Pet Store Horrors: Part One (1085 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.57 on 38 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Manda (View user info) at 2006-02-23 02:52:07 EST
"Do you like puppies? How about money? Come fill out an application today!"
That's what the sign read on the huge outside viewing glass. Inside, the Bull Mastiff puppy lay quietly, oblivious to the flurry of activity in the mall and the eager faces of children pounding on the glass.
The manager was behind the counter, and I smiled as I introduced myself. The application was filled out, some questions asked, and I left that day with a job at the local mall pet store. I was thrilled.
It was a very coveted position—you could carry around a three-pound puppy in your arms all day if you wanted and there was no manager around normally, so you could goof off and take long lunch breaks.
The major chores were completed in the morning before the store opened to the general public—cleaning out dead fish from the fish tanks, cleaning out the small animal cages and feeding them, and washing the viewing glass and countertops were all part of the routine. It was quiet, slow work.
The puppies were fed in the morning and afternoon, and the water was constantly checked to be sure it was clean. A man came into the store to clean the puppy cages every day—morning and night except for on Sunday, when the duty fell to one of the sales people. More often than not, I volunteered because no one else would. Besides, I had training in the fine art of kennel cleaning.
Most of my co-workers were pleasant, nice people. There was a girl named Kelsey that I became fast friends with, and for once in my working life, I felt welcome. It was nice.
The pay wasn't bad, either, although my 1994 Ford Thunderbird sucked up all of it almost every Friday. Commission was received for each puppy sold per week—twenty-five dollars, on top of a base pay of $7 an hour.
Before long, I learned the ins and outs of the company. How to work the register, how to make an effective sale, where to put the stock shipments.
But most of all, I learned first hand about how horrible pet stores are. How terribly abusive they are to their puppies, how overlooked their common practices are to inspections, how disgusting it is to sell a five-month old puppy to a person that returns it the next day because it's 'hyper'.
I learned where to put the puppies in the freezers in the back when they died of infection overnight. I knew what to do with the eaten rats when the packed cages turned to mutiny. I knew better than to stick my hand in the hamster cage for fear of getting attacked by the vicious ones.
But dear God, I stayed there because I felt like if I didn't, who would help the animals? I felt like I could offer them some hope, some protection, some love.
I would cry when I came into the pet store after a night had passed, only to find a puppy had died. I sold more puppies than any of my peers because I wanted those puppies out of the cold cages and into good homes.
I was fired from my job when I made too many reports of sick puppies to the company veterinarian. He was busy, after all, and the puppy with the bloody diarrhea and green puss coming out of its nose just had a slight cold.
Working there for those two months changed my perspective of pet stores.
Coming soon: Part two: The Sale
User Reviews
Submitted by Kaelic (user info) at 2006-10-02 01:35:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Like I said, this is a good series. I don't know a whole lot about pet stores except I've heard they're horrible places for animals to stay. Write more.
Submitted by erosion_rules (user info) at 2006-03-04 18:08:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by cuberat (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:52:25 (#)
Ranking: 0
Meh...
I won't -2 you for this because you have noble intentions. But how about doing something about starving, sick CHILDREN? Why is everyone so obsessed with fucking animals, but when it comes to HUMANS people don't give a shit?!
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That's mostly because those children will likely grow up to abuse animals anyway. At least you know the animals aren't going to keep someone's eyes in a jar for fun.
All kidding aside, though, if you're so concerned about these starving children, adopt one. Or would that be too much effort? People who say this kind of shit are just looking for a way to uphold their holier-than-thou attitude. Hypocrisy is fun, isn't it?
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2006-02-27 08:21:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This is gonna be a good series.
Submitted by VelvetElvis (user info) at 2006-02-27 01:04:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by MrSparkle847 (user info) at 2006-02-27 01:03:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Aww, the puppy looks like a kitty.
Submitted by MandaPanda (user info) at 2006-02-27 00:45:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by LadyJay (user info) at 2006-02-27 00:26:56 (#)
Ranking: -1
u have me confused... the start of this seems to be quite good about the pet store, clean water, regular checks, place that felt "like home" and then you just suddenly switch?
didnt flow.
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What are you, stupid?
Submitted by LadyJay (user info) at 2006-02-27 00:26:56 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
u have me confused... the start of this seems to be quite good about the pet store, clean water, regular checks, place that felt "like home" and then you just suddenly switch?
didnt flow.
Submitted by turkishblend (user info) at 2006-02-26 23:41:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-02-26 11:29:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm glad you're doing this series.
Submitted by thorpe (user info) at 2006-02-26 05:44:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by cuberat (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:52:25 (#)
Ranking: 0
Meh...
I won't -2 you for this because you have noble intentions. But how about doing something about starving, sick CHILDREN? Why is everyone so obsessed with fucking animals, but when it comes to HUMANS people don't give a shit?!
---------------------------------
Translation:
Don't care about anything because there are worse things out there as well.
Submitted by MandaPanda (user info) at 2006-02-23 18:56:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Julie, I agree with what you're saying, backyard breeders are the worst, but there are some very good breeders that breed to better the breed. I'll get into that after I'm done telling my horror stories.
And by the way, I did report the pet store that I worked at. They're still in business, so it did fuck all. But not to worry, I'm working on something...
Submitted by BadAssJulie (user info) at 2006-02-23 18:43:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
"I was fired from my job when I made too many reports of sick puppies to the company veterinarian. He was busy, after all, and the puppy with the bloody diarrhea and green puss coming out of its nose just had a slight cold."
Are you serious?? The poor thing probably had distemper or a parvo/URI combo. You should've reported him to the AVMA and the board of vet. medicine. You also should've reported the pet store to the humane society or animal control.
I love animals and I've worked in a pet store, animal hospitals, and animal shelters before. I've seen a lot of horrible things that go on but I still think the worst has got to be dog fighting rings. Those people treat their dogs worse than you could imagine. They don't always feed them, they throw acid on them and torture them to make them aggressive, they steal dogs and cats to train the dogs how to fight and kill another animal, etc.
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Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:34:57 (#)
Ranking: 2
and that's why i berate people for buying puppies at pet stores instead of from breeders who've been doing it for decades.
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Breeders are just as bad as pet stores, my dear. Dog breeders, for example, are fully aware of the animal overpopulation crisis and how many dogs are euthanized every day as a result yet they still insist on contributing to the problem. They don't care who their puppies go home with or what happens to them. You may try to say I'm wrong but you know they'll sell a puppy to anyone who shows up with enough cash.
They also breed defective dogs and pass on a lot of hereditary problems. They know purebreeds are prone to specific conditions and problems(i.e. large breeds and hip dysplasia, Doxies and spinal problems, Boxers and cancer, King Charles' and heart disease, and English Bulldogs and pretty much any problem you can think of) as a result of all the fucked up breeding yet they continue to breed and sell these dogs. They know people don't know much about the breed when they buy a dog and they usually just buy one because it's cute. Breeders don't even bother to inform the people buying the dogs of breed-specific problems and how much they could end up spending in vet bills or even of the breed's personality. Example: when I worked for one of the animal hospitals, there was a lady who wanted to euthanize her Beagle because it was loud all the time(an employee adopted it instead, by the way). This is a well-known fact about Beagles but the lady wasn't informed about this beforehand. She tried calling the breeder to see if she could return the dog but the breeder basically said oh well. Yeah, she could've looked up the breed info before she got the dog but how many people actually do that? I think if breeders are going to continue to breed regardless of all that's wrong with it, they should at least be required to fully disclose any and all information about the breed to potential buyers.
Submitted by MandaPanda (user info) at 2006-02-23 16:46:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-02-23 16:19:10 (#)
Ranking: 2
callPETA
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Holy fuck NO. PETA is the worst thing that has ever happened to animals.
And Shlongy, dear, keep dreaming.
In fact, after I'm done with this series, I have a nice little post for you.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2006-02-23 16:25:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I could probably be convinced that this was good with a simple blow job, Manda.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-02-23 16:19:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
callPETA
Submitted by MandaPanda (user info) at 2006-02-23 14:46:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:34:57 (#)
Ranking: 2
and that's why i berate people for buying puppies at pet stores instead of from breeders who've been doing it for decades. no one checks living conditions, breed history, that particular puppy's history, how they were raised and the environment they were bred in, none of it. i worked in a pet store for all of two months before i quit and reported them to animal control. they got shut down. people that also buy puppies and refuse to fix them because they're pure bred and they MIGHT want to breed them are also stupid shits. animals are fixed for their own benefit, it's the same reason post-menopausal women get hysterectomies. if the parts aren't being used they cause problems. people are such fucking assholes.
~~~~~~~~
I can tell this series is going to get some people extremely angry. Good.
However, I'll get around to those lovely breeders and what they contribute to this problem.
Oh, and next time, I won't post at 2 in the morning (or whenever it was.. I forgot to check).
Submitted by icarus1987 (user info) at 2006-02-23 14:10:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I didn't even know they had traditional pet stores anymore. They've become extremely unpopular in Minnesota.
Submitted by dove666 (user info) at 2006-02-23 13:46:16 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Let's address both problems. Give the kids a puppy.
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To eat?
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Of course. They won't be starving and the anitbiotics the dogs are filled with will
cure their illnesses.
Submitted by drivebyasshole (user info) at 2006-02-23 13:31:08 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by dove666 (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:55:46 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by cuberat (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:52:25 (#)
Ranking: 0
Meh...
I won't -2 you for this because you have noble intentions. But how about doing something about starving, sick CHILDREN? Why is everyone so obsessed with fucking animals, but when it comes to HUMANS people don't give a shit?!
*************************
Let's address both problems. Give the kids a puppy.
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To eat?
Pet stores that sell animals should be banned. Try the humane society, folks.
Submitted by BingBongBing (user info) at 2006-02-23 11:46:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I worked at one for 2 years, never had a puppy DIE though, the conditions must have been REAL bad at your store... mine wasnt in the mall, but we did a real good job I guess since we ALL wanted to make sure the puppies were in good shape, they spent more time threw out the day in a pen playing with eachother then they did actually in their cages...i felt bad for the ones that did get older (5 months) and were STILL there.... oh well, i like fish ;)
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-02-23 11:45:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-02-23 11:21:47 (#)
Ranking: 0
Don't most people know the practices of the mall pet store by now? It definitely is deplorable.
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I didn't know malls had pet stores anymore. 60 minutes, or nightline, or one of those shows did a story about puppy missl when I was in Middle school, and a few months later the one in my town closed, I haven't seen pet stores, at least ones with puppies in malls since then.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-02-23 11:29:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This is why I can't set foot in mall pet stores anymore. Too depressing. I got my 2 dogs from a Kansas breeder.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-02-23 11:22:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-02-23 11:21:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
shit I'm sorry
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-02-23 11:21:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by dove666 (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:55:46 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by cuberat (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:52:25 (#)
Ranking: 0
Meh...
I won't -2 you for this because you have noble intentions. But how about doing something about starving, sick CHILDREN? Why is everyone so obsessed with fucking animals, but when it comes to HUMANS people don't give a shit?!
*************************
Let's address both problems. Give the kids a puppy.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. sorry but that's funny.
Don't most people know the practices of the mall pet store by now? It definitely is deplorable.
Submitted by Susie_Derkins (user info) at 2006-02-23 10:48:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This is one of many reasons I don't ever go into pet stores anymore, it's too heartbreaking.
Submitted by precision (user info) at 2006-02-23 10:22:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You just had to start a series that I won't be able to miss, didn't you....
Submitted by firefly (user info) at 2006-02-23 10:00:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by dove666 (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:55:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by cuberat (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:52:25 (#)
Ranking: 0
Meh...
I won't -2 you for this because you have noble intentions. But how about doing something about starving, sick CHILDREN? Why is everyone so obsessed with fucking animals, but when it comes to HUMANS people don't give a shit?!
*************************
Let's address both problems. Give the kids a puppy.
Submitted by cuberat (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:52:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Meh...
I won't -2 you for this because you have noble intentions. But how about doing something about starving, sick CHILDREN? Why is everyone so obsessed with fucking animals, but when it comes to HUMANS people don't give a shit?!
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:34:57 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
and that's why i berate people for buying puppies at pet stores instead of from breeders who've been doing it for decades. no one checks living conditions, breed history, that particular puppy's history, how they were raised and the environment they were bred in, none of it. i worked in a pet store for all of two months before i quit and reported them to animal control. they got shut down. people that also buy puppies and refuse to fix them because they're pure bred and they MIGHT want to breed them are also stupid shits. animals are fixed for their own benefit, it's the same reason post-menopausal women get hysterectomies. if the parts aren't being used they cause problems. people are such fucking assholes.
Submitted by vettesrule88 (user info) at 2006-02-23 09:12:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I have a friend who has informed me of all if this, he cant even walk by the pet store at the mall without going into a rage..
and youre at the end when they get treated well. imagine the "puppy mills" where they are bred and noone seees them
Submitted by ozzy (user info) at 2006-02-23 06:11:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Dogs are awesome. Not sure I could work in a pet store though, the smell would be awful........
and the smell of animals wouldn't be too pleasant either.
Submitted by phuzzygish (user info) at 2006-02-23 05:03:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Berty! That's terrible...
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2006-02-23 04:33:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You should tell a watchdog.
Submitted by jgreening (user info) at 2006-02-23 04:07:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
From an animal lover...
Submitted by maiorano84 (user info) at 2006-02-23 03:20:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Puppies will one day rule the world.
Submitted by MandaPanda (user info) at 2006-02-23 02:58:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I'm going to do a mini-series on this, no matter how well received it is. I have things to say, and I'm going to say them.