Stop PETsMART From Selling Baby Rabbits!
- by: Erika Sorocco, The Bunny Bunch, S.P.C.R.
- recipient: PETsMART
Petsmart has decided to sell baby rabbits in 40 of their stores as a "test". They have ordered up specially bred dwarf rabbits which they intend to spay or neuter at a very young age.
The Bunny Bunch and rabbit rescues nationwide are horrified by this decision. Petsmart, through it's charity Petsmart Charities, has been a friend of rescue for many years. Rescue and adoption groups have supported Petsmart's decision to not sell puppies, kittens and rabbits, which makes this decision to sell baby rabbits such a huge betrayal.
We are concerned for many reasons including these:
1) There are THOUSANDS of adoptable, wonderful rabbits being killed in shelters throughout the United States. Petsmart will be adding more rabbits to an already overloaded system.
2) Petsmart claims their "product specialists" will "educate" the public about rabbits before they sell them. As a rabbit owner yourself, you know the special challenges that come along with having a house rabbit. Ask yourself if a Petsmart employee who has not been involved with house rabbits will be able to "educate" a potential buyer.
3) Early spay/neuter is still being studied and discussed. Rabbit vets still do not know the long term effects of this major surgery being performed at such a young age. How many of these babies will die on the operating table? What does Petsmart consider an acceptable loss?
4) Petsmart is having dwarf rabbits specially bred for their stores because they will make a great "family" pet. Really? Or is it because dwarf rabbits are cute and appealing to children? Obviously, Petsmart has not bothered to research the dwarf rabbit. In our years and years of rabbit rescue and rehabilitation, it has been our observation that the smaller the rabbit, the more hyper the rabbit. A great adult pet for the true house rabbit person, but certainly not a great pet for a child to treat as a little toy.
Here is Petsmart's own policy on the sale of rabbits (and other animals):
**************************************************************************************
On the Side of Angels
Publication: Retail Merchandiser
Date: Saturday, July 1 2000
While PETsMART may not sell dogs or cats, it does sell fish, birds and hamsters but there is a limit as to what animals can be sold.
"We try to stay on the side of angels with all animals," says Philip Francis, chairman/president/CEO of PETsMART Inc. "We do not sell
certain animals for specific reasons."
Many pet retailers sell iguanas, and while PETsMART sells iguana food and habitats, the chain does not sell actual iguanas. Iguanas grow large over a two-year period often requiring as many as three or four habitats and tend to become nasty as they age.
"We could sell a cute, baby iguana, but nine months later when the iguana is on its fourth habitat and spits at its owners when they walk within a foot, we think that reflects badly on us and on future pet ownership," says Francis. "We'd rather forego the sale when we know 90 percent of the people are going to be unhappy in 18 months."
Although it does sell food and cages for them, PETsMART does not sell ferrets because when owners become tired of them they are often released into the wild. According to Francis, as long as the ferrets last in the wild they decimate the wild bird population. Nor will the chain sell salt-water fish, because when they're caught in the wild it destroys coral reef.
Rabbits are also taboo. Six weeks before the Easter holiday bunnies become popular pet purchases, but 10 days later the majority of them wind up in shelters. For this reason, PETsMART will not sell rabbits, but it will carry rabbit food and supplies. However, the company does allow the humane societies/animal shelters to bring rabbits to the Luv-A-Pet-Adoption Centers in the hopes of finding homes for them.
"Our brand name stands for ethics, quality, health and good care for animals and we're always willing to forego the short run marginal sale because our standards are higher and our ethics are little bit better," says Francis.
******************************************************************************************
WOW! Guess Petsmart isn't able to resist the lure of retail dollars earned by the sale of these poor babies, even if it means the President/CEO of Petsmart has to go back on his own word! No longer on the side of Angels, apparently!
The Bunny Bunch is especially concerned about what will happen to these rabbits when they get older, develop medical issues, exhibit typical rabbit behavior such as chewing, marking, and digging. Petsmart tries to dodge this issue by stating the rabbits they sell will be priced at $95.00 and hints that the "cuteness" factor of these babies as well as the fact that they are, well, babies, will eliminate the problem of the rabbit being dumped. Here are a few of the stories of some of our rescued rabbits:
Walter T. Fuzzbucket, an adorable, 4 month old angora mix, was left in a tiny guinea pig cage in an alley on trash day in Long Beach. Luckily, he was found by someone who took him to animal control and was one of the few fortunate ones to be taken in by rescue. He is little and cute, but still dumped in an alley.
Sheba is a beautiful, purebred lionhead rabbit. She is a golden color, and we think she is about 3 months old. Sheba was dumped into a trash bin, the lid was slammed closed and she was left to die. Fortunately, a kind person who was dumping their trash saw her and took her to animal control. Sheba is still waiting at animal control for a rescue to have space. Purebred, beautiful baby dumped in the trash.
Dottie, Cloud, Angel, Jet and Pepper were left in a box in the parking lot of an animal shelter one night. Luckily for them, they were not killed during the night and an animal control employee checked them into the facility the next morning. They were only 8 weeks old, and just adorable. They lived the next month at the shelter until rescue was able to make space and take them out. Babies, cute, still dumped.
We have hundreds and hundreds of stories just like this, as does every rabbit rescue in the United States. Why does Petsmart think the rabbits they sell will not end up with stories just like this?
The Bunny Bunch joins rescue groups nationwide in asking Petsmart to please wise up, get SMART, and get back to selling inventory, not innocent lives.
Until Petsmart gets smart, we suggest you take your business elsewhere, and let your local store know why you will be spending your dollars elsewhere. We would also ask you to take a few minutes and write a letter to Petsmart urging them to abandon this horrible decision.
Email your feeling to Petsmart:
http://www.petsmart.com/global/customerservice/contactUsForm.jsp
Write them:
PetSmart, Inc.
19601 North 27th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027
Call or FAX them:
Phone: (800) 738-1385
Fax: (623) 580-6502
Petsmart has decided to sell baby rabbits in 40 of their stores as a "test". They have ordered up specially bred dwarf rabbits which they intend to spay or neuter at a very young age.
The Bunny Bunch and rabbit rescues nationwide are horrified by this decision. Petsmart, through it's charity Petsmart Charities, has been a friend of rescue for many years. Rescue and adoption groups have supported Petsmart's decision to not sell puppies, kittens and rabbits, which makes this decision to sell baby rabbits such a huge betrayal.
We are concerned for many reasons including these:
1) There are THOUSANDS of adoptable, wonderful rabbits being killed in shelters throughout the United States. Petsmart will be adding more rabbits to an already overloaded system.
2) Petsmart claims their "product specialists" will "educate" the public about rabbits before they sell them. As a rabbit owner yourself, you know the special challenges that come along with having a house rabbit. Ask yourself if a Petsmart employee who has not been involved with house rabbits will be able to "educate" a potential buyer.
3) Early spay/neuter is still being studied and discussed. Rabbit vets still do not know the long term effects of this major surgery being performed at such a young age. How many of these babies will die on the operating table? What does Petsmart consider an acceptable loss?
4) Petsmart is having dwarf rabbits specially bred for their stores because they will make a great "family" pet. Really? Or is it because dwarf rabbits are cute and appealing to children? Obviously, Petsmart has not bothered to research the dwarf rabbit. In our years and years of rabbit rescue and rehabilitation, it has been our observation that the smaller the rabbit, the more hyper the rabbit. A great adult pet for the true house rabbit person, but certainly not a great pet for a child to treat as a little toy.
Here is Petsmart's own policy on the sale of rabbits (and other animals):
**************************************************************************************
On the Side of Angels
Publication: Retail Merchandiser
Date: Saturday, July 1 2000
While PETsMART may not sell dogs or cats, it does sell fish, birds and hamsters but there is a limit as to what animals can be sold.
"We try to stay on the side of angels with all animals," says Philip Francis, chairman/president/CEO of PETsMART Inc. "We do not sell
certain animals for specific reasons."
Many pet retailers sell iguanas, and while PETsMART sells iguana food and habitats, the chain does not sell actual iguanas. Iguanas grow large over a two-year period often requiring as many as three or four habitats and tend to become nasty as they age.
"We could sell a cute, baby iguana, but nine months later when the iguana is on its fourth habitat and spits at its owners when they walk within a foot, we think that reflects badly on us and on future pet ownership," says Francis. "We'd rather forego the sale when we know 90 percent of the people are going to be unhappy in 18 months."
Although it does sell food and cages for them, PETsMART does not sell ferrets because when owners become tired of them they are often released into the wild. According to Francis, as long as the ferrets last in the wild they decimate the wild bird population. Nor will the chain sell salt-water fish, because when they're caught in the wild it destroys coral reef.
Rabbits are also taboo. Six weeks before the Easter holiday bunnies become popular pet purchases, but 10 days later the majority of them wind up in shelters. For this reason, PETsMART will not sell rabbits, but it will carry rabbit food and supplies. However, the company does allow the humane societies/animal shelters to bring rabbits to the Luv-A-Pet-Adoption Centers in the hopes of finding homes for them.
"Our brand name stands for ethics, quality, health and good care for animals and we're always willing to forego the short run marginal sale because our standards are higher and our ethics are little bit better," says Francis.
******************************************************************************************
WOW! Guess Petsmart isn't able to resist the lure of retail dollars earned by the sale of these poor babies, even if it means the President/CEO of Petsmart has to go back on his own word! No longer on the side of Angels, apparently!
The Bunny Bunch is especially concerned about what will happen to these rabbits when they get older, develop medical issues, exhibit typical rabbit behavior such as chewing, marking, and digging. Petsmart tries to dodge this issue by stating the rabbits they sell will be priced at $95.00 and hints that the "cuteness" factor of these babies as well as the fact that they are, well, babies, will eliminate the problem of the rabbit being dumped. Here are a few of the stories of some of our rescued rabbits:
Walter T. Fuzzbucket, an adorable, 4 month old angora mix, was left in a tiny guinea pig cage in an alley on trash day in Long Beach. Luckily, he was found by someone who took him to animal control and was one of the few fortunate ones to be taken in by rescue. He is little and cute, but still dumped in an alley.
Sheba is a beautiful, purebred lionhead rabbit. She is a golden color, and we think she is about 3 months old. Sheba was dumped into a trash bin, the lid was slammed closed and she was left to die. Fortunately, a kind person who was dumping their trash saw her and took her to animal control. Sheba is still waiting at animal control for a rescue to have space. Purebred, beautiful baby dumped in the trash.
Dottie, Cloud, Angel, Jet and Pepper were left in a box in the parking lot of an animal shelter one night. Luckily for them, they were not killed during the night and an animal control employee checked them into the facility the next morning. They were only 8 weeks old, and just adorable. They lived the next month at the shelter until rescue was able to make space and take them out. Babies, cute, still dumped.
We have hundreds and hundreds of stories just like this, as does every rabbit rescue in the United States. Why does Petsmart think the rabbits they sell will not end up with stories just like this?
The Bunny Bunch joins rescue groups nationwide in asking Petsmart to please wise up, get SMART, and get back to selling inventory, not innocent lives.
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