Kenner, LA Petco

I cannot speak for Petco, but I know they eliminated their return policy some time ago. Unlike PetSmart, Petco carries a much larger variety of non-furry animals and, because of that, always seem to bite off more than they can chew. I have never been to a Petco where I have been satsified with the condition of the animals or with the people who work there. This is the same company that (I do not know if they still do) sold fancy rats and feeder rats as the same thing, which they are not.

That animal is in deplorable condition and should have been to a vet. a long time ago, but I am unaware if Petco's policies require that an animal be brought to the vet. when in such condition. PetSmart's policies do require that they go to a vet.

I would say call animal control, but it is likely nothing will happen of it. You would be better of contacting the Area Manager/Supervisor for that store and any of the surrounding Petco's stores. If that does not work, then contact the Area Manager's Supervisor. If you go high enough in a retail chain and become a big enough thorn in their side, someone below will eventually come under fire. There was a Petco in New Mexico that myself and friends did this too and it resulted in the General Manager being fired for the horrible conditions animals were being kept it. Whether or not they found someone to improve the place after that is not known to me. I left before finding out.

As far as big corporations and their negligence ... I will state this ...

PetSmart reserves the right to refuse the sale of animals to anyone that the employee does not feel comfortable selling to. This goes for fish, small animals, birds and reptiles. In the six months I worked for PetSmart, I refused sales to numerous people for varying reasons and it was all within the company guidelines.

There were some instances where fish were sold to people who had no business having them, but the fourteen day guarantee was null and void at that point.

PetSmart also reserves the right to refuse refund to people if severe neglect or lack of care is evident in an animal people attempt to return. PetSmart may try to convince them to turn the animal over to them so it can seek medical attention at a Banfield, but they are not required to take it back. It is all written in the contract "Pet Parents" sign when buying an animal.

All of this is written in the extensive hand book for the PetCare department at PetSmart. Of course, the human variable can readily mess this up, but PetSmart does have policies in place for the protection and well being of the animals for more than just publicity reasons. If it was purely publicity reasons, they would advertise it to everyone, but they are actually pretty strict about keeping most of their policies within the company alone.

Many PetSmarts fail in that their execution of the procedures and policies fail, but that is normally due to a failing PetCare Manager.

There is never an excuse for any animal to get in that condition. It does amaze how a smaller store, breeders and just owners can be reprimanded for simple things and an animal in a huge chain store can look like that with no consequences.

Saying that, I work at Petco. (I still have some hopeless dream of helping)Though I do not work on the 'floor' (rather a grooming assistant or some silly title) so I only have a basic grasp of the rules. I do know it is required that they take an animal that need medical attention to a vet. However, from my understanding they cannot euthanize an animal. (this I find shocking)

Petco does have a return policy (though I cannot remember if it is similar to Petsmart at 2 weeks or if is closer to a month). Unfortunately, I get to see this all to often with the small animals and reptiles. Just last week a man purchased a ball python, when the son left town his father who hated snakes returned it a couple of days later. Apparently we cannot refuse this type of return. (we can refuse the sale though - yet to see it happen)

There are some good people who care and do know some things at Petco then there are some who don't care and don't know a thing and they're all plastered under the same corporate rules.

I returned to Petco this morning and purchased the dying Leopard Gecko's two cage mates. The "runt" was clearly for sale, and the store employee did ask if I wanted him. She claimed that the Leopard Gecko was eating, but he was always the runt.

However idiotic some Petco workers are, the true problem is the corporation. I've got nothing to gain by telling the employee what a terrible job she's doing of caring for reptiles (in other news, the Bearded Dragons were being kept just above 80% humidity, which actually reads as tropical on the humidity gauge). Instead, I decided it was best to make my last Petco purchase two Leopard Geckos, who may be at risk because of their cage mate's condition.

I forwarded the picture to Petco (headquarters/corporate?) via their website, and have also forwarded the picture to local animal agencies. I now own nine pets (7 reptiles), so I fully understand the fragile nature of animals. Stress can do terrible things to a lizard; However, selling a lizard under those conditions is absolutely unacceptable.

-Patrick Fisher

Originally Posted by volvotech

I returned to Petco this morning and purchased the dying Leopard Gecko's two cage mates. The "runt" was clearly for sale, and the store employee did ask if I wanted him. She claimed that the Leopard Gecko was eating, but he was always the runt.

However idiotic some Petco workers are, the true problem is the corporation. I've got nothing to gain by telling the employee what a terrible job she's doing of caring for reptiles (in other news, the Bearded Dragons were being kept just above 80% humidity, which actually reads as tropical on the humidity gauge). Instead, I decided it was best to make my last Petco purchase two Leopard Geckos, who may be at risk because of their cage mate's condition.

I forwarded the picture to Petco (headquarters/corporate?) via their website, and have also forwarded the picture to local animal agencies. I now own nine pets (7 reptiles), so I fully understand the fragile nature of animals. Stress can do terrible things to a lizard; However, selling a lizard under those conditions is absolutely unacceptable.

-Patrick Fisher

Good for you Patrick!

I volunteer at the local alachua county animal shelter on weekends and I don't want to even speak of the horrors I see from animals being brought in by the trucks, or owner "surrenders". Makes me sick.

Good for you!

Joe

Right on Diem, its a pretty solid company for dealing with live animals but the pet care manager can make or breaK a department, it should be a destination position not a through fare to core management.

Originally Posted by volvotech

I returned to Petco this morning and purchased the dying Leopard Gecko's two cage mates. The "runt" was clearly for sale, and the store employee did ask if I wanted him. She claimed that the Leopard Gecko was eating, but he was always the runt.

However idiotic some Petco workers are, the true problem is the corporation. I've got nothing to gain by telling the employee what a terrible job she's doing of caring for reptiles (in other news, the Bearded Dragons were being kept just above 80% humidity, which actually reads as tropical on the humidity gauge). Instead, I decided it was best to make my last Petco purchase two Leopard Geckos, who may be at risk because of their cage mate's condition.

I forwarded the picture to Petco (headquarters/corporate?) via their website, and have also forwarded the picture to local animal agencies. I now own nine pets (7 reptiles), so I fully understand the fragile nature of animals. Stress can do terrible things to a lizard; However, selling a lizard under those conditions is absolutely unacceptable.

-Patrick Fisher

Due to old experiences with petco geckos and how that one looked.... I have a bad fear that you just brought Crypto in to your collection, I really hope you QT those guys and have one tested for it...

You might not have anything to gain by talking to the employee about the condition, but the animals certainly do have plenty to gain. I don't know why it would harm anything to talk to the people in the store.

Sending the info and pictures to the head offices will hopefully send some inquiries to the local store. I hope you are practicing really strict quarentine on the new comers so they don't spread anything they might have.

Originally Posted by chongorojo

Due to old experiences with petco geckos and how that one looked.... I have a bad fear that you just brought Crypto in to your collection, I really hope you QT those guys and have one tested for it...

Thanks for the heads up. Some of the pictures here seem to match up: http://www.petstoreabuse.com/crypto.html. I'll see if I can get the Leopard Gecko's into a vet Wednesday.

This is the same company that (I do not know if they still do) sold fancy rats and feeder rats as the same thing, which they are not.

Are they not both Rattus norvegicus ????

I returned to Petco this morning and purchased the dying Leopard Gecko's two cage mates.

WOW this is why petco can sell sick animals cause people like you support them . Did you also donate money to the petco foundation as well you know that goes straight to the HSUS.

I would have to say here in Southern IL we have a pretty good PETCO. I hate having to go in there, but they ran off all of the local pet stores so anytime I need something quickly, I have to go there. The one big advantage they have is they happened to hire 2 employees from one of the local pet stores that shut down and they take really good care of the reptiles and fish. Compared to other PETCO stores, this one is really nice. It is a shame that they all can't follow this stores procedures and quality of animal care. Hope your able to help those little ones out. I have purchased animals for those same reasons before, always breaks my heart to see them in that condition.

as with any big corporation retail stores, there are gonna be "good ones" and bad ones".

here in AZ, we have both good stores and bad stores (of both petsmart and petco).

i rarely purchase anything reptile related from either of them. about the only thing i have and will get from them, is their heat bulbs (im old school and like heat lamps over belly heat), because they are A LOT cheaper than my local reptile shops.

there are many other ways and things you can do, rather than pay them money for animals that they are not taking care of properly.

way too many people do that because they feel sorry for the animal (and we should), however, that gives the frame of mind to say, hey if we keep these animals sub-par, someone will eventually buy them.

they are a business and the love/proper care for the animal comes further down on the list