Petsmart– People Stupid

We have all heard and seen the stories on puppy mills. Fortunately, many of the larger pet chains in the US have stopped selling dogs and cats and only offer adoption days. Kudos. One such chain in Petsmart. According to their corporate page, they are the largest specialty pet retailer in the US and Canada with 993 stores. While they do not sell cats and dogs, you can still go there to get your kid a small pet like a hamster or a bird. Certainly animal activists might complain, but it can’t be that bad. Who ever heard of a hamster mill? Well, PETA has….

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) recently sent an undercover investigator into Rainbow World Exotics, a major supplier of small animals for Petsmart. They captured on film the horrific conditions of the animals at the supplier. On the Petsmart corporate homepage they have their statement regarding the footage shot by PETA. They currently have no plans to discontinue using this company as a supplier. However, they do acknowledge that, “The loss of any life is upsetting, and while images of sick pets and death are always difficult to accept, sadly it’s inevitable in nature.” Most people would probably accept the fact that a small rodent dying because it was scooped up by a hawk is in fact, death in nature. However, being stomped on by a company employee is another story.

The video is certainly disturbing, but PETA didn’t create the conditions. They just showed the facts. Be sure to notice the use of Clorox handiwipes as the employee, not vet, operates on the rabbit. Please copy and paste if the link doesn’t work.

PETA homepage and video

Petsmart’s corporate page

What about small animal breeders here in Japan? Did Chirping Charlie come from a budgie mill? Are conditions here any better? I don’t know, but I wouldn’t bet my birdseed on it.