I know what happens to the "dissappeared" animals (long).

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Posted by girlzilla on March 17, 2003 at 12:48:59:

In Reply to: Boycotting PetCo posted by Georgia on March 15, 2003 at 18:28:53:

I have been boycotting Petco (and a local store called A-Pet) for some time now, and tell all my friends and family not to shop there. I used to go there all the time, and admired the way they showcased homeless cats for adoption in the front of their store. Their reptiles were all beginner level, and housed acceptably. One day I walked in, and saw to my horror about TEN juvie igs in a large hex tank, all piled on top of each other. No branches, wood chip for substrate, no proper lights, no proper food. I was furious, and found the manager to talk to.

She was sympathetic, and even said that she and her sister rehab homeless reptiles in their house, so she knows what the end destination and condition will be for many of the iguanas she was selling. Then WHY< I wanted to know, Was she housing them in this condition, let alone stocking TEN???

She had not chosen to stock them. They were TRANSFERRED from another area PetCo, following complaints from local customers who were unhappy about them being sold there!!! So that is what happens to the "dissappeared" animals. Unfortunately, they just get shuttled somewhere else.

I had a long conversation with this woman, who was very nice, and seemed sympathetic. I told her that she could be sure I would never, ever shop there again, and that nobody I knew would, either; and that I was very sorry about that, since I liked the way they did other things. I told her I was disturbed that she, a reptile rehabber (or so she said) could allow ten igs to be caged together. Her response? "Well, I try to tell people what they're getting into, AND ANYWAY, WE ONLY ORDER THEM AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME." (my emphasis). This is not a person that should be selling any animals, if she is going to encourage people to give them as gifts.

By the way: On the info tag about iguanas, on the tank, All it said was: "Herbivores." Nothing about size and lifespan.

I support a chain of stores called Pet Valu (no e on the end.) As far as I know, they sell only supplies, no live animals. I also like PetSmart. They are very deliberate about only selling beginner reptiles, and they even have disinfectent dispensers next to each tank with signs asking people to disinfect both before and after touching the reptiles.

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