To PetSmart: Selling Rabbits is a Sell-Out to Commercialism

Here is another email address to Petsmart Charities: kjenkins@petsmartcharities.org.

I sent an email stating I will not donate to any of their charities as long as they sell rabbits. This is the response I got:

Thank you for contacting PetSmart Charities with your concerns about the sale of dwarf rabbits in a limited number of PetSmart stores. We can certainly appreciate your viewpoint on this issue. As an independent business (separate from PetSmart Charities), PetSmart does introduce new pets for sale from time to time, but only after extensive in-store testing. A test is currently under way with neutered dwarf rabbits. This is an operational decision made by PetSmart. We want to assure you that your concerns will be forwarded to the appropriate persons at PetSmart so that your thoughts and opinions will be heard and responded to. I’m also forwarding your email to the PetSmart Charities development office so that they will be sure to hear your voice as a donor. Thanks for taking the time to write.

Kit Jenkins
Program Manager
PetSmart Charities and PetSmart Charities
19601 N. 27th Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85027
1/800-738-1385 extension 2837
fax 623/580-6561

Let them know you will not tolerate this and will not donate or shop at Petsmart.

The rabbits are probably coming from Marshall Farms. This is where all the PetCo rabbits come from. I'm told you can distinguish them by a small "tattoo" mark in their ear. They are also taken away from mom and spayed/neutered at 6 weeks old. Then monitored for 2 weeks then shipped off to the pet stores. Marshall is also the #1 supplier of lab rabbits in the U.S.

This is what I wrote to PetSmart:

About PetSmart selling rabbits:

I see no problem with PetSmart selling rabbits as long as the following conditions are met:

PetSmart sets up a permanent sanctuary for any returned rabbits, along with an aggressive follow up program. Every consumer would need to be told and given literature with return information for if the rabbit doesn't work out at ANY stage of his or her life, regardless of reason for return. Any purchaser would need to be contacted via email, phone or mail--whatever it takes--every year of the animal's life to make sure things are still going well.

For every rabbit that PetSmart purchases from a breeder for resale, then sells, a rescued rabbit is not going to get that prospective home. Every sold rabbit equals a homeless rescued rabbit. Therefore, PetSmart should be directly responsible for the housing, care, medical attention, etc of a rescued rabbit for each sold rabbit. Because rescued rabbits are generally in their foster homes or shelters for quite some time (a month or more), a sponsorship of, say, $99 wouldn't even begin to cover expenses. What do you think would be a more reasonable amount to pay for a rabbit's life?

PetSmart would need to put as much advertising dollars and effort into promoting rescued rabbits as in promoting the sale of their for-sale rabbits.

What I'm suggesting is no less than what any reputable rabbit rescue organization would do.

And all these extra expenses to peddle pets responsibly might cut into the PetSmart Charities budget quite a bit.

Perhaps it's not worth the effort and you'd rather just discontinue this effort to trade in "live" stock? the "live" does, after all, refer to living creatures.

Respectfully,
Celeste Crimi

Hey Pet-Not-So-Smart
I spoke to your media rep who was "unable" to discuss the vendor from where the rabbit stock will be coming from. In states like MO, rabbits are considered a crop like carrots or peaches. On the Missouri Alternatives Center you can learn how to grow your cash crops for most profitability! http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/links/
Is this really the type of industry your organization and foundation really want to support?

Here is a copy of an email i sent to petsmart corp.
To whom it my concern
I am a long time petsmart customer with 4 cats and 5 guinea pigs at home that spends about $300 a month in your stores. My resent discovery that you will be selling rabbits in your stores makes me very angry.Your company's decision to sell rabbits is doing nothing more than condemning these animals to death.Pepole dont relize how much work it is to take care of them, when they do, the rabbit ends up being dumped outside somewhere or at a shelter where they will ultimately be put to death.The one thing i love about petsmart is the fact that you do not sell cats dogs or rabbits unlike other stores. (i.e petland & petco) So if you do deciede to sell rabbits in your stores i will no longer be shopping at your stores instead will buy all my pet supplies from online stores. Thank you for your time.
Dariek Kimrey

Interestingly, one of the rabbit mill breeders has been on these forums in the past directing hostility at those interested in animal welfare

One of her past activities was to try to organize a campaign to bombard a company with letters- because they had contributed some money to a bunny spay neuter project.

The rabbit millers are as bad as the puppy millers, and Petsmart will buy their rabbits from mills.

Here is another email address to send your comments to:

corpcommunications@ssg.petsmart.com

Please help save the countless numbers of bunnies that will eventually end up in shelters, most being killed. PLEASE TELL PETSMART YOU WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS AND WILL BOYCOTT THEM.

Our local shelter euthanized eight healthy, beautiful rabbits last week just because of the simple fact that they get more bunnies in than are adopted. For Petsmart to contribute to this pet overpopulation problem is completely unethical and just plain wrong. I have zero respect for Petsmart management.

I e mailed Petsmart, and suggested that hey unlike cats and dogs people could always eat the bunnies if they did not want them anymore.

I believe people do not realize how much work these animals are. I inherited some guinea pigs which are now 8 years old and between the timothy hay, sawdust, fresh veggies and guinea pig food, I spend more than on my cats and dogs.

Apparently, PetSmart is claiming that they are unaware of the huge numbers of rabbits in shelters and rescues across the county and the "public demand" for rabbits, is what is prompting their sudden selling of rabbits in 40 of their "test stores". Apparently, they also have their heads up their butts (excuse my language) if they can't see what is going on. So, they basically said show us proof of these rabbits in shelters/rescues, show us the overpopulation of rabbits. And that's what we plan on doing. If everyone can start gathering statistics and sending it to Corporate Petsmart, maybe then they'll see just what is happening to the third most popular pet in the country. Maybe then they'll realize the huge numbers of rabbits being abandoned in shelters, rescues and those that we weren't able to save.
Shannon
House Rabbit Network

RabbitWise, Inc., a 501c3 public charity organization that advocates for domestic rabbits, has begun a campaign about PetSmart's decision to sell baby rabbits. Please visit www.rabbitwise.org and click on the Hot Topics link at the top of the home page or go directly to http://mysite.verizon.net/vze27h5b/id90.html to learn what you can do about PetSmart. We also have a pwesidential candidate, Joe Schmoe, who's platform includes a stance against PetSmart 's decision. Please visit duh Schmoe's campaign page at http://mysite.verizon.net/vze27h5b/id98.html and help duh Schmoe get his message out.

The rabbits thank you!
RabbitWise, Inc.

Petsmart:
You were the *only* place where i used to like shiopping for *all* my pet supply needs. I'm really going to miss shopping there,but ,I promise you,while you engage in the depolorable practice,for the sake of a couple of bucks,I *WON'T* shop there ,anymore.
I sincerely hope you ,as a company,come to your senses,and stop,the practice of selling rabbits.
you are shooting yourselves in the foot,by doing this,because if,in fact,it is true that rabbits are the 3rd most popular pets,and,when I *know* for a fact,that there are many multiple species households that habve cats,dogs,*AND* rabbits,you're going to lose a lot more business than youy think,and you may NOT get it back,
do you understand what I'm saying here?
vbsolutely,EVERBODY I know shops at petsmart,why do this to yourselves? and to the bunnies that youre sentencing to death!
all for a couple of bucks........
I can't believe you folks! I really thought you all were smarter than this!

Please boycott Petsmart and Petco. Mail your Petsmart Card with a letter stating your outrage at their decision to sell rabbits to the following address:

Robert Moran
PetSmart, Inc.
19601 North 27th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027

Last year I rescued and rehomed about 40 rabbits, including 28 from the horrific former Catskill Game Farm. It is difficult to find wonderful indoor forever homes with people who understand rabbits' unique needs. I would love to do outreach at PetSmart, like many rescues do with cats and dogs, but their announcement that they will be selling dwarf rabbits from animal mills like Marshall Farms has halted that idea. When I wrote PetSmart in protest, I received the same canned response. Please continue to protest this idiotic decision by bombarding PetSmart with letters threatening to boycott (mine follows).

As a rabbit rescurer for The House Rabbit Society, with 6 house rabbits of my own and 3 foster rabbits, and a frequent shopper at PetSmart, I was horrified to learn that PetsMarts across America will soon begin to sell domestic
rabbits. Did you know that rabbits are the third most popular pet, and thus the third most likely to be abandoned and euthanized at animal shelters? I volunteer for my local shelter and have seen the conditions these unspayed and unneutered rabbits arrive in...most are from breeders and many are Easter dumps. Why perpetuate this misery? Instead, please offer rabbits the same consideration as you do cats and dogs and encourage pet adoptions by teaming up with a rabbit rescue. Until you do so, I will boycott PetSmart and advice all my friends, relatives, co-workers, and neighbors to do so as well.

Me again...if you want to read a good letter regarding this topic go to www.rabbit.org which is the site for the House Rabbit Society.

I just e-mailed Petsmart too. I'm sure I'll get a "canned" answer e-mail soon.

In a published article in Retail Merchandiser dated July 1, 2000, Philip L. Francis, Chairman and CEO of PetSmart, Inc. said:

"We try to stay on the side of angels with all animals. We do not sell certain animals for specific reasons."

"Our brand name stands for ethics, quality, health and good care for animals and we're always willing to forego the short run marginal sale because our standards are higher and our ethics are little bit better."

I guess in 2007 PROFIT is more important than the founding principles of Petsmart. Apparently RABBITS are now considered a commodity by Petsmart instead of a living, feeling being. It seems RABBITS are no longer considered "angels" by Petsmart anymore. Petsmart has USED the Rabbit Rescue groups who participated in their adoption program for market research. Now PROFITS are more important than the lives of rabbits. I will no longer shop at Petsmart or Petco. For the complete 2000 article please see below:

On the Side of Angels
Publication: Retail Merchandiser
Date: Saturday, July 1 2000
http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/4300498-1.html

While PETsMART may not sell dogs or cats, it does sell fish, birds and hamsters—but there is a limit as to what animals can be sold.

"We try to stay on the side of angels with all animals," says Philip Francis, chairman/president/CEO of PETsMART Inc. "We do not sell
certain animals for specific reasons."

Many pet retailers sell iguanas, and while PETsMART sells iguana food and habitats, the chain does not sell actual iguanas. Iguanas grow large over a two-year period often requiring as many as three or four habitats and tend to become nasty as they age.

"We could sell a cute, baby iguana, but nine months later when the iguana is on its fourth habitat and spits at its owners when they walk within a foot, we think that reflects badly on us and on future pet ownership," says Francis. "We'd rather forego the sale when we know 90 percent of the people are going to be unhappy in 18 months."

Although it does sell food and cages for them, PETsMART does not sell ferrets because when owners become tired of them they are often released into the wild. According to Francis, as long as the ferrets last in the wild they decimate the wild bird population. Nor will the chain sell salt-water fish, because when they're caught in the wild it destroys coral reef.

Rabbits are also taboo. Six weeks before the Easter holiday bunnies become popular pet purchases, but 10 days later the majority of them wind up in shelters. For this reason, PETsMART will not sell rabbits, but it will carry rabbit food and supplies. However, the company does allow the humane societies/animal shelters to bring rabbits to the Luv-A-Pet-Adoption Centers in the hopes of finding homes for them.

"Our brand name stands for ethics, quality, health and good care for animals and we're always willing to forego the short run marginal sale because our standards are higher and our ethics are little bit better," says Francis.

END OF ARTICLE

So much for ethics in 2007. Please voice your views to Petsmart:
Email: http://www.petsmart.com/global/customerservice/contactUsForm.jsp
Phone: (800) 738-1385 or Fax: (623) 580-6502

or send a letter to:
Robert Moran
PetSmart, Inc.
19601 North 27th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027

After buying three noticeably sick guinea pigs, 2 from Petsmart and 1 from Petco, and nursing them back to health, I stopped shopping at both stores. I have found that most of their staff have no clue how to take care of the small animals they already sell or what products customers should buy to keep them healthy and happy. So now they want subject rabbits to the same fate? As a guinea pig and rabbit "mom" I am very unhappy, yet not surprized, they have decided to do so.

I do agree that Petsmart charities have done good work, but think about it, they make money from selling small animals so they can help rescue groups??? I will send them an e-mail and tell my animal loving friends about this. Perhaps if they get enough negative feedback they will rethink the plan.

Petstores selling fixed rabbits for $99 will not prevent them from being neglected, abused and abandoned by under educated owners. The only way this can be prevented is to leave the adopting out of rabbits to the most qualified of individuals.

PetSmart Stores are directly undermining the hard earned contributions of the PetSmart Charities, whose funds go to helping rabbits who too often are aquired in petstores.

How sad. The only reason I DID shop at petsmart was thier commitment to animal rescue. Now that they are going to sell animals, well I will shop elsewhere and spread the word. I also sent an email to petsmart.

You can find a list of PetSmart stores at their website: http://www.petsmart.com/ps/main.jsp.....If only 10 % of their regular customers took their business elsewhere, it would affect their bottom line quickly, so let's spread the word. gloria

I made a mistake in saying PETCO had cats from a Humane Society at the store for adoption. It is PetSupermarket.

I sent PetSmart an email regarding selling rabbits and this is their reply:

"Thank you for sharing your concerns with us regarding the sale of dwarf rabbits in our stores. We began testing this concept in 40 stores across the country this month. There appears to be some confusion and misinformation circulating about this test, so we appreciate the opportunity to provide some clarification.

It’s important for you to know that, as with any pet we sell in our stores, we began this test only after many months of careful evaluation by a team that included pet care experts and veterinarians. We selected a dwarf variety that we believe will make a great family pet and will create a lifelong bond with its family. As part of this test, we’ll conduct follow-up, random surveys of customers to see how these pets are adjusting.

We are sensitive to the issue of pet populations and animal welfare and took that into consideration when making our decision to sell dwarf rabbits. All rabbits sold through PetSmart will be spayed or neutered before they arrive at the stores. And the retail price of $99.99, we believe, will deter customers from buying this pet on impulse, a practice we strongly discourage.

In addition, we will continue to promote rabbit adoptions in our stores. We partner currently with more than 50 animal welfare organizations that are specifically devoted to rabbits and that conduct adoptions at our stores. We will continue these partnerships as well as continue to add qualified adoption partners.

We take our responsibility seriously when it comes to selling pets. We make sure our associates are well equipped to answer customers’ questions about the pet and determine if it’s the right fit. We provide customers with the tools to help them make a responsible decision and to deliver the proper care and attention needed for their pet.

We share your passion for pets and want to assure you we’ll do what’s right for our Pet Parents and their pets. You can also find additional information about dwarf rabbits and our test on our website at www.petsmartfacts.com."

There are so many homeless pets awaiting good homes in shelters and rescue organizations that steps like PetSmart is about to take by offering rabbits for sale in their stores is outragious.

Personally, I will buy my pet products from online retailers or through catalog retailers that do not sell animals of any sort. The products are often cheaper anyway since they do not have so many brick and mortor facilities with staff to pay in each.

I have just emailed PetSmart asking them to not go forward with their decision to sell rabbits in their stores.

It's appalling and disappointing what PetSmart is about to do. ! I am going to contact PetSmart and tell them I do not support their decision to sell bunnies in 40 of their stores and I will also be telling my pet-loving, PetSmart buyers about it and will send Cathy Scott's story to my friends.
Keep us posted on whether or not they go ahead with their decision.

I was under the impression, and I may just be ignorant because I don't really know much about rabbit rescue, but I was under the impression that rescues for animals like rabbits and birds actually had a harder time getting attention than rescues for cats and dogs because people simply don't realize that they are there. So isn't the decision to sell rabbits just further clouding the already little attention that these rescues get?

I also just sent PETsMART a note, via utahiszion's link, expressing my concern about the decision to sell rabbits in 40 stores. PETsMART doesn't have adoption specialists. They have checkers and managers at the counters, all of whom sell and promote merchandise. It's terribly disappointing that bunnies will now be part of their stores' merchandise.

I will be stopping by my local Petsmart today to voice my opinion on this matter to the manager. I will not continue to shop there as long as they sell bunnies..

Where can we get a list of the 40 stores?

This is a very big issue with me. I have had bunnies my whole life and LOVE them more than my own life. I know first hand how forgotten and unwanted they become in peoples houses after only a few short months. I'm not at all pleased with PetSmart's decision and will not be shooping there any longer until they re-evaluate their decision.

Many of these innocent bunnies will still end up in shelters-only to be euthanized, because selling them does not include one bit of ensuring a buyer is able to care for that animal and his/her needs as a rescue would.
Many of the things they sell are available online through other outlets that do not sell live, sentient beings-if need be.
They made the right choice regarding dogs and cats and they should stick with only selling animal supplies-it truly is the wave of the future, and the humane thing to do.

Same question I have atuttle32. A couple of my PetSmarts also have space for rabbit rescues. What will happen to them?
My PETCO has a couple cats roaming the store from a Humane Society for adoption, but who is in charge of the adoption process? The kids working in the store. That scares me. So it will be the same kids in charge of adopting out the bunnies. They will just go to anybody.
I dont agree with this at all and I hope BF gets involved and is able to make PetSmart understand this is not a humane choice to make.

Very infuriating indeed. My rescue group has space at the adoption centers at two local PetSmart stores, and both of these also give space to rabbit rescue groups. What will become of the rescued bunnies when PetSmart begins selling them? It is contradictory towards their focus on charities.

Petco is planning to open a store where I live. This is what my husband and I wrote to our city's mayor and board of aldermen:

"We felt very sad and frustrated to learn that PETCO will be opening a store here. We value our locally-owned and -run animal supply stores, which fill that niche beautifully. We also value responsible animal care.

"PETCO’s animal policies and practices concern us greatly. One might think that an animal supply store’s management would want to serve animals and their people. PETCO certainly gives that appearance, offering adoption space to animal shelters and rescues, and sponsoring events that help animals.

"But for PETCO management, the welfare of only dogs and cats seems to count. PETCO buys many other animal species, often from questionable breeders and sells these animals to the public, despite the fact that these animals also experience neglect, abuse, and death due to overpopulation and mistreatment. Birds, rabbits, ferrets, fish, reptiles, rodents – all of these animals are regarded as worthy of being family members, just like dogs and cats, but PETCO sees them as lifeless commodities. Commodities must earn money for those that invest in them. That means that price considerations trump care. (Please see the enclosed documentation.)

"Animals are sold too young to anyone who can afford them. Unlike adopting from a Humane Society or rescue group, there is no screening process for purchasers or follow-up to make sure that the animals are thriving, or whether a purchaser needs help with an animal’s behavioral or health issues. Instead, these animals are regarded as throwaway non-beings. In selling animals to make a profit, PETCO promotes the commodification and disposability of living, intelligent, feeling beings with immense capacity for joy – and suffering.

"We object to the breeding and sale of living beings. We object to such a store being here. We would like you to invite a more humane business to set up shop in the space where PETCO would have gone."

Ugh! This is infuriating! Any commercial animal breeding facility is an overcrowded, filthy, and cruel place. All of these poor creatures come from places that are just like puppy mills. And what's even more infuriating to me is that many of those creatures require specialized care that few people truly understand. Bunnies require more than just a wooden box, but how many people actually understand that? They just see an animal that is cheaper than a dog or cat that also requires "less work," so they think it's a good idea. What a great way to teach little Bobby responsibility, huh? We'll just get him this cheap-o rabbit or hamster or bird and see how long it takes before he kills it or gets bored. Then we'll know if he's "ready for that dog he really wants." It makes me sick. I need to find a pet supply store in my area that doesn't sell pets. I don't think I can stomach PetSmart anymore...