Essays and Musings on Animals and Society

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

If You Work With Cat or Dog Rescue Groups - You Can Help Rabbits 

Dog and cat rescues (and anyone): Please help us stop Petsmart from selling rabbits and other animals.

At the end of this post is contact information. If you must dash off, you can skip to there. Otherwise, if you can spare a couple minutes, please read the background info. Thank you!

Petsmart is embarking on a program to sell dwarf rabbits in some of its stores. They are getting the rabbits from Marshall "Farms," a notorious breeding mill with multiple animal welfare violations that raises beagles and ferrets in small wire cages and sells them to product testing laboratories. These labs are tightly sealed but we know from numerous undercover investigations that horrors often take place inside them. (That's why they're so inaccessible—to hide the animals' misery from the public.)

Dwarf rabbits, because of their small size, suffer more dental problems and thus require more veterinary care than most larger companion rabbits. They also are more likely to be picked up, mishandled, and injured by young children. Rabbits are ground-dwelling prey animals and may be frightened when scooped up. In response, they may defend themselves by biting.

The rabbits sold at Petsmart will be spayed and neutered at—get this—one month old. That is reckless. If they waited longer, as virtually all reputable rabbit veterinarians do, they would have to spend more on the rabbits' care; plus they know that baby rabbits sell more quickly than adult ones.

Petsmart offers a ludicrously short 14-day window in which buyers can return rabbits. After that, if the family decides it didn't really want a rabbit, the animals' fate is anyone's guess and is not Petsmart's concern. The "lucky" ones will show up at already overburdened rabbit rescue groups. Others will be euthanized—killed. Anyone in rabbit rescue knows that at 14 days, the novelty of having a rabbit still hasn't worn off. People who buy rabbits on impulse or who have done no research on caring for companion rabbits and have ignorant, unrealistic expectations generally begin their gradual abandonment and neglect of the rabbit after the 14-day period. Petsmart's "guarantee" is a callous and disingenuous smokescreen.

We've seen the unlucky rabbits too often: Rabbits relegated to the garage, given stale pizza crusts; rabbits with broken legs from being dropped, receiving no veterinary care; rabbits stuck for life in filth-encrusted cages; and so forth. It's heartbreaking.

Then there are the rabbits who are basically kicked out the back door. The humans who expel them may superficially fool themselves by telling themselves that companion rabbits can survive outside. But a rabbit suddenly pushed out of his home, and having no experience surviving on his own, will be terrified and bewildered, and probably die by predation or by being hit by a car within two or three days. We see this all the time. My rabbit was found on the side of the highway—tame as can be. Domesticated rabbits are not wild cottontails.

As with all the animals they sell, Petsmart will do no careful screening of buyers, and no home visits. Their salespeople will not sit down with prospective buyers to determine whether they are aware of the time and cost commitment necessary for responsible rabbit care. Petsmart will not require buyers to sign a contract or even to purchase books on rabbit care or rabbit health. Buyers may not know that companion rabbits must be fed alfalfa hay up to a certain age and timothy hay thereafter—and that this is the most important part of a companion rabbit's diet. Buyers may have no idea that rabbits are insatiably curious and need stimulation, variety, and space. They may not even know that rooms in which the rabbit is allowed to run free—and the rabbit must be allowed to run free to have any quality of life—should be "rabbit-proofed" beforehand. Will adopters know when to take their new life, for which they're responsible, to the vet? And not just any vet—rabbits must be treated by veterinarians who have specific training and experience in rabbit health, diseases, and medications. In fact, will buyers even know that a well-cared-for rabbit may live over ten years? ("Well-cared-for" is the key phrase.)

Will unprepared, untrained, uninvolved dismiss their rabbit, who's stuck in a cage and never has an opportunity to play or explore, as "mean," when in fact he's miserable and in chronic pain, and needs to see a vet? If only I had a nickel for every time someone claimed a rabbit was "mean" and the rabbit turned out to be the sweetest thing as soon as he was treated right.

Petsmart's plan is a recipe for disaster and suffering. And death. A popular national chain adding to the companion rabbit overpopulation is about the worst thing that could happen to rabbit rescue groups and shelters that house rabbits. We are already at or over capacity. Compared to cats and dogs, it is exceedingly difficult to find good homes for rabbits. So many people don't know about rabbits or are clueless about how to take care of them.

Petsmart is not only betraying the rabbit rescue community—they are betraying the entire animal rescue community. They have said in the past that they have no plans to sell rabbits, and rabbit groups across the country have developed a relationship with the company, holding adoption events in Petsmart stores and informing adopters and applicants that they can buy supplies such as litter and toys at Petsmart. But this is worse than a slap in the face to rescue groups. It's really a betrayal of the rabbits themselves. Profit before welfare. Profit instead of compassion or integrity.

If Petsmart makes money selling rabbits, why wouldn't they sell guinea pigs next year? Or hypoallergenic cats for 300 dollars a piece the year after that? What's the difference between rabbits and cats and dogs? Ethically, none. And for that matter, there's no difference between the aforementioned animals and ferrets, mice, or birds. Or any other animal sold at Petsmart. In a follow-up post, I'll report on the suffering and horrendous treatment of hamsters and other "pocket pets" at Petsmart.

The best way to stop Petsmart from going on with this ill-conceived plan may be for the cat and dog groups to complain, or to threaten to pull out - that is, to threaten to cease doing adoptions at Petsmart - unless Petsmart pulls the plug on selling rabbits. I realize that to make good on such a threat is easier for some groups than others. Whatever you can do will be appreciated.

In fact, perhaps now is the time for all rescue groups and all animal shelters to put their foot down, to speak up for all companion animals, and to tell Petsmart management that they'll look for other venues unless Petsmart stops selling animals, period. Perhaps you've seen what I've seen at cat or dog adoption fairs: Mice pulled out and stuck in a box, sold for a few dollars, virtually no questions asked, as if selling batteries or some other inanimate merchandise. Bonded pairs of animals broken up, leaving the remaining animal to become morose or go crazy. Frustrated birds squawking day after day in small, crowded cages. And so on. And like I said before, wait till you see what goes on in the back rooms.

One more note before the contact info: Petsmart Charities, which is distinct from Petsmart, is also opposed to Petsmart's plan to sell rabbits. Apparently Petsmart is ignoring their concerns and their recommendations.

Contact Info

All the contact information is on this dedicated page from RabbitWise, Inc: — Why PetSmart is Pet Stupid! The page contains a wealth of information about how organizations and individuals across the county are protesting PetSmart's misguided plan of betrayal.

For convenience, here's how to contact PetSmart electronically:

www.petsmart.com/global/customerservice/contactUsForm.jsp

And here is their snail mail:

PetSmart, Inc.
19601 North 27th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027

If you write, send your letters to the attention of Robert F., Moran, President and Chief Operating Officer.

Additional contact information is on the RabbitWise site.

Finally, although this link is also on the RabbitWise page, if you get a chance, please read this blog post which discusses the tragedy of mass-selling rabbits to ill-prepared, incompetent, and uncaring buyers: Tell Petsmart Not To Sell Rabbits

Thank you SO MUCH for speaking up for rabbits!





You died far too early. But you knew joy thanks to your compassionate rescuers. And you repaid them with love.

Tippy, this is for you.

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Posted by: Gary / 11:48 AM
Comments:
I work for the Petsmart HQ and can officially tell you this is a lie. All rumours!
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 1:54 PM
 
I doubt that you work at Petsmart HQ, but if you do then identify yourself. And -- is this how Petsmart responds to concerns from people across the country who are experts in rabbit care, who see and treat the victims of too much breeding, too much selling, and not enough training, not enough compassion, and who know from abundant experience that Pestmart's plan to sell baby dwarf rabbits will inevitably result in abandonment, neglect, mistreatment, suffering, and death of these magnificent animals? Instead of canceling misguided, ill-fated policies, you scan the Internet and issue denials? That shows contempt not only for the animals but for your customers and partners - many of whom I suspect are on their way to becoming ex-partners. Furthermore your denials show extreme ignorance - or chutzpah - since they are so easily disproved.

I have seen with my own eyes the deplorable and callous ways that animals are treated in Petsmart stores. So have many others. The abuse and suffering is well-documented.

Petsmart has confirmed that they are selling dwarf rabbits - the worst choice from an animal welfare perspective.

They have acknowledged that they are getting them from Marshall Farms, a puppy-mill, mass-production facility that breeds animals to be killed in labs.

If you are getting the rabbits from a different source, please state that. If you are selling larger, older adult rabbits please state that. If you are not selling rabbits and this all a mistake, please state that unambiguously - and all is forgiven.

Marshall Farm's animal welfare violations are a matter of public record. Since the USDA has so few animal welfare inspectors, the number of actual violations is probably much higher. And keep in mind that the Animal Welfare Act is notoriously weak. Animals can be in miserable conditions and meet AWA guidelines. For Petsmart to do business with such a disreputable dealer is shameful.

Petsmart has confirmed - even bragged about - its 14-day travesty of a guarantee. Anyone in rabbit rescue knows this is a cruel farce. What about families who tire of having a rabbit after 3 months? That is more common.

Is Petsmart going to do home visits, careful screening (that would be a first in Petsmart stores), issue adoption contracts, consult on rabbit-proofing and on how to introduce rabbits to other pets, advise on which greens and types of hay are appropriate, and so forth, as any responsible rabbit rescue group would do? Of course not. Petsmart has never been set up to do any of these things. And experience consistently confirms that. Petsmart's business model is quite clearly based on throughput - volume and profitability of sales.

Petsmart has said in the recent past that they would not sell rabbits. This is public record. If you disagree, please explain.

Petsmart Charities opposes Petsmart's decision to sell rabbits. That is public. If this is otherwise, please clarify.

Petsmart never consulted with the House Rabbit Society, rabbit advocacy groups, or the rescue community before implementing this horrendous decision. We're going to do everything we can to stop it. We ask that all rescue groups join in. And comments like yours only make us that much more dedicated to the task.

If you care about animals, then you should do everything you can to stop this plan as soon as possible. Before one rabbit suffers - in the rabbit mill or afterwards. If you need more evidence, come around here and I'll show you a) how animals are mistreated in your stores, b) the ridiculous ease with which one can buy animals from your stores, c) our permanently overburdened foster system.

Animals are not commodities!
# posted by Blogger Gary : 3:02 PM
 
I have personally confirmed with PetSmart in Colonial Heights, Virginia that they plan on selling rabbits. The cashier I spoke with had no qualms about selling them.
# posted by Anonymous Jessica : 7:54 PM
 
Gary, thanks for this great post. You have more info than I did and I'm glad you could shed even more light on the issue. Petsmart has confirmed to me both by email and by snail mail that they are selling rabbits now and intend to expand and sell more rabbits in the future. As such I've pulled all my business from Petsmart, which was considerable with all the supplies I need for all the rescue I do.
# posted by Blogger Neva Vegan : 8:05 AM
 
Okay, so I am a former worker of PETSMART. I am quite sick of the over-generalizations that people make. Just because some animals are mistreated at some stores, does not mean that this is the case at all of the stores. At the store that I came from, we were anal retentive about the care of our animals. We took pride in our store, and in our work. If the animals looked unhealthy in any way, they went to the vet. They stayed at the vet until they were better. If they did not get back to 100%, they were not sold. We took the time to find them a home with a person that wa willing to take some extra steps to care for the animal, and we adopted it out at no charge. In the event that someone no longer wanted their animal, we recommended places to put up signs, we spoke with customers about the animals that people were wanting to give away, and we sometimes took them home and found homes for the animals ourselves. I am just wondering what you people think is better: A. Having a national chain that is heavily regulated (or at least is supposed to be) sell a variety of animals or B. Having a bunch of Mom & Pop stores sells these animals and house them according to their own rules. It seems to me like option A would be better than option B. I have seen how local pet stores house animals, and it seems that PETSMART is way ahead of them. We do our best to make sure that the people that buy the animals actually want the animals. If they didn't get them from us, then they would just go someplace else to get them. Maybe even, oh I don't know...PASS PETS. Familiar with them? Yes, they are the ones that hire a bunch of idiots that to take care of all the dogs and cats and birds, rabbits, rodents, and ferrets. Why not be all over them? Instead of blaming PETSMART for the unwanted animals, why not blame the people who abandon them? Why not approach PETSMART rationally and work with them to make better housing in the stores for rabbits? Why not encourage them to use a reputable breeder? Instead, you all tell them to just not sell them at all. I took an active role at my job. I worked hard to educate customers, I encouraged them to think carefully, and I also told them that if there was a any amount of doubt after a week to bring the animal back. We would rather have had a return than a dead animal.

Maybe you should start blaming the consumers. The consumers that feed their animals foods that have little nutritional value? Guess what, if your food it cheap, it is crap. If your main ingredient is corn or by-product, it is not good for the dog, science diet included. I don't care what your vet says, corn is a filler, and by-products can be any part of the animal, beaks included. Why not blame the people that are not willing to treat the animals well or pay good money for their supplies?

Oh, that is right, it is easier to blame a single company for all the problems. Maybe instead of every anti-PETSMART person trying to control the company by sending emotional appeal after emotional appeal, you all could write rational letters that would encourage PETSMART to work with animal rights groups. Maybe all the animal liberation people could start a nation-wide rescue group to help with the abandoned animal problem. If you already do belong to such a group, I want to send you my gratitude, and I also want to let you know that you make a huge difference, and we at PETSMART appreciate it greatly.

BTW, PETSMART does have a contract that the owner must sign, and believe it or not, we do screen. If the person gives us a creepy vibe or doesn't have what the animal needs, we have the right to refuse the sale, and we do frequently.

Yes, you can quit shopping at PETSMART...but PETSMART will draw in new customers. You can write plea after plea, PETSMART will still sell animals. PETSMART is trying very hard to make sure that its animals are being treated fairly and properly. If you see a problem with an animal, ask for the manager, but don't be psycho about it, because that helps no one. If you remain calm, and just point it out to a member of management, the problem will usually be fixed within a few minutes. We want to know if something is wrong. Maybe the problem isn't with PETSMART, maybe it is a problem with the customers and the way requests are made to the company.

All that said, don't bother replying to this post. You can call me liar, you can call me whatever you want for that matter. I have no reason to lie about a company that I no longer work for. Animals are the most important thing in our store. They are more important than the products and the customers, and they always come first. Maybe this is not the case at every store, but PETSMART is doing what it can to make sure that every single store treats is animal the same, and that they treat them fairly. Just ask about the Brand Promise Binder in the Pet Care department. Every cage in every store should be identical to the pictures in the binder. If it isn't, then there is a huge problem and you should notify their district manager as soon as possible. They will provide you with the number at the front of the store if you speak with any manager. Encourage PETSMART to have a board at the front of the store for not only lost and found animals, but animals for adoption as well. After all, the company does want to see animals saved. If it kills a sale or two, oh well! It is a life saved, and we can take pride.

The foster programs are way understaffed. Maybe it would be helpful to start a campaign to increase the number of foster parents. I know it is hard, but it would save lives. It is easy to sit on-line and talk about what needs to be done, but it takes a lot more to actually get up and do something about it. I honestly do not take anyone that just posts what should be done seriously, unless they are taking an active role, on-line or off-line saving animals. I work very long hours at very hard job, and I still find the time to lend a hand to local pet charities, and I think that everyone could do something, but many do not.

Anyway, take care everyone, be rational, and be patient...
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 12:52 AM
 
Anonymous:

- I and many other people have tried talking rationally to PetSmart over the last few years. So far it has been a waste of time and they have lied to us.

- Fact: PetSmart is getting its rabbits from a notorious breeding mill facility that has multiple Animal Welfare Act (AWA) violations. This alone should make you question your faith in and admiration for Petsmart. And note that the AWA is extremely weak and under-enforced.

- As a volunteer for two rescue groups, I can tell you that "getting a bad vibe" is not a sufficient screening process. At a minimum, representatives from the adopting agency should meet with all members of the adopting family, and ensure that the family members know the financial and time commitments necessary for taking care of a rabbit, are educated on all aspects of rabbit diet and health, promise in a contract to keep the rabbit indoors, be given a list of local vets qualified to treat rabbits, and agree to a home visit, where someone knowledgeable in rabbit care can inspect the planned living quarters of the rabbit, give advice on "bunny-proofing," answer questions, talk about hay, vacations, and many other topics. Petsmart's screening is practically non-existent compared to this.

Too many times, I've seen people walk into a Petsmart store, ask for a hamster, and take the animal home - virtually no questions asked. I've seen this at multiple stores. The buyer may be totally clueless and uncommitted, and as a result the animal may suffer. Such irresponsibility with an animal's life is inexcusable and indefensible. Plenty of other people have witnessed this commodity selling model also. It's shameful.

- There's every reason to believe that the horrible neglect and cruelty discovered by PETA investigators after investigating a few Petsmart stores occurs at other Petsmart stores throughout the country.

- Rabbit rescue groups and animal advocates spend a TON of time and resources focusing on irresponsible breeding and irresponsible care. That does not mean that Petsmart gets a free pass. Petsmart's decision to sell rabbits in its stores will only exacerbate these problems:

-- We already have an overpopulation of rabbits; Petsmart selling rabbits will only make this problem worse.

-- Petsmart is most likely selling baby dwarf rabbits because such rabbits have maximum "curb appeal" and thus are most likely to attract impulse buyers and other buyers who have given little or no forethought to properly caring for a rabbit. This will increase the number of rabbits who are mistreated, neglected, and abandoned.

-- Furthermore, dwarf rabbits are the poorest choice for a family with small children, as the children are more likely to pick up dwarf rabbits because of their small size.

-- In addition, dwarf rabbits are more likely to have dental problems because of their small mouths.

- You give a false choice between Petsmart selling rabbits and backyard breeders selling rabbits. The best choice is the one you didn't offer: neither. We should not be selling rabbits while so many are homeless. Once almost every companion rabbit has a home, we can look at an ethical system for companion rabbit guardianship. It would certainly not be selling them in for-profit chain stores. It would more closely resemble the best rescue groups and shelters, and the breeding program would probably be closely coordinated with those organizations.

- The 14-day period in which one may return a rabbit to Petsmart is a cruel joke. The novelty typically hasn't worn off after 14 days and the neglect typically starts afterward.

- Yes, we could encourage Petsmart to use a better breeder. But the more cogent point and revealing fact is that they chose to go with a horrid puppy mill. That is one of many things that indicates that Petsmart is not even close to being responsible about selling rabbits. And furthermore, simply using better breeders would not solve the other problems.

- Yes, we could ask them for better in-store housing, better contracts, different breeds, better screening, better training of employees, and so forth. But, first of all, if a company is making so many blunders, it is clear that they are woefully unqualified to sell rabbits. Plus even if they made all those improvements - against all odds - they would still be adding to the overpopulation problem. They are a national chain that does a huge amount of advertising. Their potential for greatly adding to the number of neglected, mistreated, abandoned, and homeless rabbits is frightening. The best solution is for them not to sell rabbits. Just like they do not sell dogs or cats.

If Petsmart appreciates rabbit rescue groups, why is going against everything these groups are striving to do? Why did they not consult with any of them in this ill-conceived decision? Petsmart cares about profit more than it cares about rescue groups. Rescue groups do not want more rabbits sold while we have so many homeless rabbits, and they especially do not want rabbits sold the way Petsmart is planning to sell them - it increases the burden on the groups and the suffering of rabbits.

- Animal rights groups do tend to work with rescue groups in one form or another, e,.g., by promoting adoption and publishing guides to responsible care. But the problem must be attacked at its roots, not by merely increasing capacity at rescue groups. Some roots of the problem are: too many rabbits, inherent conflict between profit and animal-friendly policies and adequate care, too much reinforcement of rabbits as cute things to buy rather than an adopted family member who deserves a lifetime of compassion and diligent, responsible care.

- Many of us have talked to store managers, with varying results. But the problems are systemic throughout the chain and often stem from corporate management and the basic Petsmart business model.

- I'm all for further efforts to get Petsmart to encourage adoption. But those efforts will be undone if Petsmart lures consumers to buy cute, small bunnies located in stores across the country. Part of encouraging adoption is not to compete with adoption groups. Again, there's no reason rabbit policies - or the policies for any animal - should be different than the polices for cats and dogs.

BTW, I think the environment for just about every animal in every Petsmart is inadequate: too small, insufficient opportunity for the animals to engage in their full range of basic physical and social needs. Petsmart should not be selling animals.

You say that Petsmart will sell animals no matter what. I am compelled to speak on the animals' behalf and try to stop companies from selling animals, through a variety of peaceful, legal tactics. Much bigger changes have occurred in the animal world over the last 50 years, often because of efforts that started at the grassroots level. Zoos are rethinking the ethics and feasibility of elephant exhibits even though elephants are marquee zoo animals. No-kill is gradually replacing kill shelters. Medical schools are getting rid of dog labs. Cities are banning circuses, cat declawing, and battery cages. And so on.
# posted by Blogger Gary : 2:20 AM
 
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