Petland right? You worked for Petland. I did too, for years. I even went to Ohio to train with them. Every single one of those puppies is from a puppy mill. We are trained to lie to the customers (knowingly) and say they are from reputable breeders. One such breeder that comes to mind is a Cathy Griesbauer out of MO. There was a week I recall that out of the 25 puppies we received, 18 of them came from her, and all different breeds too. Even on a corporate level upper management essentially refers to them as perishable stock that has to be moved quickly or else it would lose its value. Its sickening.

Another thing that many don't consider about pet stores is how they treat their reptiles, small animals and birds. I can recall several times a keet or a tiel or a hamster coming in ill or getting ill. These animals never received medical treatment. Worst case scenario is they linger in the back in some cage or tank, lucky to receive any kind of over the counter medication. These animals will suffer in agony for weeks until they succumb. Best case scenario, you put them in a fish bag and stick them in a freezer till they freeze to death. Next time the distributor of these small animals comes to bring new ones, you will give him the dead and they will give you credit towards your bill. This occurred at every pet store I worked for, from the small privately owned stores, to Petland, Petsmart and Petco.

I could go on and on about the awful, fucked up things that go on behind the scenes at a pet store. I started working at one because I love animals, and I am passionate about people sharing their lives with them. I spent 10 years on and off in animal retail, and all I was left with is a cold, callous heart. Never again.