Re: couple things you may want to try

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Posted by jen on March 29, 2002 at 00:50:33:

In Reply to: couple things you may want to try posted by Todd Evans on March 24, 2002 at 23:45:45:

: Well, I know it MAY not help, but try forwarding the pictures (digital) to the higher ups at PetSmart. They may not give a care about the anoles themselve, but it DOES look bad for business.

: Another thing is the LOCAL (not the HSUS, PLEASE) humane society. They may be able to at least tell you who to report it too.

: Then contact a more local herp society (Lehigh, or North East Herp Societies, maybe even the Philly Herp Society) To see if they might have more information for you.

: Another suggestion that needs to be approached with EXTREME caution is media attention. First off, you MUST be sure that they don't spin the issue to make raptile keeping bad in general. They have a habit of doing this (public opinion)

: The only other thing I might try (not sure if anybody else had gone thie route) is the Better Business Bureau. They might log the complaint, enticing others to complain as well...I mean, it IS bad business, right?

: Anyway, I hope all goes well, but from personal experience, I KNOW that PetSmart gets bottom of the line wild caught animals, as does PetCo. Just trying to get everybody to boycott buying ANY animals from PetSmart using this as an example, might get them to either stop carrying them all together, or get healthier ones.

: My experience at PetSmart (Beaver County) was similar....we found a leopard gecko dead in the tank, reported it, went back about a half hour later, and it was still there.....the live ones were on their way out as well....thin, hardly any tail bulk to them, etc. They also had a chameleon in a GLASS enclosure....anybody that knows ANYTHING about chameleons knows that they are DEATHLY affraid of their one reflections.......

: Anyway.....hope it works out for you.
: Todd Evans
: TSHS

Thank you very much. I returned to the store again tonight, unfortunately forgetting the digital camera, but a friend took photos on another camera which she uses for photography class. When they are developed I will scan them and send them around. Maybe this way since they will be seen in school more people will know what a horrible store this is. We were not able to get a photo of the tank of anoles, but we got a tank with a dead frog, and she took a shot of another tank which was just in horrible condition. In this store they keep the animals in the worst condition in view of the security camera. Also, the employee in the section was the same one from sunday night. After a few minutes I believe she realized who we were. A minute after we got the second picture, a very large manager was sent over near us, and the section employee was on the phone. Of course we cannot determine what she was on the phone for, but we decided it would be best to get out of the store at that time. My sister went into the store a few minutes after we left. She was not there any other time. She said that the girl who had been on phone was then moving the anoles away from the display area and into a back room. The manager was still following people suspiciously through the reptiles department.
So, as it stands right now, I do have two pictures, which will be forwarded to someone who can help in this situation. Later we plan to go to other bad stores in the area to get photos. However, I do not feel that I can safely return to petsmart for quite a while. However, I have other friends who have said they would help in the situation

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: : Well, I know it MAY not help, but try forwarding the pictures (digital) to the higher ups at PetSmart. They may not give a care about the anoles themselve, but it DOES look bad for business. : : Another thing is the LOCAL (not the HSUS, PLEASE) humane society. They may be able to at least tell you who to report it too. : : Then contact a more local herp society (Lehigh, or North East Herp Societies, maybe even the Philly Herp Society) To see if they might have more information for you. : : Another suggestion that needs to be approached with EXTREME caution is media attention. First off, you MUST be sure that they don't spin the issue to make raptile keeping bad in general. They have a habit of doing this (public opinion) : : The only other thing I might try (not sure if anybody else had gone thie route) is the Better Business Bureau. They might log the complaint, enticing others to complain as well...I mean, it IS bad business, right? : : Anyway, I hope all goes well, but from personal experience, I KNOW that PetSmart gets bottom of the line wild caught animals, as does PetCo. Just trying to get everybody to boycott buying ANY animals from PetSmart using this as an example, might get them to either stop carrying them all together, or get healthier ones. : : My experience at PetSmart (Beaver County) was similar....we found a leopard gecko dead in the tank, reported it, went back about a half hour later, and it was still there.....the live ones were on their way out as well....thin, hardly any tail bulk to them, etc. They also had a chameleon in a GLASS enclosure....anybody that knows ANYTHING about chameleons knows that they are DEATHLY affraid of their one reflections....... : : Anyway.....hope it works out for you. : : Todd Evans : : TSHS : Thank you very much. I returned to the store again tonight, unfortunately forgetting the digital camera, but a friend took photos on another camera which she uses for photography class. When they are developed I will scan them and send them around. Maybe this way since they will be seen in school more people will know what a horrible store this is. We were not able to get a photo of the tank of anoles, but we got a tank with a dead frog, and she took a shot of another tank which was just in horrible condition. In this store they keep the animals in the worst condition in view of the security camera. Also, the employee in the section was the same one from sunday night. After a few minutes I believe she realized who we were. A minute after we got the second picture, a very large manager was sent over near us, and the section employee was on the phone. Of course we cannot determine what she was on the phone for, but we decided it would be best to get out of the store at that time. My sister went into the store a few minutes after we left. She was not there any other time. She said that the girl who had been on phone was then moving the anoles away from the display area and into a back room. The manager was still following people suspiciously through the reptiles department. : So, as it stands right now, I do have two pictures, which will be forwarded to someone who can help in this situation. Later we plan to go to other bad stores in the area to get photos. However, I do not feel that I can safely return to petsmart for quite a while. However, I have other friends who have said they would help in the situation

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