I've only been to my local Pets@Home and have never had an issue with it. I took Jaz there for a 'wash and brush up' and not only did they do a fantastic job but she was happy and excited to go back again.

 

Because of their morals, where they get their stock from ( the staff member was lying or didn't know any better. They all come from 3-4 mills across the country), miss sexing, dangerous advice, selling unsuitable cages, also the last straw was when they decided it was a good idea to transport spayed/neutered 7 week old rabbits across from Spain and the list goes on :cursing:

Some stores are better than others but at the end of the day they are all about money with no care or concern of the animals they sell.

Oh and just to add I don't agree with ANY pet shop selling livestock.

 

Sorry - I'm normally on the dog bit of here, but I thought I'd chip in

I have been to three pets at homes, one in Cambridgeshire and two in Essex - all have been rubbish - Essex one the worst, asked a question and they didn't have a clue, and the staff I have always found have been so unhelpful!!

I have seen the animals for sale all in very poor conditions and there place looks so dirty...

I guess it does depend where you are, as each store is different.

I go to another pet shop closer to us and I literally can't rate it enough, I could quite happily live there!! The staff are helpful, they remember us, they give good advice - etc

 

the one we go to is very good, animals are in lovely condition, and plenty of room, and people who work there are very helpful.
thats dunstable. so no complaints.
michelle x

 

I go to the Pets at Home in Aberdeen, and I've always liked it. Apart from the massive cues and lack of baskets (or maybe I just never noticed where they keep baskets ), I always enjoy it there. The staff always seem nice and helpful, and they seem to offer sound enough advice. I only got my gerbils from there, but I visit regularly to stock up on food, woodshavings, etc. for my gerbils and fish.

Actually, the only other "problem" I have with them is that they don't seem to sell fish tanks bigger than 64L. And the prices for fish tanks are quite high there, as I bought online a 98L tank for almost half the price of the 64L one.

I always enjoy going there, as the atmosphere is always nice, but I will look out for the advice they give, and will double-check it from now on

 

The pets at home I go to isn't the worst out there, but that's only what is visible. On the surface? The cages are a half decent size. The animals are nearly always moderately healthy looking. (I have seen some horribly, HORRIBLY deformed hamsters there and several animals with flaky skin, but most of the time they look OK) But you can't see the genetics of the animals. You can't see the cages they're kept in at the back. Sure, it MAY be hunky dory, but you don't KNOW that.

A few years ago I went to P@H and asked to see the hamsters they had at the back because they'd sold out of the ones which were easily visible. The staff were very kind and told me that while I couldn't go round the back, they'd be happy to bring them out.
So I waited a few minutes and they bought out about 7 or so hamsters in a little blue plastic tub with a shallow layer of sawdust and no nest material. No food. No water. Mixed sex animals. Maybe it was temporary, but you can't know that for sure.

Many of the hamsters that we've got there have died very shortly after purchase, or some of them were ill when I got them. I don't care about money - they can keep the money they make off me if they want. I just don't want to watch animals which I love and try and tame die just weeks/days after bringing them home.

 

I have wouldn't buy a pet from a shop or go into a pet shop of any sort for advice.
My purchases are only accessories or food related, as well as the grooming room.
I have to walk past the pets for sale and they look ok and are in large enclosures but I don't stop at them.

 

My main bug bears with pets at home are where they get their stock, that they sell rats singly or sell animals knowing they will be left with a lone rat, and that the ones in my local branch know sod all about rodent care yet still feel happy to misadvise people about them. As far as pet shops in general selling animals goes I feel that it makes it too easy for people to impulse buy animals, and it makes it possible for terrible breeders to stay in business.

 

The pets at home I go to isn't the worst out there, but that's only what is visible. On the surface? The cages are a half decent size. The animals are nearly always moderately healthy looking. (I have seen some horribly, HORRIBLY deformed hamsters there and several animals with flaky skin, but most of the time they look OK) But you can't see the genetics of the animals. You can't see the cages they're kept in at the back. Sure, it MAY be hunky dory, but you don't KNOW that.

A few years ago I went to P@H and asked to see the hamsters they had at the back because they'd sold out of the ones which were easily visible. The staff were very kind and told me that while I couldn't go round the back, they'd be happy to bring them out.
So I waited a few minutes and they bought out about 7 or so hamsters in a little blue plastic tub with a shallow layer of sawdust and no nest material. No food. No water. Mixed sex animals. Maybe it was temporary, but you can't know that for sure.

Many of the hamsters that we've got there have died very shortly after purchase, or some of them were ill when I got them. I don't care about money - they can keep the money they make off me if they want. I just don't want to watch animals which I love and try and tame die just weeks/days after bringing them home.

Wow that really changed my view I don't think I could ever buy from there again now!!

 

Before I say this I really don't want to upset or annoy anyone, this is just me thinking aloud rather than directing this at anyone in particular

I am constantly surprised with the continued ignorance of where P@H obtain their stock, and what they do behind the scenes. I wonder is it a case of out of site, out of mind?
I wonder if these people would still shop there if they saw where these animals came from and what happens to "excess stock"

There is a reason that the general public aren't allowed in the back rooms and it isn't anything to do with insurance :cursing:

ETA: After sitting thinking for a bit I have decided to post this link Why not use Pet Shops? That is the sort of place that supplies P@H, if you are happy to support that then I give up (yet another general you, this is directed to anyone in particular)

 

I have asked for a certain sex rat in the past that they have not had out in the store and my local branch have always gone out the back and got them out to show me, they have always been in tiny tiny cages with nothing apart from a small food and water bowl, nothing else in the cage as to be honest the cages have been that small nothing else would literally fit.

The cages the rats have been kept in the back in, they actually sell in store and are labelled up for a maximum of 2 mice starter cages.

I know i should always walk away from p@h but i always feel so sorry for the rats, i know that if they are in rescue or at a good breaders they are being looked after but at p@h they are really in need of a good home, i know this is the wrong way of looking at it and that i am helping to keep rodent farms in business but i just cant help myself when the poor ratties look back at me, i see it as these p@h rats are rats all the same and did not ask to be born into that situation.

Just being honest here and wanted to explain why i have in the past bought from them.

 

Its where they get their animals and the health problems assosiated with that, that poor, unsuspecting owners will either have to deal with or - as I imagine alot of people who buy from P@H would do - get rid of them to a rescue or worse.
I had Kodi from there (a lop rabbit) who they told me would be small, she wasn't, she was huge! She had behavioural issues and reoccuring ear mites which eventually killed her.
I asked them once where they got the animals, what age and what breed and the person serving me said..."oh, we don't get told any of that information!"
The set-ups in the store look nice and inviting, but as said above, its behind the scenes that is the issue.

Also having seen the mess up's the fish section make (I used to work at a specialised aquatics store) with mis-information, labelling incorrectly, bagging different species from different tanks together, and just poor quality fish!

*Heidi*

 

I go to the Pets at Home in Aberdeen, and I've always liked it. Apart from the massive cues and lack of baskets (or maybe I just never noticed where they keep baskets ), I always enjoy it there. The staff always seem nice and helpful, and they seem to offer sound enough advice. I only got my gerbils from there, but I visit regularly to stock up on food, woodshavings, etc. for my gerbils and fish.

Actually, the only other "problem" I have with them is that they don't seem to sell fish tanks bigger than 64L. And the prices for fish tanks are quite high there, as I bought online a 98L tank for almost half the price of the 64L one.

I always enjoy going there, as the atmosphere is always nice, but I will look out for the advice they give, and will double-check it from now on

I also go to the Aberdeen PaH (and have a mate who works there) tbh it depends what you're buying and which member of staff is on at the time, but yes their cages are clean and probably larger than what the animals will be put in after!

 

I also go to the Aberdeen PaH (and have a mate who works there) tbh it depends what you're buying and which member of staff is on at the time, but yes their cages are clean and probably larger than what the animals will be put in after!

Yet another reason pet shops shouldn't sell animals

 

I have to say as much as I don't agree with buying pets from shops, all of the p@h I've been to have been brilliant.
I love my local one- the adoption co-ordinator there knows who I am and talks to me when I go in. The staff are very knowledgable and not just that, but passionate.
My OH wanted to get a crested gecko and was looking at vivs for one- the reptile guy came over and literally couldn't stop telling us all this stuff about CGs and how much he loved them etc.
I think it's the same as anywhere- some branches are better than others, and that literally could be said for other chains, not necessarily pets.
Yes their morals aren't great, but I don't think we can tar all the p@h with the same brush with regards to customer service.

 

I couldn't give a stuff about the customer service - they get their animals from rodent mills, why isn't that enough to want to boycott them? I don't care whether the conditions are terrible or pristine in the shop, it's all a ruse for the cruelty going on in the background.

I rescued Lavender who was a P@H girl, missexed, she and her sister were pregnant when they were only babies themselves. Her sister wasn't so lucky and died giving birth, but Lavender and her babies grew up with me and apart from the two remaining, have all become sick and died of an illness which appears to be a cruel and painful genetic timebomb. Pets at Home encouraged this irresponsible breeding; breeding pain and sickness into animals. That is why we hate them.

We recoil at the thought of puppy and kitten mills, of backyard breeders, this is no different yet people don't seem as disgusted. If you knew a pet shop was buying say, kittens from a mill - this is still legal albeit the pet shop needs a license to sell kittens, you would boycott it right? Not even step in the door? Why is this any different?

 

I think hate's quite a strong word, I just dislike their ethics a lot.
Rep for Bernie & Argent for their posts, as they've pretty much said what I'm too lazy to type before my 2nd cup of tea of the day
I don't understand how people can codemn puppy farms & backyard breeders but are happy to buy rabbits & rodents from P@H when the 'stock' they sell comes from the same conditions. It's speciesim.

 

I bought my rats from their before I knew about all of the bad things that happen there. I wouldn't buy animals from p@h again, although my girls are perfect it is the principle. I would adopt from them though. I have also stopped buying products from them, i now use equine canine feline as they have a much larger product range and are cheaper, too.

So there is no need for people to use them for anything in the rodent world.

 

Well, I think we should consider their customer service. People are always going to buy animals from pet shops so if that's happening we need people who know their stuff to tell them how to look after them properly or that's how they end up with accidental litters or lone rats.
I'm not saying I agree with it, I don't, and actually the staff in my local are pro-rescue and steer them towards the adoption section where possible which is another example of great customer service, and who knows what would've happened to that animal if p@h didn't exist for people to dump them in.

 

I couldn't give a stuff about the customer service

I think perhaps the point Maltey was trying to make was (please correct me if I'm wrong) that these shops will exist for the foreseeable future so while some people continue to buy from them, good customer service in terms of knowledge and enthusiam are important.

They should not be selling animals.
More people should be educated about where these animals come from.

BUT while people still do shop here for animals and other products, accurate knowledgeable advice is important so that the animals they buy at least go off to live on the correct diet with an appropriate sized cage etc etc.

 

Exactly that LynseyB, you put it better than I could've!

 

I couldn't give a stuff about the customer service - they get their animals from rodent mills, why isn't that enough to want to boycott them? I don't care whether the conditions are terrible or pristine in the shop, it's all a ruse for the cruelty going on in the background.

I rescued Lavender who was a P@H girl, missexed, she and her sister were pregnant when they were only babies themselves. Her sister wasn't so lucky and died giving birth, but Lavender and her babies grew up with me and apart from the two remaining, have all become sick and died of an illness which appears to be a cruel and painful genetic timebomb. Pets at Home encouraged this irresponsible breeding; breeding pain and sickness into animals. That is why we hate them.

We recoil at the thought of puppy and kitten mills, of backyard breeders, this is no different yet people don't seem as disgusted. If you knew a pet shop was buying say, kittens from a mill - this is still legal albeit the pet shop needs a license to sell kittens, you would boycott it right? Not even step in the door? Why is this any different?

Hear hear
It is a huge bugbare of mine that people constantly brush over where these animals come from, P@H are responsible for so, so many rabbits in rescue (fact not made up) due to their "advise" and selling to anyone that can put the money on the counter...

The ONLY way to stop P@H selling animals is to STOP buying from them Simple why is that so hard to see

 

Reading this thread I didnt know just how bad they are, Its so sad
I went to one a while ago and was so upset I had to leave, there was 2 rabbits only young ones and there was these two snot nosed little brats baning on the glass front of where they were kept screaming and shouting becuase they wanted them, the bunnies were beyond terrified!!! and the shop assistant who was stood talking to the parents did nothing,

 

And we all have, which is great. But not everybody is aware of these conditions, let's face it it's hardly publicised, and some people just don't care or don't see what they're doing as helping the problem. They think they're helping that one animal and don't see the bigger picture.
So whilst the solution may simply be to stop buying from them, actually it's bigger than that and it's awareness that we need to focus on.

 

I dislike Pets at home since witnessing one of the groomers rough handling of a tiny Yorkshire Terrier in Hertfordshire, as the grooming area has glass walls i was able to see this 'groomer' inappropriately brushing this tiny dog's long coat soo roughly, and she kept grabbing its face and shouting aggressively at it when it moved slightly due to the pain she was causing it!! Was horrible poor thing, we complained to the manager, who did nothing, then we sent 2 emails to head office threatening too report them to the RSPCA, never heard back!! wish i had a camera on me so i could of filmed it and got it as evidence! We have never shopped there since.

Also when they used to sell birds, we had to tell them one of them had a injured leg, they didn't even realise! durrrrr