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I recently purchased a guinea pig from a Petsmart in Rochester Hills, MI. It was actually about a month ago and nothing for this little guy has gone right. We purchased him on a Saturday, initially the associate that was helping us box him up seemed to care very little for him. She tore him out of his home with little care and simply handed him over. After deciding we wanted him she placed him in a box that was barely double the size of him and placed him in the open box on the floor with little care of the fact that he could easily climb free of the small box.
Then by Monday we were taking him to the vets to get him checked on because he was having both issues breathing and was sneezing nearly nonstop. When we got there we found out that he not only had an upper respiratory infection but had pneumonia as well. His breathing was so bad that the vet couldn't even heard his heart beating over it. We were given the option of not treating it and taking him back to the store or forking over close to $250 for a pet that we were given a 50/50 chance of surviving after only having him two days.
We decided to take the chance even if he may not live because every animal deserves that chance and we already didn't trust PetSmart to take care of him since he'd gotten sick initially in their care.
He made it through that quite successfully and things were finally looking up for him as the antibiotics ran out. The next thing we know he has a wound on his ear that appeared nearly overnight. We decided to take him back to the vet who assumed that it was simply a cut with an infection and that's why it looked so bad. He gave us antibiotics for his ear and to be sure he took a few hair samples to test him for ringworm as well. Two days ago we got a phone call from the vet telling us that he has ringworm and will have to be treated for that as well. Within a month of getting this poor guy he has been sick with not one thing but three because of their lack of care for him.
Now I know there is little we can do about this ringworm because there is no way to prove he got it at the store after a month of being at home with us. It simply enrages me that they could care so little for the animals in their care. Their lives are in their hands and that simply doesn't seem to matter.
They reimbursed us for the money that was spent on the original vet care but that isn't what bothers me anymore. There should be something done for these animals, it's clear that if he could be so sick when we got him with no one noticing that there is something wrong happening. Especially since, not only was our little guy not taken very good care of the girl we also purchased from a different store in Troy, MI turned out to be pregnant when she was in a store that was only supposed to have girls in it (so much for having them seperated so we wouldn't have to worry about having babies).
I have had TWO friends adopt animals from PetSmart.. One was a cat that lived 2 weeks, and a puppy that lived 4 days! This has to STOP. They both spent 100's of dollars and sleepless nights caring for them, just to hold them while they took their last breath! I am beyond angry, for these people could not even care about this happening. They just want someone else to foot the bill, to have them put down, or buried. This is just sick! They were both so devastated when they lost their new babies. Something needs to be done, this is just horrible. SHAME ON PETS MART and SHAME ON THE SO CALL ORGINAZATIONS THAT SIT OUTSIDE, SO YOU SEE THESE PRECIOUS BABIES, AND ADOPT THEM.. YOU ARE SICK PEOPLE, WHO ONLY CARE ABOUT THE MONEY YOU RECIEVE FOR THESE PETS.
I recently purchased 2 guinea pigs from Petsmart also. One of them had a breathing problem and kept sneezing. My assumption was that he was still nervous and getting used to me (for the breathing) and as for the sneezing I thought it was the bedding or my perfume I put on that morning. Two days passed by and I noticed Spencer wasn't really eating or drinking water at all. I grabbed him and held him close and I told myself "this breathing is not normal at all".
I did forget to mention that over 7 years ago I purchased my first Guinea Pig Pebbles and he died on me after 3 months, I fell in love with the guy and he became a part of me. I told myself after he passed away in my arms that I would never own another Guinea pig in my life because I was so hurt.
So buying Spencer was a huge deal for me. I went to Petsmart for weeks hesitating on buying another, until I seen Spencer.
I took both Guinea pigs I purchased back to the store and told them that one of them was really sick and the other is starting to show signs also. Right away they took them back into there care and said I could come back for them when they were better. It hurt to even leave them there... they were under "monitoring" and on Vitamin C daily. After a week it finally hit there big heads that Spencer needed to see a vet FINALLY (by now I regret not taking them myself to a vet and getting everything done faster). They put them both on medicine. What kind? they cant seem to tell me, What do they have? They cant seem to tell me either. You know what now that Im reading what I just typed Im calling corporate. I seen Spencer yesterday and he looks a lot worse. I asked to speak with the manager and they told me she was on vacation. So another manager helped me and did not seem understanding at all. He asked me how long I had the Guinea pigs in my home and I told him 2 days, He basically told me that I don't know Spencer because I didnt have him "long enough". I also told him my concern for Spencer's life and he gave me the example of his dog he owned for 5 years how because I had Spencer for only 2 days in my home that I Shouldn't feel concerned. Like sure I shouldn't care about an animal only because I haven't owned him for years... Anyway I think you guys understand where this is going, I hope Spencer is ok and comes back home,
I bought a guinea pig the beginning of February from there. She lived 2 months, passing away just a few days ago.She was tiny from the start. My piggie died while being examined by the vet, right before our very eyes. My whole family is so sad and distraught by this. I will never support Petsmart again.
I find this true, we bought a guinea pig, and he had breathing issues, we asked Petsmart is they had any issues or complaints from other pet owners, they said no. After taking him to the vet, we also were told that it will be 250, and a choice of antibiotics that could make him worse faster, or make him better. 400 dollars later, he died 3.5 weeks after having bought him from Petsmart. I would never buy from them again. Anything, nothing, they have all buyers information and know if there are issues with other pets, they should have checked out the piggies before putting them on the floor to sell. We bonded with him, no way we would just put him down, or return him for him to be killed by Petsmart. They really should be looked at, and the pet mills.
Hi I am a former petsmart employee and just wanted to clear it up that the animals do not get sick while in our care. They come sick from our supplier because petsmart is cheap and will buy animals whether they are sick are not. So this was a result of neglect, yes. The workers at that store failed to recognize the symptoms this guinea had and failed to give the proper treatment, which is why he remained sick.
The animals in the so-called "back of petsmart" ARE under veterinary care- at least they are at all of the stores I have worked at. Company policy is that an animal has to be taken to the vet if no improvement is shown in 48 hours, and then rechecked every 7 days. And on your sales contract you fill out it does say that if the animal falls ill within 14 days of purchase the store will take it to the vet and provide treatment.
I've heard all of petsmarts small animals such as birds, hamsters gerbils gineau pigs rabbits and mice come from a mass breeding facility... a puppy mill for small animals basically...for example, i saw footage of a worker at the company forcefully make two rabbits mate, they are lived crammed together in tiny boxes and so starving they sometimes turn to canabolizm and eat eachother... the breeder animals are dying from starvation and overbreeding that their babies come out sick or dying as well... and almost all the animals that are shipped to petsmart from this inhumane company are sick or dying due to overbreeding and horrible living conditions... just like in a puppy mill. I even saw footage of the back of petsmart... thats were they keep the near death and dead animals and have random workers with no vetirenary experience try to get them back to health which almost never works... i suggest the next time you want to get an animal... even a small one visit your local spca sometimes they have small animals such as rabbits, gineau pigs and even hamsters, mice and birds up for adoption... never purchase a small animal from petsmart... just some advice