What to do when you see a bad pet store

[Guest]

since a few of you have been having run ins with crappy pet stores lately, i decided to post this bit on what actions to take to improve the situation. hope this helps..."Steps to take in the case of a bad pet store:- Let a manager or, if possible, the owner know of your concerns, first verbally and follow up in writing. On occasion, poor husbandry is practiced simply because nobody in the store knows any better. That reason is, sadly, more common than one would think. E-mail is generally not effective as, assuming a junk filter doesn't catch it, chances are it's not read by anyone who can make a difference and if you get a reply at all, it will be a form letter.- Don't bother with online petitions. They're worthless, useless and stupid.- Don't assume that a manager "won't listen" if you've never spoken to them before.- Don't berate employees to a manager/owner. If you have a complaint about a specific employee, keep it polite, use the "I feel" statements, and be specific. "Josh is a ****** moron when it comes to fish/rabbit/bird care, you should fire his a**!" is not helpful or useful and will likely just get you a polite nod and a brush-off as a lunatic.- Assuming you're not so upset that you'll rant and rave like a lunatic, tell other customers around you why you're not going to buy anything from the store.- Don't bother complaining to an employee. Chances are they really don't care. They're usually paid a typical retail wage (just shy of minimum wage), and are only working there because they have to, not because they want to. Bottom line is that they're less likely to care than management.- Don't. Be. Rude. Screaming, crying, yelling, and berating a manager or owner about their store might feel good, but it will guarantee that they won't listen to you at all. If you're too upset to carry on a civil conversation, leave and after you calm down either write a letter, call or go back.- NEVER accuse them of abuse, neglect, or anything illegal. This will guarantee that you won't be taken seriously, won't be listened to, and will likely be escorted off of the property.- Don't use accusatory "you" phrasing; instead opt for, "I feel" phrases. Yes, I know that sounds terribly lame, but it works much better as it helps keep the situation from seeming like an attack.- Get the local humane society, local/regional rescues, or the health department involved. Pet stores do have to meet some standards from the health department. DO NOT EVER TELL ANYONE IN THE STORE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO THIS! Tipping them off ensures that they will clean up just enough to appear satisfactory until the inspections/visits are over; after that, they'll likely go back to their old ways.- If you decide to write a letter to your local paper, zine, or any other publication, be sure not to write emotionally. Yes, emotion can enter into it, but keep it in check.; use your head instead of your heart. Writing emotionally can lead to exaggeration, half truths, and in worst case scenerios charges of libel against you or the publication in question."i pasted the important stuff, but the rest of the article [which is parrot related] can be found here.it makes no difference whether you rescue or leave those hermit crabs in the bad pet store, souvenir stand or mall kiosk. there will always be dozens more hermit crabs who will replace them at one point or another. what's important is speaking up and trying to make a difference for the lives of all the crabs that will be going through those uneducated or uncaring stores.i encourage all of you to speak up as much i need to encourage myself. i'm not very good with words or people, but i want to try and make a difference. this summer i'm going to the beach stands armed with caresheets and FAQs. hopefully it will help. all of you should try to do the same.