I went to PetSmart...

[Airyn]

<BEGIN RANT>I swore to myself that I would never go head to head with the managers at PetSmart over chinchilla care because I knew I'd walk away mad and wanting to save the world. I saw a chin sitting in a chewed, free-standing plastic wheel, with a thoroughly chewed igloo on Carefresh bedding, behind glass, with only hay and no food. Someone that works there walked by and asked if he can help with anything, to which I replied, "Actually, I'm a bit concerned about the care of your chinchilla." He immediately crossed his arms over his chest and assumed the "authoritative" stance. Shocker.

I asked him if he was concerned about an impaction risk since plastic isn't able to be digested by any living thing. I asked why the chin didn't have food. I asked why there wasn't a thermometer in the cage to monitor the temps, as there were in the reptile cages. His response to every question I asked was "It's fine. I've had chinchillas for 4 years and they're fine." I asked to speak to a manager, at which point he replied that he was the manager. Lovely.

I asked if he'd done any additional research into chinchilla care and he told me that he only trusts books. I asked if he would be open to trusting people who have made breeding and raising chinchillas their lives, to which he repeated that he only trusts books and would never trust people or the Internet. I countered that you're just getting a majority ruled decision from experts in the field who you wouldn't otherwise have access to. He repeated that he only trusts books and doesn't trust the Internet.

Why is this man in a position of authority? Why is humanity so incredibly closed-minded to new information when little, furry lives are at stake? Most importantly, why the heck did I bother even speaking to that man when I knew full well what the outcome would be? ARGH! </END RANT>

 

[summerdays]

i dont go to petsmart often at all, but when i do, there is always plastic in the cages, and i always complain and they take it out, and the next time i go in, there is plastic in the cages. we can keep trying and if we save one chin from impactation from chewing plastic we have one well...its unfortunate that they dont care. i have even gone as far as to call the main office and really gave them ****.

 

[Stackie]

Unfortunately it is Petsmart policy that only plastic items be used in the cages as it can be disinfected between animals. They get in trouble if their cages do not meet the Petsmart policy standards, even if a concerned customer claims they are bad for them. There should be little cards through out the habitats with "we care about what you think" or something like that with a number that you can call regarding care of the animals. It is also policy that there should always be food available to the animals so you can voice your concerns on that and it may be liable to get some attention.

It sounds like the guy you encountered wasn't that great at customer service, but unfortunately he has to follow the Petsmart guidelines for habitats that are in place. The only way to get it changed is to go higher up in the company. If you can voice your concerns with legitimate sources to back you up, you may be able to get somewhere.

I work at Banfield part time (the veterinary offices inside many Petsmarts) so I have ties to the managers and the district manager of the store I work in. I recently voiced some concerns over inaccurate information in the chinchilla care guides to the DM that was in the other week and he is taking it to his superiors to get it looked over. I have a statement from an exotic veterinarian about the inaccuracies- without it he wouldn't be able to do much.

All of their care guidelines are written by "Petsmart certified veternarians" so if you can get a vet to back you up, you may be able to get somewhere.

 

[Airyn]

Unfortunately it is Petsmart policy that only plastic items be used in the cages as it can be disinfected between animals. They get in trouble if their cages do not meet the Petsmart policy standards, even if a concerned customer claims they are bad for them. There should be little cards through out the habitats with "we care about what you think" or something like that with a number that you can call regarding care of the animals. It is also policy that there should always be food available to the animals so you can voice your concerns on that and it may be liable to get some attention.

It sounds like the guy you encountered wasn't that great at customer service, but unfortunately he has to follow the Petsmart guidelines for habitats that are in place. The only way to get it changed is to go higher up in the company. If you can voice your concerns with legitimate sources to back you up, you may be able to get somewhere.

I work at Banfield part time (the veterinary offices inside many Petsmarts) so I have ties to the managers and the district manager of the store I work in. I recently voiced some concerns over inaccurate information in the chinchilla care guides to the DM that was in the other week and he is taking it to his superiors to get it looked over. I have a statement from an exotic veterinarian about the inaccuracies- without it he wouldn't be able to do much.

All of their care guidelines are written by "Petsmart certified veternarians" so if you can get a vet to back you up, you may be able to get somewhere.

That's incredibly helpful! Thank you! I'll write a letter and talk to my vet to see if I can initiate change of some sort. I'm calmer now, but it's just so infuriating.

i dont go to petsmart often at all, but when i do, there is always plastic in the cages, and i always complain and they take it out, and the next time i go in, there is plastic in the cages. we can keep trying and if we save one chin from impactation from chewing plastic we have one well...its unfortunate that they dont care. i have even gone as far as to call the main office and really gave them ****.

I won't be going back, that's for sure. I just use them as a last resort for food when I run out anyway.

 

[Cat75]

Unfortunately it is Petsmart policy that only plastic items be used in the cages as it can be disinfected between animals.

They have changed their policy about a year ago stating gerbils and chinchillas have the option of a plastic igloo or a wooden house. I would agree if there is no food call the we care or even send them an email. Corporate does look at that stuff and will send it to the OP manager of the store.

 

[fanofdmb84]

... he repeated that he only trusts books and would never trust people or the Internet.

So....who does he think WRITES the books? A mystical chinchilla-god who knows everything and anything about the animals, but is obviously far superior to any mortal human being? Ugh, people are so dumb sometimes.

 

[KitsuneGem]

They have changed their policy about a year ago stating gerbils and chinchillas have the option of a plastic igloo or a wooden house. I would agree if there is no food call the we care or even send them an email. Corporate does look at that stuff and will send it to the OP manager of the store.

I dont recall seeing that in our policys.. Ill have to double check, I'm always trying to get a wood house for our chinchilla at work, but we are about to be auto-ed (Sp?) So unless our policy says other wise our guy has to have the plastic hut.. Thankfully hes not chewing it..yet..

 

[Godofgods]

They're the same way at my petsmart. Its pathetic. I always feel bad for them any time i think about it.

 

[Lillybabe]

Even with the risks of plastics though... I saw a store that didn't use plastic. Not a Petsmart a smaller one off store. The wood in there was so filthy that I have to question whether the illnesses the animals could be getting from unwashed, unbaked wood, might be more risky than the chance of plastic impaction. Also the same store had the chinchillas on CareFresh bedding which is an impaction risk as well. So far I've not seen any store I agreed with. One of the local Petstores here had the chins in a cage without anything to hide in. Just beddding, pellets, hay (scattered about the floor) and water. Their cage was also a bunny cage that was so close to the wall the chinchillas were eating the drywall.

I complained at each of the petstores I have visited. The one with the wood/CareFresh combo was the only one that even took me seriously. The manager when I said I was concerned about the care of the chinchillas actually followed me back to where they were and checked on them with me. He listened to all of my concerns and said he'd see what he could do and do more research. I gave him the information for my vet since he said he'd had these things approved by another vet in the area. I haven't had a chance to go back there since as it's in the city I commute to for school but at least they were receptive. The Petsmart manager looked at me like I was an unruly child, heard me out, and then ignored everything I had to say.

The small petstore near me with the drywall eating chinchillas did move their cage. When I expressed concerns to the owner through email though the next time I was in the store he insulted me and got confrontational with me to my face. Shows the appreciation you get for caring about animals. The reviews for the store posted online say he's regularly rude to customers. I'd avoid the store completely but there are just so few places in town to get supplies.

 

[starrynight0621]

I complained at my local PetSmart, and they took the plastic out of the chinchilla cage. I complained about the chinchilla care brochure saying you should give chinchillas vegetables, and I was told something would be done about it. I have yet to see changes with that.

I did not speak to a manager, but I have a friend who works there. She talked to the manager for me. That might've helped.

I go to PetSmart to get willow pretzel sticks and bedding.. that's it

 

[SakuraSan89]

<BEGIN RANT>I swore to myself that I would never go head to head with the managers at PetSmart over chinchilla care because I knew I'd walk away mad and wanting to save the world. I saw a chin sitting in a chewed, free-standing plastic wheel, with a thoroughly chewed igloo on Carefresh bedding, behind glass, with only hay and no food. Someone that works there walked by and asked if he can help with anything, to which I replied, "Actually, I'm a bit concerned about the care of your chinchilla." He immediately crossed his arms over his chest and assumed the "authoritative" stance. Shocker.

I asked him if he was concerned about an impaction risk since plastic isn't able to be digested by any living thing. I asked why the chin didn't have food. I asked why there wasn't a thermometer in the cage to monitor the temps, as there were in the reptile cages. His response to every question I asked was "It's fine. I've had chinchillas for 4 years and they're fine." I asked to speak to a manager, at which point he replied that he was the manager. Lovely.

I asked if he'd done any additional research into chinchilla care and he told me that he only trusts books. I asked if he would be open to trusting people who have made breeding and raising chinchillas their lives, to which he repeated that he only trusts books and would never trust people or the Internet. I countered that you're just getting a majority ruled decision from experts in the field who you wouldn't otherwise have access to. He repeated that he only trusts books and doesn't trust the Internet.

Why is this man in a position of authority? Why is humanity so incredibly closed-minded to new information when little, furry lives are at stake? Most importantly, why the heck did I bother even speaking to that man when I knew full well what the outcome would be? ARGH! </END RANT>

That actually isn't all of Petsmart stores.
It is true that we are given guidelines of what we are and are not allowed to use by corporate, but trust me when I say that many of us are actually constantly checking up on them.
I for one am always opening every small pets cage and checking on them and everything in their cages. I was even told by many of my co-workers and workers in other stores that they hate how we really don't have any cages for Chinchillas, and how much they hate where we have to keep them.

So please don't think poorly of all associates just because one was an *** (see what I did there?). A lot of us really do care!

~Dog Trainer at Petsmart (though I am also certified to work in Petcare if need be)

 

[Airyn]

Sorry for the delay. Life actually got in the way of the forum, if you can imagine that! Just a quick update... I ended up calling rather than sending an email and they handled it incredibly professionally, thanked me for the feedback, apologized on behalf of their manager, and told me they'd contact the store and look into it. Hopefully that was enough! I've been to other PetSmart locations and never saw anything as alarming as the lack of a food bowl. As I mentioned, life took over, so I haven't had the opportunity to speak with my vet yet to see if he'll back me on suggested habitat changes, but I do plan on drafting something before I go in next.

Thanks again for all the feedback!