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Post by Brooke on Mar 23, 2004 20:00:21 GMT -5
I went to Petland today to buy some shampoo for Kuma. It was terrible. I saw two of their puppies that looked near emaciated. A mini pin and a weim. I may take a camera in tomorrow and try to sneek some pictures. I'm so upset. Both dogs hips were extremely sunk in. One of the other mini pins had obvious skin issues but looked ok other than that. The weim brought incredible tears to my eyes. All I could do was stand there and look at him. I have never seen a puppy look that bad genetically. All 4 of his top hock joints were so low they were almost touching the floor while he was standing straight up. He was extremely disproportioned. He almost looked mutated. His legs were very thick but his body was so tremendously thin. Joints were sooo huge and knobby and his ribs and hipbones were extremely visible, EXREMELY sunk in infact his hipbones pointing out at the top. He looked terrible. I don't know if I never realized this before in their puppies until I really started learning about their company and Hunte or they haven't ever looked that bad before. I'm just so sad...I don't remember their puppies looking that bad.
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Post by Aussienot on Mar 23, 2004 21:25:48 GMT -5
I'm horrified and very sad to read this. I don't understand how the store staff can stand by and let this happen. Don't they see that the pups are, at the very least, dehydrated and possibly genetically wrong?
I am starting to unstand why some of the PETA fanatics are so extreme, cause this is wrong.
From time to time, the RSPCA in Aus lobbies to stop pet stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits. They have yet to be sucessful, but they've come close a few times.
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Post by Brooke on Mar 23, 2004 22:20:45 GMT -5
:'(One thing that is bothering me is that the vet that works with this store and does all the initial checkups and exams for these pups is my vet here. Has been for years. My mother took our family dogs to him as well. I think I've decided I will be switching... I've been thinking about going the hollistic way anyway... I'm just so sad I want so badly to do something about it!
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Post by DarthVadersMum on Mar 23, 2004 22:49:52 GMT -5
What does hollistic mean exactly? That is so horrible! I'm not sure what to hope for here. You don't want people to buy them & support these pet stores but you also wish those animals had good loving homes!!!!
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Post by Laura on Mar 24, 2004 0:04:32 GMT -5
Brooke, if those pups are that thin and that mangy, by all means call the local SPCA and file a complaint. I HATE hearing of this , bad enough to sell mill dogs, but to keep them sickly is just inhumane!! Here's the link to the SPCA's humane law page.... www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=lobby_statelawcards
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Post by Brooke on Mar 24, 2004 1:45:57 GMT -5
Laura you are so awsome! What would I ever do without you Hollistic is more of a homeopathic way of practicing medicine. They use more natural resources instead of being drug and vaccination happy. They try to treat health issues in a more natural way. Willow and sibemom I'm sure will elaborate more. They've been doing it for awhile and seem to have had excellent results from it. I like what they've had to say about it since I'm not comfortable with all the things I've found about drugs and vaccinations over the last couple years.
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Post by sibemom on Mar 24, 2004 6:38:41 GMT -5
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Post by Willow on Mar 24, 2004 8:40:51 GMT -5
How terrible, Brooke!!! I agree with Laura and Sibemom.
The so called *deformities* (low hocks etc.) you see can be caused by being caged all the time and not getting any exercise. I saw a dog on Animal Cops (or Precinct) that had a horribly under developed rear end, to the point that the dog could barely walk because it was crated all the time. I also saw some ducks that were kept in cages and force fed. They couldn't walk and their feet were so deformed and bent under. One recovered when it was taken out and exercised/treated homeopathically, but they weren't sure if the other one ever would have *normal* feet. It was so pitiful! At first they didn't even know how to eat normally!
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Post by Nicole on Mar 24, 2004 8:53:54 GMT -5
That is just heartbreaking. I also agree that you should file a complaint. You posted a news story about a Petland in Athens re: the selling of puppies. It was greatly opposed and here is what the Petland owner had to say: Vieland said that as a Petland franchise owner, he would be free to choose where he gets the pets he would sell in the store. "I intend if it's at all possible to get my pets from local breeders," Vieland said. ( No local reputable breeder would sell to a pet store) Vieland also said he plans to visit breeders personally to ensure they are treating their animals humanely. "I will visit to make sure they're not puppy mills," he said (What a load of bull.) In a Petland store that I was in they had rabbits and birds in the back next to a storage room. There was heavy metal music BLASTING from the storage room. :(I was looking at the rabbits and birds thinking how they could stand this all day. The manager saw me looking and asked if he could help me. I said that music must be driving these animals crazy...it certainly was driving me crazy. He said, if it bothered them, the animals would let him know by squawking. I said you have to be kidding me. These animals are going to be neurotic. To make a long story short by the time I left the store the music was off. I have been back, not to buy but to check, and the music is off. I think generally Petland has little regard for animals.
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Post by Willow on Mar 24, 2004 11:44:36 GMT -5
Good for you, Nicki!! I'm glad the guy took it to heart too and no longer has the music blaring. If you go back and he does, tell him Harp music has been found to be very soothing and calming to animals. I have been thinking of buying some tapes and playing them before bedtime for both me and the dogs. Not that we are stressed, but I think it would be very relaxing and help me sleep better.
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Post by Brooke on Mar 24, 2004 12:57:32 GMT -5
I'm embarrassed to admit it but I worked there a total of two days once. I REEEEALLY learned a lot at that company. They must tell the managers in training to say that they visited the facilities or something because mine said the same thing. He said they had an impecable atmosphere. Riiiiight. Did I ever tell you I once read Hunte Corporations (the largest "High Volume Breeder" in america who supplies to petland)'s webpage about a year ago. Their own webpage announced that they normally produce approx 2000 pups at one time and have more than adequate help, up to 10 people on staff "caring" for the dogs at all times... hmmm....does the math controdict that or what!? 2000 + dogs..../10 that equals about 200 + dogs per person. Sound adequate to you?
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Post by Brooke on Mar 24, 2004 16:51:53 GMT -5
I have some pretty sad pictures to show you guys once I get my software downloaded... I was lucky I didn't get caught. I had them leave me alone with the weim "to play" She was such a sweetheart too. So affectionate and loving. She just laid in my lap with her head in my arms. People peeked over the wall and saw me playing and hugging her a little. They just looked at me like "why the heck are you looking at THAT thing?" They looked at her like she was a freak so I know I wasn't the only one who was seeing the problem there...
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Post by Laura on Mar 24, 2004 21:48:17 GMT -5
Good for you, I hope you bust them royally! Send the pics to the local Humane people too, I'll bet they'll find them interesting . And BTW, I think you'd be just peachy without me ;D!
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Post by Brooke on Mar 25, 2004 2:07:37 GMT -5
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Post by Brooke on Mar 25, 2004 19:22:43 GMT -5
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