Pet stories that touched my heart

the truth about Pet stores (horror stories)....

I had not long since started working in a typical mall pet store. I worked kennel care, you know cleaning, bathing, feeding, even medicating was up to me and the other kennel attendants.
Well when I first started I noticed the place wasn't as clean as it should be, SURE the front kennels, those that the public could see were clean enough, not perfect but enough to keep the public happy, however the back kennels, those for the sick and recovering pups were the old style metal ones, and not only were they unclean and very difficult to clean, but were rusty and a breeding ground for all the germs we were trying to be rid of.

The first few weeks were fine, I kind of figured since I was working there, at least I knew these animals were getting the BEST care I could give.
But the puppies in the back weren't getting better as quickly as they should, coughs persisted and runny eyes and roses were a constant. Many of the puppies up front were just milder cases of those in the back in 'quarantine'.

Vie seen the invoices from the 'broker' and looked at mark up prices...a $150 beagle puppy now for sale at $998. the pups coming in obviously sick. and those that were too sick to sell had a 'rejected' sign attached and sent back to the 'breeder'.

now my family used to breed, and I don't know a single respected or repeatable breeder that would sell their puppies to a pet store.

but after a few weeks things seemed to get progressively worse, all staff was told to do whatever they could to sell those dogs, tell the customer 'its from a breeder' 'would you like to see the pedigree?' and told firmly, NEVER quote the price until you have them holding the puppy!
I was curious and took a look at these pedigrees, none were akc, and after research I found out that ckc and other such clubs would register just about anything so long as it was a dog. and those 'pedigrees' were the puppies name and the kennel name, nothing about the pups parents.

I can personally say I saw many a sales associate drop a wriggling puppy, or watch as one of the smaller pups got stepped on or dropped.

but the worst started coming fast as the weeks followed,
first was a tiny Pomeranian, I fell in love and named him killer, I wanted him more than anything. he was in back with the other 4 dogs that came in with him, all had a persistent cough, were malnourished and had other various medical problems.
soon enough little killer had a reject sigh on his rusty kennel and the store was in a bind with the 'breeder' who wouldn't take the dog back.
So he stayed in back with a now discovered knee problem and the same cough it had had for about a month now.
I saw that puppies papers, they had one vet look at the puppy, a vet well known for NOT liking pet stores, he rated with a 4-5 luxating patella, so they tried a different vet, and suddenly the knee problem was none existent at most a possible 1...
The puppies cough died down and he was put on the sales floor to find a home, once there the cough started again but someone did buy the little pup, a week later they came back, diagnosed with a lever 5 floating patella, kennel cough and possible slight case of pneumonia.
But the store insisted that they would have the vet look at him on them and, of course the stores vet again found no knee problem and told the unwitting family that poms have very common trachea problems and the cough was stress induced.
The family came in 2 weeks later with the body of a dead killer, left untreated the pneumonia had gotten worse and killed the little puppy.

the other case was even worse and hit me harder than my lil killer.

we got a "Tiny Teacup Chihuahua" this little dog was smaller than the kitten I found at 4weeks old.
I fell in love again, the curse of being an animal lover, and I nicknamed her munchkin. After 4 days her eyes got watery, she didn't eat much, even for her size she ate very little, her nose started runny and though she could stand she was wobbly and couldn't walk properly.
She spent 1 week in back before the store vet even looked at her, they said it was just a cold and gave her some antibiotics to rid her of anything. after another week no improvement, she slept all the time, wouldn't play and just wanted to be healed. the vet told us she was stressed and needed to be in a warm home environment for a while.
So we went through the list, no one would take her, it would mean syringe feeding her water every couple of hours, meds and constant care, no one wanted to invest the time.
She already had a 'possible reject sigh' but again the 'breeder' wouldn't take the little girl back.
So the store assistant manager was trying to get the main bosses to let me adopt her for a small fee ($100)

now I am very familiar with the breed and noticed that munchkin as I nicknamed her had multiple large soft spots, when id brought this up with our store vet, they treated me like I didn't have any clue and said all this pup had was a cold.

She was the sweetest little dog ever, but wasn't getting better...took her back to the store so the vet could check her over, the meds weren't working and she wasn't doing well. all she did was sleep, no interest in playing. the vet said that she was getting better but was probably getting used to the calvados as shed been on it so long, so they changed her meds, 2 days later she passed away on her way to the vets.
that morning I had woken and she was cold, coughing and blowing bubbles, the night before she had perked up and gained a little energy, but now she was almost ridged and very cold and blue, bubbles from her nose and a gagging sound, she sounded like she was drowning.
I called the store vets office and explained to the receptionist, I told her flat out "she's dying!" and was told, oh well were not open till midday, if she dies before then just wrap the body up and bring it by when we open so we can store it in our freezer for your managers.
I was discussed and upset, she was going to be mine and she was quickly slipping away.
so I called the emergency clinic, they were closed but the number of another vet was left for any emergencies, so I called that number, they told me to bring her in.
I rushed there as fast as I could but she died before I could get her there.
in tears I tried to explain where she was from and what had happened, and they took the body in back, I said it was my fault but to assure me they told me to wait, after listening to the story they had taken some x-rays, and blood tests, the x-rays showed that her lungs were completely filled with fluid, and blood tests revealed Parvo, distemper and kennel cough!. The vet told me she should have been in intensive care as soon as she started coughing, a human couldn't survive that let alone a tiny puppy, she was under 1/2 lb. they were annoyed at both the store and store vet, and actually paid a visit, I am told that day the place was a mess, I hadn't been in in about a week and a half. the vet was annoyed at the number of sick puppies on the sales floor, let alone how terrible the back conditions were.

I went back into work 2 days later to be told I was on probation because the puppy wouldn't have died if I had been doing my job and looking after her, and if I wasn't caring for her then obviously I wasn't caring for the store pups either.

I know for certain the pups were getting their meds only when I was there the morning woman didn't speak any English, couldn't understand the instructions to give the medications and didn't know how or like giving them so she refused to do it and if she didn't they didn't get done in the morning...
And yet I am the one being told that I am not doing my job.
I told them not to expect me back to work, id be there to pick up my check and that's all.
Then the cheek to ask me why I was leaving. I explained as best as I could through clenched fists, I thought I could help the pups but knowing im not doing that means its not worth while.

How could I work for a place knowing that the VET didn't even care for the puppies properly.
These pups are considered lower class citizens and not worth the extra time, especially since the stores only paid for basics in care.

luckily about a week later I got a call and now am working at the clinic that tried to save the puppy,

I beg you all, don't suppose these pet stores, as much as it seems like your helping the dogs buy 'rescuing one' for every one you rescue the store owner are ready to replace it with another 3.

also Be VERY wary of the vets you use, apparently as I came to find, some just don't care as much as they should.

I warn my friends not to use the clinic that turned the puppy away without a care.

please be very aware of these things!



*want to read more? just go to http://www.puppymillrescue.com/petstorehorrostories.htm

and you will learn the truth about many pet stores from people that dealt with them.....i'm sure by the time you read most of the stories, you'll be crying, and really saddened that animals are treated that way. *