Stop petsmart from selling live birds!

[xxmoxiexx]

This is kind of pigeon related, well, maybe more DOVE related as i've never seen a pigeon for sale there, but, bird related nonetheless.
PETA is having a demenstration in Boston tomorrow, from 8:45 to 10 am, 200 boylston street in front of 4 seasons.
They are demonstrating there because PEtsmart is having a shareholders meeting, sorry about the late notice, but due to the nature of never finding out about these things until the last minute, it's short notice.
PETA is asking them to stop the sale of live birds and animals, all stemming from an undercover operation of petsmart and their birds and animal. Petsmart continues to promise that all birds and animal are cared for by vets, but the undercover operation proved otherwise.
The petsmart by my house, every time i went the last 6 months, they were not selling the birds because they were in quarantine. but all the birds were in cages where they are sold, not seperated, and everytime i told them, " that bird is shaking, that bird looks dead, that bird needs to be seperated," they promised me they would have a vet come. Never happened. Every time there were less and less birds. The diamond doves alone ALL died. The other birds, finches, parrots, some died also. They wouldnt TELL me that, but by the time they were being sold there were so low in numbers, and another cat shelter that adopts animals out of there on saturdays told me every saturday during this pathetic "quarantine," birds were being taken out dead. Never did they seperate them, and the cages of different TYPES of birds were not seperated, stuck side by side, disease spreading very easily between them. they also had the wrong type of cage for the finches, the bars were too wide and the birds were escaping into this little holding room behind the cages.
This is the same petsmart that got a pigeon in there before, and wouldnt let me try and catch it. They tried LASER POINTERS! Dummies. They ended up calling someone to get it, who, i dont know, i got kicked out. I would break open the seed bags and hide seed around the store for him to eat, so they caught me and kicked me out that day even though i offered to pay for the seed. pet stores are supposed to CARE about pets, and they do not, they are all about profit. It is very sad. And think of all the pigeons that need homes, and here they are trapping wild birds and bringing them out of their homes to sell for a buck, only to have half or more die along the way.
Here's the link to sign the petition. PLEASE sign it, i KNOW many of you feel the same way i do as this, so here's your chance to stand by your opinions and so called, "put your money where your mouth is"
THANKS EVERYONE!
I'm sorry there is a few sad pictures on this page, but ignoring the problem will only make it worse.
Please follow the links anyways, these animals at least deserve our acknowledgment of the suffering they went through.

http://www.petsmartcruelty.com/video.asp
http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/p...d_animal_sales

[maryjane]

I totally agree, Moxie....at the Petsmarts near us, they seem to always have the birds "not for sale". They had a dove for months and months, but he was never for sale as he was ill. I signed.

[xxmoxiexx]

Thanks MaryJane, You are a sweetheart!
i"ll let you all know how the demonstration goes tomorrow.

[Charis]

Pet stores don't necessarily care about pets...they care about making money. It's very hard for me to even go into one because I feel they exploit animals.
When Caleb was younger, he really wanted Diamond Doves and so I did buy him a pair, begrudgingly, at Pet Smart. They were both very ill and after many trips to the vet to figure out the problem, they died and this was within 20 days of bringing them home. It was so sad. I don't recall the name but Deb said she believed they had a virus most common to finches. These birds had been housed with finches.
Good luck tomorrow. I don't think birds should be sold as pets or other small animals for that mater. Not at least until whomever wanted them had gone through some sort of animal care class. Am I dreaming or what?!

[Feather]

Moxie,

I'll have to watch the videos on a day that I feel a little tuffer, but I was feeling tuff enough to sign that message.

Thank you for letting us know, I will email it out now to the people on my list.

[xxmoxiexx]

Well, i went to the demonstration today, and it was alot of fun actually! I met some VERY nice people, they travelled all the way from virginia to put this together, and i met a few very active animal rights folks that live in Boston!
I guess they said the media might show up, and i was so scared because i called in late to work, so was all prepared to HIDE behind the sign if that happened, but they didnt show...
They had a girl in a parrot costume, and she went into a coffin to symbolize the dead birds. The people were mostly very receptive to our little demonstration, and alot of people vowed to stop shopping at Petsmart. I know after today i will not shop there either!
Can everyone try and sign the petition i posted in the link above? They want birds to stop being sold and adequate care for all the animals still being sold at petsmart, not much to ask CONSIDERING most petsmarts have the Banfield Vets RIGHT in the store. So sad to think these animals are mere FEET from help, yet the profits are put first, the animals LAST.
I know the last few months, at the Petsmart here, the quarantined birds dropped drastically in numbers every time i went, all dead or dying.
Thanks for supporting this petition you guys, and supporting animal welfare and rights everywhere!
Now go sign the thing!

[Reti]

I am so glad the demonstration was successful. I too wish all pet stores stop selling animals.
I must admit I do buy from PetsMart, where else can I buy food and supplies for my pets. Pet Supermarket doesn't sell the dove food or the type of cages I need.

Reti

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by Feather

Moxie,

I'll have to watch the videos on a day that I feel a little tuffer, but I was feeling tuff enough to sign that message.

Thank you for letting us know, I will email it out now to the people on my list.

I don't know if you'll ever feel tough enough to watch these videos. I'm just sick watching them. I've shopped for the last time at one of these places. So sad..............

[Lady Tarheel]

Moxie, sorry to read this. We are often in Petsmart buying supplies and I have to say this particular store's birds look well. If we see one that looks puffed out, drawn up or just have "that look", we tell them. They are in clean cages and always have fresh water and food. We have noticed some safety issues, like hanging electric lines and have had them take care of that.

The Petsmart we go to has a veterinarian on the premises and she may play a big part in these birds looking well. I like to think so. Many of the Petsmarts in our area have vet clinics in the store.

Frankly, I wish all pet stores would stop selling birds or any other animal or fish because I always feel they come out of "mills" and are not healthy. I always feel so sorry about the fish because of the way they are kept at any store.

[george simon]

Well I have been to my local Petsmart and the birds and other small animals all seem to be well cared for and in clean cages. I looked at the vidio's and most looked like they were staged just to get people riled up so that they would sign the petition.I know that many here will disagree with me but I feel that Peta wants to take our birds and animals away from us and its just a matter of time before they get to us the pet owner.I WILL NOT ARGUE THIS WITH ANYONE so don't try to provoke me as I will not respond. GEORGE

[Grim]

I agree with you George soon they will be after the pigeon sport because some racers practice culling.

If you guys think those videos are bad I hope you never find out what goes on overseas.

[Charis]

Originally Posted by Lady Tarheel

Moxie, sorry to read this. We are often in Petsmart buying supplies and I have to say this particular store's birds look well. If we see one that looks puffed out, drawn up or just have "that look", we tell them. They are in clean cages and always have fresh water and food. We have noticed some safety issues, like hanging electric lines and have had them take care of that.

The Petsmart we go to has a veterinarian on the premises and she may play a big part in these birds looking well. I like to think so. Many of the Petsmarts in our area have vet clinics in the store.

Frankly, I wish all pet stores would stop selling birds or any other animal or fish because I always feel they come out of "mills" and are not healthy. I always feel so sorry about the fish because of the way they are kept at any store.

Maggie, your store may be doing a great job. Many times it's what goes on in the area the customer can't go to that is so horrifying. I was privy to that once. I won't go into details because I don't want to make this thread go SOUTH, but it was not good. I did convince the person that allowed me behind the employees only door to keep a journal and she did. At the time, I could find no agency that would intervene and help. Does my experience mean that all Petsmart stores are bad...probably not. Certainly and at the least, pet shops in general could do a much better job educating the customer about the care of the animal/bird the customer is buying.
That would cut down on neglect and abuse and animal that if lucky ends up in a shelter and is placed in an appropriate home.
I can't begin to tell you all the horrible situation I see some pets are in when I'm showing houses....caged small animals and birds in filthy cages with no food or water. This is by far the norm rather than the exception. I always do what I can to help educate and often offer to buy the pet.
Abandoned animals in vacant houses is another thing I see frequently. Oh my, I could go on and on and on....

[spirit wings]

I worked at a pet store in high school, I don't know if any of you remember dr.pet...well there was no dr. there. It was horrible...I had to pick up puppys at another location...well I called the humane soc. had to have a specific animal to get them to come out,so I had seen an afghan hound pup sitting in it's own poop, he was sick and weak....the next morning I heard through the grapevine that they came and that it helped some of the sick pups...I have not thought about petsmart but in my gut I never really liked it. I would rather buy from a responsible careing breeder....Peta can be over the top in some cases and that rubs me the wrong way, but they mean well and I know a petstore is no place for live animals..period

[Lady Tarheel]

Charis, I have a friend who works at this particular store while she is going to college. She is a huge animal lover with her family already adopting five soon to be put to sleep dogs. She has told me that the birds are well cared for.

Granted, this store may not be the norm but I can only judge them by what I see.

[Charis]

Originally Posted by Lady Tarheel

Charis, I have a friend who works at this particular store while she is going to college. She is a huge animal lover with her family already adopting five soon to be put to sleep dogs. She has told me that the birds are well cared for.

Granted, this store may not be the norm but I can only judge them by what I see.

Truly...I am thrilled your store is a good one. Even good stores need to address the issue of animal care after the pet goes home. It sounds like you friend has the conscience to do just that because rescuers can never keep their mouth shut! I know this personally to be true!