Firstly, I don't agree with animals being sold in pet shops but I wondered what happens to the animals that aren't bought by the public. I'm sure baby guinea pigs and rabbits have a "shelf life" and I doubt they go to some fantastic, happy place where they live the end of their days in peace! Do you think they end up as ferret food? What happens to them? Serious answers from pet shop owners would be good. Thanks.
2006-11-30 01:11:15 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Lunar, no offense to your ferrets! Where I live in the UK, some horrible people use ferrets for hunting rabbits and often feed shot rabbits to ferrets as it's one of their natural food sources in the wild.
2006-11-30 01:21:35 · update #1
I can only tell you what I have learned from working at a rescue. Breeders who breed more than they can sell to pet shops sell them for live food for hawks etc. They also get rid of animals whose markings aren't perfect. Rescues often pick up the unwanted ones from breeders who say if you can't take them we'll kill 'em. I don't know about pet shops. I'm sure they are better about 'excess stock' and treat their animals better.
2006-11-30 05:53:31 · answer #1 · answered by india 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the animal and the pet store.. Animals that don't have to be babies to have people interested in them usually just stay till they're sold, though the price may be discounted to try to draw more interest. Some animals that would fall under that category are reptiles, birds and some of the small furry animals that look just as cute as adults- gerbils, hamsters, mice-etc.. Some animals though just do not sell well in a pet store past a certain age, like puppies, kittens and rabbits in particular will probably be dealt with differently and that varies by pet shop. I know with rabbits some pet stores will have a contract with the original breeder that takes them back after a certain point. Usually though, discounting the price significantly is enough to get them sold. Other then that though, it varies by pet store and goes anywhere from dropping them off at the local kill shelter, selling/giving them to employees, or offering them free in the paper. Obviously though, the pet store wants to lose as little money as possible, so discounted pricing is the most likely option. If people quit buying from pet stores, then pet stores would quit buying pets to sell. Any already there would probably be kept and discounted or returned to the original breeder.. For most species, it would be better to buy from the breeder anyways. They understand the species a lot better and can give you more detailed information then a pet shop employee can. When someone is working in a pet shop and housing 30+ species chances are they only really know the care well for a couple of them, yet they will offer advice for all of them. That's why you see so many people with pets they can't care for as frequently they trust the advice of someone that gives them inaccurate information about an animal. Let's say somebody buys an iguana under the pretense that it's easy to care for and will only need an aquarium and heat lamp. Wrong! It will need over a 6 foot cage, plenty of uv lighting, heat lamps a specialized diet AND most adult iguanas hate being handled. If people knew that, then only a few people would buy them. I'm still not for banning pet stores as there are quite a few good pet stores that dispense quality information and require that you have appropriate housing for an animal. However, it's better for everyone involved to either adopt from a shelter or purchase directly from a responsible breeder.
2016-03-13 00:59:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well my brother's best friend's mom used to work at a pet shop and their animals that are not sold there just stay there. I'm sure a lot of other places handle this differently but here if the birds are not sold for some reason, then they are kept at the store. They actually seem to have a great life there. Some of the birds have been there since 1985. Many pet shops sell adult animals as well. They don't just kill them off, that would be against the law in many palces.
2006-11-30 01:14:57 · answer #3 · answered by Stephie 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The turn over is quite fast...my Mum used to work in a pet shop but hated the idea of selling the animals. She would take ages with clients before she would let the animal go. Some people just shouldn't have small animals. She was on holiday and the week she came back a man came in with a dead hamster...obviously very mangled and said he wanted a replacement as it had just died overnight...mum refused and he got very aggresive...but stood her ground. No doubt he would just go somewhere else. The Rabbits, Guinea pigs etc were never in there for more than 2 weeks. Good owners only!!!
2006-11-30 01:17:04 · answer #4 · answered by minitheminx65 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Most pet shops euthanized if they are not adopted in a specific time frame. That includes dogs and cats.
I once apply to work at a pet shop and when I found that out I couldn't bring myself to work there.
2006-11-30 01:36:26 · answer #5 · answered by Melissa J 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
im not a pet shop owner, but i think that most animal would remain in the pet store to be sold, ive seen some pretty old ferrets that were still out to be sold at a pet store once, i think that they would remain in the pet store until they either died of natural causes or became sick then they would most likely dispose of then in that case....like i said i am no pet store owner but that what i think they would do
2006-11-30 01:16:00 · answer #6 · answered by bshelby2121 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most stay there until they are sold or if it is a large chain they will send them to another pet store to be sold. That is why you see promotions on them at reduced prices.
As for the puppies they are sent back to the breeders.
2006-11-30 01:17:36 · answer #7 · answered by Melissa B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Firstly "ending up as ferret food" makes no sense to me. I own ferrets.....
Anyways, most of these animals in my area stay at the pet store until they are sold, or they are transferred to other stores where they have more of a chance to be sold.
2006-11-30 01:16:13 · answer #8 · answered by lunar_flame 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some pet stors just keep the animal until they sell them. lowering prices until some one buys them. some of them just give them away and some give them to shelters to care for them and someother shelter that do uyou know what to them.its kinda sad actually living you life in a cage in sted of haveing a loving family
2006-11-30 01:17:59 · answer #9 · answered by greatscoobyfan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my local pet shop tends to keep the animals. they have several cats who live in the shop at the mo and all the staff look after them
2006-11-30 01:19:27 · answer #10 · answered by serephina 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋