...we went to a pet store to look at puppies because my mom wants a little lap dog. Now, I won't say the name because that would probably get me in trouble, but. When we got in there, it stank of animal excretia (sp?). I did the first thing I always do when we go to a petstore: beeline for the fish. The tanks were disgusting. The Bettas were still babies and barely hanging on. There were two feeder fish tanks and I don't even know how the water was getting filtered because there were dead fish stuck to all sides of the intake tube. In both tanks! There was also this beautiful albino Oscar in about five inches of hideous green water, any less and the filter would quit working. In one ten gallon tank, there were little guppy-type fish, I couldn't see them very well, all at the top of the water because their filter wasn't even turned on! In the pond they had, there were dead fish everywhere. All of the tanks either had no filtration, or dead fish in them. The only, and I literally mean ONLY tank that was clean and free of death was one saltwater tank. And those require more maintenence.
While I was there I asked one of the guys there something about the Bettas, I can't remember what though. And he showed me the little sealed bags that the Bettas come in. He just threw the bag on to a rock hard counter. And that is just the fish. The puppies smelled of urine, the rabbits and other mammals they had have been neglected so long they don't even care anymore. The birds, lizards, snakes and tarantulas all looked fine.
Although I should'nt have, I bought a Betta there. He was tiny, but he was rainbow colored. I thought he was gorgeous. So, they bagged him up in the same water as his tiny bowl and didn't put anything in there for stress. Well, needless to say, when we got home I put him in his new tank and he died. We hadn't been home for ten minutes!!

I just want to say: NEVER buy a living creature from a store like that, no matter how sorry you feel for it. I'm trying not to cry right now.


Thank you for reading this.

That is an awful story. I hope you print it out and mail it back to the shop!

Poor animals.

Oh I'm so sorry :\ I would file a complaint...anything that bad should be getting some attenion. Most people won't do much for fish, but if the other, bigger animals are being treated the same way, some form of action will most likely be taken.

If that Pet Store is as horrible as you say it is,then your Parents should turn them in.Every store has dead fish-it just depends on what time you get there,and what time they clean their tanks.It's unfortunately part of the fish trade industry.But when you get into mammals and such with dirtiness/urine smells,etc.-now that's definately something that surely shows you that someones not doing their jobs I can't imagine how it can be that bad,and still be open.

Ugh...Thats horrible. I feel sorry for the animals in there.You should really file a complaint.And sorry for your betta.I'm sure it really was beautiful.That store needs to close.Take the animals and give them good baths.There...thats better.

Wow, is there not some kinda animal protection agency where you live you could report them to? We've got the RSPCA in UK, and a shop like that would be in serious trouble. They shouldn't be allowed to sell or care for animals. Try and get some support from other people who've witnessed it, (i agree, showing people the state of the puppies and bunnies should get them worked up-as most people don't understand what are bad fish conditions) and then contact the manager, or better still some animal organisation, or even the police if it is as terrible as you describe-as it is illegal to mistreat pet animals in most places (again reporting the dogs should get most attention, therefore helping all the animals).

Actually, the guy who OWNS the store goes in EVERY day to groom dogs that people bring in. We're going in tomorrow to take the poor fish back. They say that they'll replace the fish, but youcan't replace a pet, even though I didn't have him that long. So I'm going to get my money back and get a fish at Wal Mart. I know those Bettas are healthy. At least they won't die soon. If I see the owner tomorrow, I'm going to talk to him. He won't like me very much.

I'm going to look on our PD's website and see what I can do about them. If I could work there, all I would do was care for the animals.

That makes me so angry!! If people are going to own pets or go into the pet business they need to take responsiblity for them!!!!! Argh! I hope you can figure out who to report them to!!!!

That makes me so angry!! If people are going to own pets or go into the pet business they need to take responsiblity for them!!!!! Argh! I hope you can figure out who to report them to!!!!

store puppies are bad news in my book anyways.. have your mom jump on

www.petfinder.com

anywho.. Im so sorry... try contacting the county or state... (like maybe the dept. of agriculture for starters?) There are laws about keeping animals semi-alive

Maybe you can sneak a couple photos before you talk to the owner.

The puppy farms that supply commercial pet shops don't actually do much of a check for hip dysplasia or anything and do a bit of inbreeding. It's sad when you have to decide with a one year old pup whether to do a $5,000 hip replacement operation or put it down.

I always get pups from a lost dog's home in an upmarket suburb. Rich people's castoffs... if you get them under a year old you get some lovely trainable pups and nice breeding.

I looked on the city's PD website and they have a link to Animal Control, and they'll check out any complaints. So I typed up a letter and put that story in there. I might need mom to do it because I'm underage. Bleh.
My mom used to own a fish store called Mostly Fish (which is probably what got me started on fish ) And her tanks all had seperate filters and if a tank was being treated for something there was a "window" that you would close, so people couldn't see the tank.

That's HORRIBLE! And unfortunatly not as uncommon as you might think. For several years I lived in a large city in New York State and filed several complaints against a pet store there. They were forced out of business, but it took several months of complaints by myself and others. Good luck and be persistant. No animal, no matter how small, should have to endure conditions like the ones you described.

Thats horrible, sorry about your betta. You should contact animal
control, or an animal rights place to check the pet store out.

I am sorry about your fish - at least he died with love at home

Thank you for filing a complaint! I could not even bear to read the details... I will have nightmares now! It never ceases to blow my mind how people can even think (or not think - which is probably the case) like that at all!

Would you mind coming back to tell us what happens?

Thank you and bless your heart for trying to help those animals in the best possible way for them! They need professional help now. If people buy them becuase they feel sorry for them, they might find themselves unequipped to deal with the problems these animals will undoubedtly come with... and could fare even worse...

I'm sorry about your experience with the terrible pet store. I had a similar experience but just with the fish area at our new Wal-Mart. I guess every store is different... but anyways, it was just terrible and upset me the whole day. Everyone is right, file a complaint I wish you luck and to better lives for those poor babies there