Email complaint to a local chain pet store

[MsPuff]

(this is an email that my BF and I composed in complaint to the treatment of animals and mis-direction given to customers by a chain pet store in my area, we'll let you know if they respond and post the reply if we recieve one.)




Hello there,

Before I begin I need to let you know that his email is not directed at the person reading it, or anyone specific in the company besides the person who is in charge of running the store in Saint John, New Brunswick. I do not know how often these stores are visited by regional managers or if they are giving notice, but either way I feel something needs to be done about this sad excuse for a pet store. I think the easiest way to do this is for me to simply make a numerical list of my complaints about this store:

1. I do not think I have ever gone into this store and not found at least 10 dead fish located in the various aquariums, I know with so many fish it would be hard to be on top of this, but honestly, a walk around once every two hours would surely be enough to keep the dead fish levels from getting this high.

2. On several occasions I have purchased fish from this location and gotten them home only to have sicknesses take over my tank that I have had to come out of pocket to remedy.

3. The way they house the betta's they have for sale is appalling. While it is true that bettas do not require a full tank setup, keeping them in tiny plastic cups they can barely turn around is is just disgusting. As an amateur hobbyist even I know that a betta requires a minimum of 5 gallons, a water temperature of close to 80 degrees, and a filtration system of some kind to keep them happy and healthy. As one of the larger pet stores in operation I am sure someone at the company knows this and knows that these fish are being horribly abused, and this goes to show that your company cares much more about making a quick buck than caring for or selling healthy fish. The smaller stores in the city are able to properly house their bettas until sold, so there is absolutely NO reason a store of this size should not be able to properly house these fish.

4. They have one tank set up that is supposed to be a brackish tank though it has a cichlid, clown loaches, and red eye puffers located in it. None of which are brackish fish. Secondly, the real brackish fish that are kept in the tank are not suitable to be kept together in the same salinity level. This is plain and simple animal abuse.

5. My girlfriend unknowingly purchased two of these red eye puffers, and checked with and had confirmed by the employee on duty that they were brackish fish, to put into our brackish tank. We brought them home and after doing some research on them found out that they are absolutely not brackish fish but instead freshwater fish, so we again had to come out of our own pockets to buy a new tank to keep these fish in to correct your companies slack mistakes. Unfortunately it was too late as one of the puffers ended up dying.

6. After moving these puffers into a proper tank we again went down to get some actual brackish puffers, we seen there were some green spotted puffers at the location and purchased two of them. We got them home and properly acclimated to our brackish tank and a few days later noticed one of them had gill flukes. So once again, we had to come out of our pockets to medicate a sick fish this store sold us. Treatment seems to be going well but only time will tell as this is contagious sickness and will likely infect our whole tank.

We have talked these issues over and agreed that yes, this location usually has a better selection than our locally owned fish stores, and usually much better prices, however due to the costs of correcting all the mistakes and issues caused by this store we have decided it makes no sense to continue shopping there as it is costing us much more money in the long run. Not to mention we no longer feel morally right supporting a store that shows so little care for the pets that they sell and make their living from. This store is plain and simple taking advantage of and abusing the animals they sell and also misinforming the customers on how to properly house and care for the fish that they sell.

Until things turn around not only at my local **** ********* as well as the other locations which I am sure operate the same way, I will never be returning nor spending another dollar to support animal cruelty. Also, it is probably high hoping, but I think it would be nice and also very responsible if the company would send us a check to reimburse us for the aquarium we were forced to purchase to correct your mistake, as well as the medications we have had to purchase to treat the infected fish you sell. In total we estimate this stores slackness has cost us close to $80 over and above the price of the fish.

Thank you, and I look eagerly forward to hearing a response.

[jjbtexas]

thats just sad

[Dwarf Puffers]

Yes, there are some bad P.U's around. The two I frequent when I'm in Halifax have their bad times, and their idiotic employees, but also frequently have fishsmart people and good stock. Though the chances are slim, I do hope something comes of your letter.

[MikenDanielle]

lol P.U. is certanily not a very good chain for taking care of their animals, its too bad there is not some organization to penalize them for this abuse.

All this time I have been a member and I had no idea you were a maritimer DP!

[cam191919]

thats a shame. a finch at a petsore near me had a broken leg. everytime i complained, i went back to find that same bird sadly hopping on one foot. i dont get why they wouldent help it, considering it was 130 dollars

[SchizotypalVamp]

I like the wording, and think it is polite, concise, and effective. I wonder what would happen if all the hobbyists on here, say mass-lobbied to ban the selling of pacus/red-tailed catfish/ID sharks besides by specialty license.

[Mgamer20o0]

this is one of the very reasons why i have a qt and i know what i am going to get. its sad but the people working in the stores min wage mostly young just putting in the hours. you can put the blame like everyone does on another person or might want to step up. go to the lfs maybe with the higher prices but better fish? i hope so. make sure you have a qt. make sure you know what your buying before you buy.

its also not going to be economical friendly for big tanks for all the bettas. you still stop paying the couple bucks they are now and they will be double the price or more.

[petluvr]

I also complained about the appaling conditions at a local store and got no where. HOPE YOU HAVE BETTER LUCK!!!!!

[Easydoesit]

bettas in stores should have atleast a 2 gallon tank. even a 1 gallon temporary tank before they sell them would be better than the cups.
it would only be a 1 time cost thing. maybe theyd price bettas higher until they made it back, but its really not such a hard process. i think it's more of a space issue. i hate seeing the bettas in cups at stores, i really do.. i bet a lot of people do, fish enthusiasts or not.
i think your email was good, well written. you made your points clearly. i hope you hear back from them soon, i wanna know what they say

[emptywallet]

i think keeping bettas in the cups and keeping them in dyed blue water should be animal abuse and be charged yet no one for some reason care about fish -.- that really grinds my gears...also at my lfs i request to have this one lady that actualy knows what shes talking about lol

[FireDancer7905]

Good luck! Your letter is very well worded. I sent a letter to the HQ of a chain store near my house because I watched an employee sell a goldfish and a 1g tank for it. I was ignored by the man purchasing the tank, and the department manager, and the store manager. The note I got back said that the company is not responsible for supplying customers with knowledge about the animals that they sell, and that if I was interested in fish care I should check out the books they sell. I hope that you get a better response!

[MikenDanielle]

this is one of the very reasons why i have a qt and i know what i am going to get. its sad but the people working in the stores min wage mostly young just putting in the hours. you can put the blame like everyone does on another person or might want to step up. go to the lfs maybe with the higher prices but better fish? i hope so. make sure you have a qt. make sure you know what your buying before you buy.

Yes we are going to set up a QT tank for our future purchases, but still, I think it is sad to pay for a sick fish, only for the reasong that I have to assume we are part of the small small percentage of people who will actually take the time to research what is wrong and spend the money to fix it, I would thhink most people would simply let the "poor fishy" die and just get another one. This is why it is irritating.

Secondly, on your comments about doing our research before we buy, we tried that route with no success. We had our hearts set on figure 8 puffers for probably a good 6 months, and kept being told by this chain store as well as our two locally owned stores that "maybe they will be in next week in the order, but we never know what we get in our orders, they just send whatever". After waiting and waiting we decided that neither was really interested in our business and instead go down with the knowledge we already had.... we knew we wanted puffers... and they had a brackish tank set up... with Red Eye Puffers in it, we went a step firther and asked the girl that heads the fish section at this store if they were indeed brackish, and she assured us that they most certanily were.

[MikenDanielle]

I like the wording, and think it is polite, concise, and effective. I wonder what would happen if all the hobbyists on here, say mass-lobbied to ban the selling of pacus/red-tailed catfish/ID sharks besides by specialty license.

I think it would be a great idea if all hobbyist starting mass-emailing chain stores to let them know what we think of them and their practices. After all it is not the average joe blow who buys a 20 gallon tank and a few fish, runs the tank for a few months until the fish die, then sells the tank in a yard sale that keep these stores running, it is the addicts like us who keep wanting.... I mean needing more and more who line their pockets with cash... they should be at our mercy.

[Dwarf Puffers]

lol P.U. is certanily not a very good chain for taking care of their animals, its too bad there is not some organization to penalize them for this abuse.

All this time I have been a member and I had no idea you were a maritimer DP!

Didn't know you were either. We're taking over :grinyes:


i think keeping bettas in the cups and keeping them in dyed blue water should be animal abuse and be charged yet no one for some reason care about fish -.- that really grinds my gears...also at my lfs i request to have this one lady that actualy knows what shes talking about lol

The cups, I'm with you there... But the blueness is made by some kind of tablet or something for stress. It's a good way to see if your LFS is doing WC's, though ;)


I think it would be a great idea if all hobbyist starting mass-emailing chain stores to let them know what we think of them and their practices. After all it is not the average joe blow who buys a 20 gallon tank and a few fish, runs the tank for a few months until the fish die, then sells the tank in a yard sale that keep these stores running, it is the addicts like us who keep wanting.... I mean needing more and more who line their pockets with cash... they should be at our mercy.

Don't forget rallies and protests, now. :) Maybe we should have an AC event where people can schedule different mass-email sends?

[Sarge_857]

i think keeping bettas in the cups and keeping them in dyed blue water should be animal abuse and be charged yet no one for some reason care about fish -.- that really grinds my gears...also at my lfs i request to have this one lady that actualy knows what shes talking about lol

family guy quote... ive never heard of anywhere keepin em in dyed blue water?!?1 what it it some kind of way to change their color?


The note I got back said that the company is not responsible for supplying customers with knowledge about the animals that they sell, and that if I was interested in fish care I should check out the books they sell. I hope that you get a better response!

WOW alls i can say is WOW........well one guy at my lfs, hes 24, and i'll be 22 in sept. (im jinkz's b-day buddy:headbang2:) and he thinks he knows everything, the other week he ytold me i could have 5-6 african cichlids in a 10 gallon and it would be "perfect"........i almost told the guy where to shove his information.....but i like the place considering the manager knows alot about the fish, and i wish he'd reconsider hiring me.....seen as this site (I FREAKIN LOVE THE A.C. AND ITS MEMBERS!!!!!!) has taught me so much! and iam learning new stuff everyday!!

[MikenDanielle]

Don't forget rallies and protests, now. :) Maybe we should have an AC event where people can schedule different mass-email sends?

I would be more than happy to help organize this in any way. Collecting emails, writting, anything. Do you have msn? Perhaps we should talk on there to see what we can come up with.

[Dwarf Puffers]

I would be more than happy to help organize this in any way. Collecting emails, writting, anything. Do you have msn? Perhaps we should talk on there to see what we can come up with.

I do have msn. Sounds like a good idea :)

[MsPuff]

I think it would be a great idea if all hobbyist starting mass-emailing chain stores to let them know what we think of them and their practices. After all it is not the average joe blow who buys a 20 gallon tank and a few fish, runs the tank for a few months until the fish die, then sells the tank in a yard sale that keep these stores running, it is the addicts like us who keep wanting.... I mean needing more and more who line their pockets with cash... they should be at our mercy.

my other half and I are at one on this issue. After I learned a little too late that my red-eyes were indeed freshwater fish I informed the employees that they wre indeed freshwater, but when we went to see if they had been moved they were still there. That's why we sent the email to corporate.

We now have a 10g tank that we are setting up for RCS that we can use as a QT when we need to, although our tanks are fully stocked at the moment, so there wont be any new aquisitions until christmas(ish) when we do some upgrading of tanks (2 new 55g) one for my GSP and one that is yet undecided. At this poing we will be getting all of our fish at once, from the more reputable store in the area so we will be able to QT in the new 55 undecided tank for the larger fish that we wil originally pur in and in the 10 for smaller new aquisitions if need be.

Even the conditions of puppies is rediculous. Half grown puppies (larger breeds), usually 2 or more to an area meant to house one or two small puppies. They lie in their own filth and are horrendously over priced. Say $1000 for a mixed breed?? Thats an average, it's horrible.

All it does is cause animals that will have major problem in their new homes, hard to house train & nearly imposible to crate train as they are now accoustomed to lying in their own feces, going poop and pee where they eat and so fort.

If a puppy does not sell, it is moved to a different location to be tried again. I have no idea what they do after that.

But it makes me sick. We have one LFS in the area that only "sells" rescue animals from the local shelter. We will be doing all of our business with them if at all possible, but they only do FW and we would like to get into marine, so LFS #2 will have to get our business for and SW fish. Never again will I step through the door of the chain store or turn my good intended money for my beloved pets, furred and finned, into blood money for a greedy corporation and I want to try to organize a protest againt them with some other people on a local pet forum, but I have no idea who, if anyone will listen.

[Radar]

As above,good luck, I also sent a letter to the HQ's of a chain but I did not even get a response.

[SchizotypalVamp]

This was my idea and I'm not invited to the party?! Lol ;)

[MikenDanielle]

This was my idea and I'm not invited to the party?! Lol ;)

Everyone is invited! The more the merrier, and the better chances of getting some changes!

[echoofformless]

its also not going to be economical friendly for big tanks for all the bettas. you still stop paying the couple bucks they are now and they will be double the price or more.

This makes me think that I would gladly pay that premium price if I could get male bettas who have been living in say, a 2.5g tank at the store rather than a cup. Think of how much healthier they would be overall.

[Mgamer20o0]

maybe you should see how they come in lol

[echoofformless]

maybe you should see how they come in lol


Oh I've seen that for sure. Poor things.

But still their health would be greatly improved if they weren't taken from those tiny bags and placed into little cups where the water is never changed. At least in a 2.5 gallon tank they get a chance to recouperate from the shipping without horrid amounts of ammonia and the stress of continuing to be kept in those tight quarters.

I remember one PetsMart near me having this thing on their wall where even though the bettas were stuck in little boxes, the boxes were all connected to a system. That way the water is not only constantly circulating and being filtered, but it's also a greater volume. Tighter quarters than what is good, but at least clean water.

Bettas are some hardy little creatures.

[Dwarf Puffers]

I'm hopeful that when a P.U finally comes down here I'll try to make it a nice one, but most likely the only way I'll get anything done is if I apply for a job. Which I might do ;)

This area of NS (Yarmouth) has a few puppy mills. No doubt that's where their puppies will be coming from.

[MikenDanielle]

I would say business hours have pretty much come to an end in my neck of the woods and no response yet from the pet chain. Hopefully something will come in tomorrow.

[MsPuff]

Been nearly a week now, we have all but given up the hope that this dispicable store will be contacting us back.

[DeeSeven]

just my 2 cents

while your letter was very well written and had solids points theres a few things with it..

1. blue water in the betta bowls is USUALLY just Ich-X that they put in the water while doing "betta duty"

2. Techinically speaking there is no written laws again what you can put fish in..and if your gonna complain about bettas being in plastic cups then please go to the mall and file a complaint against the guys who sell bettas in a vase with a plant on top telling people "the fish eats the roots of the plant"

3. Mentioning what you brought and how it was sick or how it wasnt what it was suppose to be won't get you anywhere..I understand it wasnt sick until you brought it home etc. etc. but honestly...thats why you have a QT tank and thats why stores have an OVERSTOCK of ich-x among other things. They could careless you had an out of pocket expense..the fish left their store in "normal health"

4. I personally do the 3 strike rule with fish stores..if I have more then 3 problems/concerns/issues/whatever I never go back there. I drive a little bit further now for my fish but I've never had an issue since.

All I can honestly say is change pet shops for 1 and go to local pet shops they can't be all that bad

[MikenDanielle]

just my 2 cents

Thanks for the 2 cents, but based on what you said, you can keep them




1. blue water in the betta bowls is USUALLY just Ich-X that they put in the water while doing "betta duty"

I never mentioned this, in fact I really do not think they do this at this location, someone else in the thread mentioned it, so perhaps you should take it up with them.




2. Techinically speaking there is no written laws again what you can put fish in..and if your gonna complain about bettas being in plastic cups then please go to the mall and file a complaint against the guys who sell bettas in a vase with a plant on top telling people "the fish eats the roots of the plant"

If there were written laws, obviously they probably wouldn't be doing it. It is only through complaints such as this to stores and to politicians that laws get passed. Secondly, not sure where you live but the malls in my area do not have guys selling bettas in vases with a plant on top telling people the fish eats the roots, however if there were people doing in this in my area, I would likely send them an email or a written letter as well.




3. Mentioning what you brought and how it was sick or how it wasnt what it was suppose to be won't get you anywhere..I understand it wasnt sick until you brought it home etc. etc. but honestly...thats why you have a QT tank and thats why stores have an OVERSTOCK of ich-x among other things. They could careless you had an out of pocket expense..the fish left their store in "normal health"

Mentioning what I bought is a good way to bring my points into perspective for a business focused individual who could not care less about the pets. If they start seeing that their customers are willing to speak out against the way they treat the animals and that we are not happy with the condition the fish are coming in, any smart business person whether they care about animals or not will be able to understand how to fix the issue.



4. I personally do the 3 strike rule with fish stores..if I have more then 3 problems/concerns/issues/whatever I never go back there. I drive a little bit further now for my fish but I've never had an issue since.

All I can honestly say is change pet shops for 1 and go to local pet shops they can't be all that bad


You are a lucky person, we have the chain store, a lfs across the street which was really good, however they have started declining greatly in the last 6 months or so and just don't seem to care anymore. I really wouldn't be surprised if they just closed up shop any day now. It was a ma and pop operation, and the ma doesn't even work there anymore... and she was the one with the majority of the good knowledge. We do have one other local pet store on the other side of town, however they have rotten customer service and pay little to no attention to you when you are in the store and have maybe 10 fish tanks in total with a brutal selection.

Hope I was able to clear things up for you, have a good one:headshake2:

[MikenDanielle]

In our recent quest to find some fresh water shrimp we made a visit to the chain store discussed in this thread... cough cough P*** u******** cough cough.... anyways... as expected they had no shrimp but I must say... it has been nearly 3 weeks since we entered that store and while some aspects.... hopefully because of our email have improved... namely them having 7 bettas in proper tanks... thought they still had a large quantity in cups.... they had the largest amount of dead fish in their tanks that I have ever witnessed. In one tortuously overstocked tank they had by my estimate a good 40 dead fish in it and in the rest of their tanks a minimum of 30 more dead fish. It was appalling... we checked our lfs as well and sadly found the same dead fish that was in one of their tanks during our visit (about a week ago) still decomposing in one of their tanks... this has pushed us even more towards opening our own store.

[excuzzzeme]

When I run into a similar situation I contact the local SPCA and the governing authority. I file a formal documented complaint of animal abuse and cruelty. I also file a letter (e-mail) to the corporate headquarters stating the same. As hobbyists we need to complain loud, long, and clear when we see this type of living conditions for pets. I have never yet received any type of communication acknowledging receipt of mine. Future communications will be done by means of a registered letter.

Thank you for standing up to a bad situation. This is the main type of reasons as to why I will not shop at a chain store. I willingly pay a higher price at LFS IF they show a concern for their pets.

Please continue to make your concerns heard!