To work, or not to work, that is the question...

[justjumpit621]

I have applied for a full-time pet care associate job at my local Petsmart. I do not know if I will get the job although I should, I am well qualified, but I mainly want to work there so I can take better care of their chameleons. My best friend used to work at a petsmart and she said they are open to new information. Since Molly came from her store, I am hoping I can help this store and keep them from having more problems like Molly. Good idea or bad idea? I can't stop them from selling chameleons, but I can at least care for them myself and educate employees and customers better than anyone else there could.

 

[ColorCham427]

i say go for it, but unfortunately you wont make any more money for saving their animals... even though you should!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

what you give , hopfully we be paid foward. thanks for being a good person friend.

 

[pssh]

Apparently you have to have everything a certain way when they get inspected every so often, which means you have to keep them in whatever they say you have to keep them in It would be better if you could just tell the manager to not buy chameleons... Or any animals for that matter. They take horrible care of all their animals and often times just leave them in the back when they are 'unsellable.' They buy from backyard breeders who sell sick and poorly animals that should not have been sold, let alone bred. Four or five guinea pigs are kept in 3-4 square foot enclosures when the minimum cage size for 3-4 guinea pigs is 10.5-13 square feet. They have twenty or thirty small mice in a small ten gallon enclosure. There are often dead anoles in the cages just sitting there with all their ribs showing.

Unless you can stop them from selling animals or at least to only adopt out small animals and buy only quality bred animals that are clean and healthy, you aren't really helping all that much

Edit: I'm adding stuff.

 

[justjumpit621]

Unfortunately Petsmart is a large chain store and to get them to stop buying chameleons would take everyone on chameleon forums times 10. I would be caring for the chameleons daily and Make sure they are as properly cared for as possible. Yes I know what you are talking about when you say unsellable, but those animals are also up for adoption, free. That is how I got Molly. I would also be in charge of the back isolation room with all the sick/"defective" animals so I can keep watch on them and make sure they are being treated in the best way possible. I work at a veterinarian and know quite a bit about animals and ailments. I figure at least customers could buy an animal that is decently taken care of and I can show them exactly what they need to buy with extensive knowledge, not just "they need heat and UVB". I would also direct them to the screen cages and reptariums, not the tanks. If they don't like it they don't have to buy the animal.

 

[pssh]

The adoptable animals are still supporting the mills and backyard breeding. There are also stores that keep sick rodents in desk drawers until they die. They dont treat them in anyway and just forget about them.

I really suggest that you dont work there. Any new spots that sold animals make just help to continue the cycle. In order to break it the demand needs to stop. You can help in a better way by spreading the word, doing your research, and not buying from them (including supplies.) No profit and they stop selling them. Ever wonder why cats and dogs aren't sold at pet stores anymore?

 

[Psychotic4mb3r]

I see cats and dogs being sold all the time in the pet stores here :/
Ive been wanting to work at Jack's Aquarium for awhile but allot of what you guys are saying is true.. but I cant help but feel sorry for the animals and want to help out with them as much as possible..

The adoptable animals are still supporting the mills and backyard breeding. There are also stores that keep sick rodents in desk drawers until they die. They dont treat them in anyway and just forget about them.

I really suggest that you dont work there. Any new spots that sold animals make just help to continue the cycle. In order to break it the demand needs to stop. You can help in a better way by spreading the word, doing your research, and not buying from them (including supplies.) No profit and they stop selling them. Ever wonder why cats and dogs aren't sold at pet stores anymore?

 

[justjumpit621]

I see tons of dogs and cats at pet stores around here. But not petsmart or petco, only the adoptable cats from the local shelters. So this is not really a matter of kittens and puppies. I support our local shelter and would always adopt when it comes to pets. But other people don't know that.... the unsuspecting customers with their little children who want the cool chameleon someone has to at least tell them how to PROPERLY care for it and tell them whether or not it is the right pet for them.

 

[pssh]

Then they can research first to see if its what they want/can take care of. But is it really morally right in your eyes to help only one or two animals yet support another clutch/litter born from females that are overbred and only live a fraction of the life they could have had they been kept in proper conditions? Is it really right to support animals being kept in small cages for possibly months on end in poor conditions? It is okay to subject an animal to be confined to poor food, over crowding, often times no water, and sickness just because you want to 'help' one animal? You have to remember that you are supporting all of this when you decided to work or buy there. You may be helping one chameleon, or a gecko, but you aren't helping the rest of them. What makes chameleons better than mice, fish, birds, or bunnies? Or do you plan to help all of them? When you work at a pet store you are supporting the over population of many animals. Is it really worth it?

I dont think so

 

[justjumpit621]

Okay, we'll see. I have applied to many other jobs and positions at that store (grooming department) but if it is the only job I can get then so be it. I need a ft job bad. It's even getting hard to feed Molly

 

[pssh]

I'm really sorry about your circumstances, and I'm glad your are thinking about the bigger picture instead of the smaller. I wish you luck in finding a job, but I strongly urge you not to associate yourself with petno/petstupid. I wouldn't suggest applying for any job that mistreats animals (unless you can better the conditions for every single one of them.)

 

[xanthoman]

if you genuinely need a job, its not for any of us to tell you where to work, who knows, even a job at petco might turn into some thing better , maybe then you would be in a position to effect some change. (even if not for the animals there, then at least you would be in a position to take better care of your animal) just my 2c worth

 

[Syn]

I wish the economy we are in did not force us into jobs we would not apply for otherwise! I hope that you can get a good job so you can support your hobby!

 

[Seeco]

You are SO gonna get fired. If you want to work with animals that's a good job to have on your resume. Just do it untill you can find something better and don't crtitque ANYTHING -- even if they put a parrot in a desk drawer. Just make your boss happy and get a good reference for when you apply to the zoo or whatever you are aiming for.

 

[Syn]

even if they put a parrot in a desk drawer.

OH. MY. GOODNESS. This is the funniest thing I have heard all week. Oh wait, it's Sunday morning..

 

[Elizadolots]

You know what? You need a job. Take the job. If you get assigned to the small animals section then do what you can to make things better (and YAY! for you!!) but don't worry about whether what you are doing works for the greater good of all chameleons...just try to help the ones that come into your sphere. They will appreciate it.

 

[Seeco]

hey isn't it kinda late in arizona? you should get some leaftail geckos to keep you company!

 

[Syn]

hey isn't it kinda late in arizona? you should get some leaftail geckos to keep you company!

I keep a Uroplatus sikorae. They don't really move too much. It's 12:53, not that late, not that early.. I just can't sleep, there is a lone cricket in my room.
I wouldn't mind if it was a colony of crickets, but just one, single cricket.. oh lawdy.

 

[GooglezNvincent]

I'm really sorry about your circumstances, and I'm glad your are thinking about the bigger picture instead of the smaller. I wish you luck in finding a job, but I strongly urge you not to associate yourself with petno/petstupid. I wouldn't suggest applying for any job that mistreats animals (unless you can better the conditions for every single one of them.)

Do you know for sure they treat their animals badly? what proof do you have?

I have been told that anytime an animal is sick the company policy is to send it to a vet to get it checked.

 

[pssh]

Different forums I participate in have members that have been to the back to 'adopt the animals.' That's a funny policy, when I used to go in the shore there were lots of animals that had clouded over eyes that were crusty, feet sores, signs of RI and other illnesses. Some of the birds were loosing feathers and animals had bald patches. Many of the small mammals had mites, fleas, and lice that could easily be treated but weren't. It's too bad they wouldn't take those animals to the vet instead of Having them out on the floor infecting other animals.

They sold my cousin a hamster that was going blind.

 

[Syn]

Do you know for sure they treat their animals badly? what proof do you have?

I have been told that anytime an animal is sick the company policy is to send it to a vet to get it checked.

Their vets are 99% of the time banfield dog and cat vets. The only banfield vet in the area that does anything with "exotics" still doesn't know much.. it's a bit saddening.

The proof is in the cage, simply look in a couple and tell me if they look as good as they should.