What You Need to Realize About Pet Stores:
I work in a major pet store company that I won’t name just to be safe. I’ve been there for about a year, so here’s some dumb things people don’t get and I just need to rant
1 - People who work in pet stores ARE NOT VETS.
We can not diagnose any problem your dog has or give medication. Do NOT come into the store asking us why your dog is missing fur or why your cat is coughing. We don’t fucking know.
Honest to God, earlier this year, a guy came into my store and said “my dog just got bit by a rat and my dog doesn’t have his rabies vaccine. What can I do?”
That’s not shit we’re qualified for!!!
(Though, I do know there’s nothing you can do. If your pet is exposed to the rabies virus, you can’t do anything. Your pet will die. My manage told this man to go to an emergency vet clinic (not that it would do anything but euthanize his pet) and he didn’t.)
I had someone call the store and say “my tank fell on top of my leopard gecko, will he be alright?”
Bitch, I don’t know!?!?!? That’s an issue for a VET.
We can give you tips and advice! We can explain why a conditioner is important for your pets during a bath or recommend a food with salmon for dry skin. I can help you understand the ingredients in your cats food or show you toys for your rabbit, but that’s about it.
2 - We’re not even experts on any animal. ESPECIALLY exotic pets.
I have a dog and a cat and a few rats. One of my co-workers has a chinchilla. A few of us own guinea pigs. Our individual knowledge is limited to the pets we personally have experience with.
I do not have endless knowledge at my fingertips that you didn’t think to look up before hand.
You don’t know what watt bulb your bearded dragon needs? Cool, me neither.
You don’t know what your newly acquired sugar glider needs to eat? Same.
You don’t know how to feed baby ducks? Why do you expect me to know?
I can Google search it for you, just like you’re able to do on the smart phone you walked in with, but that’s about it.
(And, yes, all three of those are true life examples of problem people come into us with. Like people have these animals and do NO research of what maintenance is needed for them.)
I have one manage with a degree in engineering. Another is a graphic design major. Another has a degree in marketing. None of them have any special education in animals.
Some of the people who have been there for a while might have some random info, but stop coming in with questions for us instead of doing your own research ESPECIALLY if these questions can be found with a ten second Google search.
(I let elderly people slide with this or anyone who struggles with technology. I can understand them needing help using the internet and I happily provide assistance.)
3 - People try to steal from us constantly. Don’t bitch when we’re suspicious of what you’re buying.
Are you surprised by that statement, that people steal from pet stores? Because that disbelief is why stores like mine are considered easy targets.
(Not that I’m blaming anyone for being surprised, I’m just pointing out that no one ever thinks of it.)
In fact, it’s so common that we have a printed protocol in the office and the employee break room of what to do if we think someone is stealing. We also have pictures of three confirmed thieves posted and we have to call a manager over if we see these people.
People walk into the bathrooms with products and leave with it stuffed into their bags and the tags in the trashcan. We find missing dog sweaters, medication, leather collars, etc. People steal everything.
Specifically, people try to steal dog food. Big bags, pricey brands.
If you have a cart full of $300 of Orijen or Blue Buffalo or Merrick, I am required to call a manager over and have them escort you up to the register.
And when we have a big rush of people in line, don’t complain that an employee stands guard at the door instead of opening another register. Big groups of people that keep all employees preoccupied are the perfect time for people to just walk out with 3-4 bags of dog food.
4 - Ask for help when you’re buying something heavy.
Dog food. Cat litter. Fish tanks. Etc.
We have employees who would much prefer to get up on the ladder and carry it for you, rather than you trying yourself and dropping it and sending kibble/litter/glass everywhere.
The number of times someone has dropped a 50 pound bag of dog food and it rips (either from the sheer weight of itself or because it gets caught on something), meaning I have to stop what I’m doing to clean it up, is astounding.
(Though I have busted my own bag of dog food because I was on a ladder and lost my grip of it. Oops.)
We literally hire boys from 16-25 with the intention of them being stockers/’carriers’ who help people out to their car. If it’s super heavy or large, we can load it into special equipment and roll it out to your car.
On a similar note, don’t use the ladders!! They are for employees only!! This has only ever applied to grown men who ignore the sign and say “it’s okay, I got it.”
No, it’s not okay!!! If my boss sees that, or Heaven forbid, someone from corporate, employees get in trouble for ‘letting’ it happen or because we didn’t notice someone who needed help right away.
5 - Do not buy a pet and their habitat on the same day.
A habitat needs to be UP and READY before you purchase an animal for it.
Hamsters will absolutely chew their way out of the box we sell them in. They will not wait for you to set up their cage and be done.
Reptiles, especially, need their cage to be ready at least a day before you get them! Heating and lighting is so important to them, you can’t set them in a room temperature cage and wait for it to heat up to the temperature they need! (Unless it’s a reptile who can survive in room temperature, like corn snakes, but we have heat lights for all of our snakes. Regardless, have their cage set up!)
Fish, for the love of everything, NEED their tank to be up and running at least 48 hours (preferably 72 hours) before you add them. Guppies, tetras, mollies, all of them, their water needs to be properly filtered and heated before you add them!!
It really sucks because I’m not allowed to deny anyone to buy any pet; I can only advise against getting a pet and the equipment needed on the same day.
6 - Pet stores don’t have any temperament/behavior guarantee.
If your hamster bites, sucks to suck.
If your ferret is more rambunctious than you expected, sucks to suck.
If your guinea pig doesn’t like being held, sucks to suck.
The only reason you can return a pet is for a medical issue (death, diarrhea, sneezing, etc.) and that’s only within a certain time frame.
Pet stores do not have a temperament guarantee. If you want a promise that your pet is friendly and used to being handled, go through a breeder. Pet stores don’t get to handle all of their animals very often because, well, we have fucking work to do. I don’t get to play with hamsters and ferrets all day. I have to clean and work the register and help customers.
Plus, pet stores typically sell a shit ton of animals. We don’t have the time to interact with all of them regularly. They get fed and watered and cleaned regularly, but that’s about it.
I swear, the most stressful thing about my work are the customers who don’t know anything. Most of the people who come in do research and are understanding of everything and we love that.
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