the animals were kept, the safety measures taken, any violations of fire and building codes that led to this situation. It is the owners responsibility to maintain a safe and healthy environment for both the animals and the people that work and shop there.

If the owners put in faulty wiring, overtaxed the electrical system, didn't have safeguards ( you would think that after the last fire they would have ), had overcrowding or conditions that led to the fire, then they should be held reponsible not only for the physical damage, but, also for the death of the animals there.

Personally, I would give the owners some slack, perhaps for not having enough money to invest in doing the right thing in order to prevent this. But that is just my opinion. Based on what I saw when I was there last, I probably would have issued a citation to cease business if I was a fire marshall due to the haphazard and "not to code" electrical wiring that was installed by the store owners.

You can disagree with me if you want, but I would like to see some facts that support your position.

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