Animals in the Retail Industry

Every year, millions of animals ranging from mice to monkeys enter the pet trade through retail stores that capitalize on people's love for animals. But few people realize that by shopping at a store that sells animals they may be supporting an industry that exploits animals for financial gain. The fact is, in a retail environment animals must be treated like commodities for the store to realize a profit. Animals are living feeling beings that should not be treated like mere merchandise.

Some animals are shipped to pet stores over long distances, which can be very stressful and can cause illness and injury to the animals before they reach the sales floor. As a matter of course, many pet stores have "Dead-On-Arrival" allowances built into their budget to cover monetary losses resulting from deliveries of dead or otherwise "unsellable" animals. Some pet stores claim that they hold their suppliers accountable for the condition of animals by refusing shipments of sick or injured animals. But is it really ethical to send sick and injured animals back to the supplier like a damaged bag of cat food, rather than providing veterinary care and finding homes for the animals?

Animals housed in retail pet facilities are not afforded protection by the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Passed in 1966 and amended in 1970, 1976, 1985, 1990, and 2002, the AWA extends protection to certain warm-blooded animals maintained by certain animal dealers, transporters, exhibitors, and research facilities. In the absence of federal regulation each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia has enacted its own unique animal anti-cruelty statute(s) and 24 states have enacted laws that establish some form of humane care standards for animals kept at pet shops. The quality and the scope of these laws vary from state to state as does enforcement. For example, only five states (Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Hampshire, Virginia) specifically require that sick or injured animals receive veterinary care, and while fifteen states prohibit the sale of some unweaned animals (animals unable to feed themselves) most limit the restriction to puppies and kittens under the age of eight weeks and only one state (California) addresses the sale of unweaned birds despite the serious animal welfare concerns associated with the practice.

Incidents involving substandard care of animals in pet shops are routinely reported to animal welfare organizations, although often these "substandard" conditions, while seemingly cruel and inappropriate, do not actually violate any laws in the state where the store is located. Moreover, many complaints come from employees or other individuals who "don't want to get too involved," and without their testimony or "proof" in the form of pictures or other witnesses the situation will easily go unreported to the appropriate enforcement agencies. And even when violations are reported to law enforcement agencies, few are actually investigated or result in charges being filed.

The in-store care of animals in pet shops is always suspect because store managers are often faced with conflicting responsibilities of caring for animals, even when the animals are sick, and making a store profitable. Since the cost of veterinary care can easily exceed the commercial value of an animal, common sense leads to the conclusion that profits and animal care inherently conflict, especially in a retail environment.

For some animals the danger and suffering do not end at the point of sale. Individuals who purchase animals in pet stores often do so out of impulse without fully understanding the commitment required to provide lifelong care for the animal. Only one state (California) requires that the purchaser be supplied with information on the care and feeding of animals sold to him/her. As a result of human irresponsibility, thousands of animals are surrendered to local shelters and rescues each year only to be destroyed due to lack of space, limited funds, and few adoptive homes. Moreover, many species sold by pet stores require specialized care that very few people are capable of providing, which leads to a lifetime of suffering for the animals.

Birds:

• Some birds languish in pet stores for years before finding a permanent home. These birds often develop behavioral problems that further reduce their chances of finding a home.

• Very few people are capable of meeting the special needs of exotic birds. Nor do they comprehend the seriousness of committing to care for birds for their entire life span — which can be from 20 to 70 years or more, depending on species. Consequently, many birds spend their lives isolated and confined to their cages, bounced from home to home, or abandoned.

• Breeding facilities that supply birds to pet stores often resemble little more than warehouses in which birds are held in barren cages for mass production.

• Currently, more than 100 self-described bird rescues or sanctuaries operate in the United States. Many of them have come into existence in the last few years to care for the influx of unwanted and abandoned birds. Selling more birds simply exacerbates this critical problem.

Reptiles:

• Many reptiles are imported from other countries for the pet trade. Some of these animals may be wild-caught, born in captivity from wild-caught parents, or may be the offspring of reptiles held in captivity for one or two generations. Imported reptiles often suffer high mortality but this is often considered merely a cost of business. One reptile importer said of imported reptiles, "they are cheap and they're stressed. Most of them are going to die. Baby ball pythons are another example of a cheap import. A lot of them never eat." (Pet Product News, May 2003)

• Reptile breeding facilities typically house and stack reptiles in small to mid-sized barren aquariums or clear plastic containers in which some will spend most if not all of their lives. Although such housing may be standard in the reptile industry, it is hardly capable of accommodating and/or facilitating natural reptile behavior.

• Reptiles kept as pets frequently suffer from nutritional deficiencies due to the ignorance of those who purchase them. Because little information exists on the habits of exotic reptiles in the wild, it may be impossible to meet their physical and behavioral needs in captivity.

Rabbits and Rodents:

• Rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas are commonly purchased for children. But because these animals are fragile, can bite, and generally do not like to be held, they do not make the best companions for children. And many people purchase these animals under the false impression (usually encouraged by the retailer) that a cage is a suitable habitat for them, when in fact confinement in a cage is extremely inappropriate for these highly active and social animals.

• Many pet stores carry rats and mice primarily to cater to individuals who feed live rodents to captive reptiles. Unfortunately, people tend to treat "food" animals with less concern than companions animals, so by the sheer number of animals produced and the typical neglect they endure the rats and mice destined to become feed may be the most mistreated animals in the pet industry.

• Some stores have policies that instruct employees to allow sick rodents to languish in backrooms until they can be used as food for in-store reptile stock. In an effort to cut costs pet stores have even been accused of placing sick, unwanted, or otherwise unprofitable small rodents (including rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils) in the freezer to freeze to death.

Dogs and Cats

• Puppies and kittens sold in pet shops come into contact with numerous animals at breeding facilities;, broker holding facilities; during transportation by truck, van, or airplane; and ultimately at pet shops, thus exposing them to a variety of illnesses and stress.

• Many dogs sold in pet stores come from "puppy mills," where dogs are bred solely for profit. These dogs spend their entire lives in tiny cages, often with wire floors that hurt and deform their feet. Many times these cages are stacked on top of each other, so that the urine and feces from animals in the top cages fall through onto the animals below. There are also "kitten mills" where cats endure the same deplorable conditions.

• Most pet stores don't spay or neuter the puppies and kittens they sell. It has been estimated that 6-8 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year and 3-4 million are killed for lack of a home. Whether purebred or mixed, all breeding contributes to overpopulation. In fact it is estimated that 25% of all animals entering shelters are purebreds. (HSUS statistics)

Fish:

• Recent studies on pain in fish confirm that indeed fish have conscious, cognizant pain experiences similar to higher vertebrates such as mammals. If fish are similar to other animals in their ability to feel pain, then it is not unreasonable to assume that they share other sensations such as fear, joy, and sadness.

• Many marine "salt water" species seen in home aquariums are wild-caught. Seventy to 100 tons of wild marine fish are captured each year for the aquarium trade. Not surprisingly, many exploited species are on the decline. Captive-bred salt water and fresh water fish are typically mass-produced, leading to associated welfare and disease problems and environmental risks.

• The release of exotic fish by well-intentioned or disenchanted aquarium hobbyists into the nearest body of water creates problems for native fish and the ecosystem in general. More than half of the 185 different species of exotic fishes that have been caught in the open waters of the United States are due to the release or escape of aquarium fish. (Nonindigenous Aquatic Species information, United States Geological Survey)

What You Can Do

• Don't Breed, Don't Buy, Adopt. Never purchase an animal from a pet store or breeder. If you feel you are qualified and prepared to provide lifetime care for an animal, adopt one from animal rescue group, city/county pound, humane society, or someone who has lost interest or ability to care for an animal in his or her possession.

• Don't patronize any store that treats animals like merchandise.

• Support pet supply stores that do not retail live animals.

• Investigate pet shops for violations of state pet shop and anticruelty laws. See Born Free USA united with API's summaries of your state's pet shop and anticruelty laws or call Born Free USA united with API.

• Report any inhumane conditions observed at a pet shop to the appropriate animal control agency and to the appropriate local business bureau or consumer affairs agency.

• If your state, city or county does not already have a law to protect animals in pet shops from inhumane conditions, contact your state senator or representative or local city or county council member and ask him or her to enact such legislation. See API's Model Pet Shop Law or call Born Free USA united with API for assistance.

• Support legislation on all levels that enhances the humane treatment of animals.

Take Action:

Ask the following retail pet store chains to stop selling animals. Tell them to assist customers in finding companion animals by referral, and by working with animal rescue groups and humane societies instead of retailing live animals like mere merchandise.

PETCO operates more than 570 stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia. It sells birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and small mammals including rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

Contact:

Brian K. Devine, Chair and CEO
Petco
9125 Recho Rd.
San Diego, CA 92121

PETsMART, Inc. operates more than 560 pet superstores in the United States and Canada. It sells birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and small mammals including rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

Contact:

Phil Francis, CEO
PetsMart
19601 North 27th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85027

Petland is a major retailer of puppies, kittens, birds, reptiles, fish, and small mammals including rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits. It operates 123 stores in the United States and 57 foreign outlets. Many of its puppies come from large Midwestern puppy mill breeders and dealers.

Contact:

Petland Corporate Offices
250 Riverside Street
P.O. Box 1606
Chillicothe, OH 45601