Pet Shop Question

[Sugarant]

Are pet shop owners required to give the same instructions - vaccinations, neutering, etc - as the rehoming centres?

The reason I ask is that my neighbour got a kitten the other week. She got it from a pet shop, where they told her it was 14 weeks old and a male. It's not yet litter trained and they've been transporting it without a cat carrier (it's been out in the car twice that I know of).

I don't have the kind of relationship with my neighbour where I can pop round to ask whether she got the same information we did, and she's not the kind of person to listen even if I did, but I'm a bit worried because there's a lot of cats in the neighbourhood and I'd hate for an unneutered, unvaccinated cat to be about.

[yola]

As far as I'm aware there are no legal obligations for petshops to offer any kind of advice. Many of the independent ones I've come across do as they care about the animals they sell and feel a moral obligation to do so, but equally there are those who don't and are just interested in the revenue.

[louise_81]

I don't think rescue / rehoming centres are nesecessaily required to give out information on vaccs etc, it is just that they are so dedicated to the animal that they feel that it will help the animal in its new life with the new owner, especially if they don't have a clue / just learning about the animal.

Most reputable rescues will home check which is where pet shops fall down , in my opinion, as they pander to the want it now culture that seems to have sprouted in society.

Im new to cats, is there no where you could get information leaflets to give to her (I found these lying sround the house, with you having a new kitten....) or may be print of a few sheets from a reputable website and drop them through the letterbox with a note. At least they you have tried.

[Elaine]

Pet shops and rescue centres are two entirely different thing, one is in it for profit and profit only while the other is in for the welbeing of the animal. Pet shops are not required to advise on vaccs etc.

[dandysmom]

And Elaine knows very well as she used to work in a pet shop .......

[Elaine]

And Elaine knows very well as she used to work in a pet shop .......

Yes and it wasnt a pleasant experience:roll:

[dandysmom]

I wasn't going to say that as I didn't think it was up to me ...a horrible place it was!!

[pcspik]

Most reputable rescues will home check which is where pet shops fall down , in my opinion, as they pander to the want it now culture that seems to have sprouted in society.

Not all. Our Cats Protection have a fair few taken from a local charity which have been in shocking state. Unfortunately they (the other charity) do not do homing visits, which means anyone can take them in including people who have abused cats. All they ask for their cats (and kittens) is £50. They also just give them their first vaccination, and very often we have found that people who have got them from there are unaware they need a second.

Strangely they chip their dogs, but not their cats. Unfortunately because they are an independent charity and not a branch of the RSPCA etc, so there is nothing that can be done. I think that charities should adhere to minimum standards, just like all branches of the Cats Protection has to. I think that pet shops should be banned from selling dogs and cats, and larger animals (ferrets etc).

We had a cat once in our shelter who had being swung by the tail, and it makes me sad that the person (or anyone else who abandons pets like they do with last year's clothes) can just go ahead and get another one just like that. Or people who have very little money and think that they can feed their cats cheap and crappy food. IF they were made to do a home visit then perhaps they would think twice and it would encourage responsible pet ownership. Similarly anyone who has been found guilty of pet ownership should spend time at a rescue place and see what it takes to get a cat back to full health and then perhaps it would drum in some common sense into them.

[Sugarant]

I might try and get hold of some leaflets to give her as Louise suggested. I don't think she'd take kindly to my interfering but I just have a feeling that they've not got all the facts. Thanks everyone.