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fecto's mum
17-03-2014, 01:13 AM
I have typed this once and lost it! Pets at Home sre going to put cats in pens in their stores for Cats Protection, RSPCA and Battersea to sell them for an 'adoption fee'.

I am so angry I am almost speechless. Who thought that putting traumatised cats into a busy store full of loud people and screeching children was a good idea. 'I want a kitten'. 'I want a cat, I want that one'. Obviously Pets at Home are hoping to make huge amounts of money by supplying all the stuff that goes with getting a cat but there is no excuse for the charities concerned. I used to be a big supporter of Cats Protection but not any more. I will never go into a Pets at Home store again if this happens and will never support any of the charities involved in this.

PoshPuss
17-03-2014, 11:35 AM
I read this on the other social network this morning, and my first reaction was the same as yours, a bit taken aback to say the least! :shock:

However, I have read a post from my local CP branch and there is no change in the adoption procedure, i.e., home screening etc. I am concerned about the 'impulse' buy but I am told that these stores will have specific areas where the cats can be kept and supervised, in a place apart from the general store.

I don't intend to stop my donations as I think that will hinder CP in their rescue work and vet fees. I just wish P@H would consider just donating to local rescue charities from the profit pocket, but you get nothing for nothing they say :sigh:

I would have to hear more that what I've read on social forums before I make a more such as stopping my support, please think carefully. :)

yola
17-03-2014, 01:11 PM
Agreed PP. I too was shocked when I read the news about this. It seems that there is more consideration behind this that immediately meets the eye and it looks as if the charities involved are being responsible towards the animals in their care. Full article from Cats Protection website here ... http://cats.org.uk/news/media-statement-from-cats-protection-with-respect-to-pets-at-home

fecto's mum
17-03-2014, 01:28 PM
Thanks Yola and PP. I do tend to go off the deep end where animals are concerned. I still don't think it's right to have cats already traumatised disturbed every day. There Maybe P@H, good abbreviation by the way, should sponsor local charities. Staff at rescue centres have a vested interest in finding animals a suitable home, staff at supermarkets do as they are told. It seems every time I write a post I go offline so I'll stop now. Perhaps someone is trying to tell me something!!

PoshPuss
17-03-2014, 03:02 PM
Thanks for the link to the media statement from CP, Yola. It is a shame that CP has to 'get into bed' with business to continue to function but it's the way of the world these days. Hopefully sharing the premises with P@H will reduce costs and donations can focus on the animals needs.
Fecto's mum, I'm reassured that the supermarket won't be involved in the 'selling' of the cats, but get their end of the bargain by providing the requisites, food etc.

angieh
17-03-2014, 05:31 PM
I agree that already stressed cats shouldn't be unduly stressed any further but I guess the bottom line is that charities are in a desperate situation with so many animals in their care and they are just trying every avenue to move them on.

SPAY AND NEUTER!

lynz85
17-03-2014, 08:29 PM
i was quite appalled when i read this. i dont agree with the cats being kept in pens in the store at all, and i think this is just another way for p@h to make more money. why cant they have say, a pet of the day with a picture of an animal needing adopted?
i already boycott p@h as i dont agree with the way they source their animals, from mass breeding farms with no care given to the poor animals bred from, and often kept in unacceptable and horrid conditions, some arriving at the stores ill or already dead.
i dont think its a good idea these charities associate their names with p@h.

fecto's mum
17-03-2014, 09:42 PM
I agree lynz, there are other ways for charities to raise money. It seems that small, independent rescue centres are much more clued up regarding rehoming. The Ark in Ashbourne is brilliant. Cats have spotless, individual inside runs with access to small gardens. There is a large room furnished like a lounge where volunteers can sit and play with the cats or just sit quiet with nervous cats. cats are allowed out around the offices, etc and will mix with other cats. There is also a cat behaviourist on hand for cats with problems. Can the RSPCA, with all it's millions say the same. I don't think so.

lynz85
18-03-2014, 01:30 AM
no, I believe not! RSPCA actually put down healthy animals because there are so many unwanted and abandoned animals out there, which is really sad. the SPCA here in scotland dont put any healthy animals to sleep, and i have rescued from CP and SPCA. as angie said, if irresponsible people would just neuter their animals!!

i think its going to take drastic measures for the level of unwanted animals all over the world to be reduced :(

Velvet
18-03-2014, 03:06 AM
Step back into old dark days :(

Natp263
18-03-2014, 12:41 PM
Is this right? The RSPCA put healthy animals down? :( I hope not!! To be quite honest though, we got Beth from the RSPCA and the history we got with her was nil which made it really hard when trying to settle her in. It's sad.

lynz85
18-03-2014, 10:20 PM
unfortunately it is true :(

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254729/RSPCA-destroys-HALF-animals-rescues--thousands-completely-healthy.html

fecto's mum
19-03-2014, 12:10 AM
I am sad to say Lunz is right. I have no time for the RSPCA at all in any of there dealings. Time and again I have come across Area Inspectors who have no idea let alone ordinary staff. They are too busy prosecuting easy targets instead of getting rid of puppy and kitten farms. Think how much your average Rescue Centre Manager is on and compare that to RSPCA officers in a similar position. Nuff said.

dinky
19-03-2014, 02:56 AM
Speaking of the RSPCA, I, too ,don't have a lot of time for them.Many years ago, when I was a struggling student at uni, I was working at night in a rest home to make a bit of money. I uplifted......oops, "rescued" a young German Shepherd pup from a run down old house next to the rest home, that was chained and beaten. I witnessed this terrible abuse from the rest home window every evening. Unfortunately I couldn't keep the dog as I was in a student flat and no pets were allowed.I boarded the traumatised young dog at the RSPCA while trying to find him a good home. I paid for the dog's board in advance for a month and told them the full story.I was furious when I went back the following week to find that a guy had come in and wanted the dog and they had given it to him. I had specifically told them that the dog was only boarding with them for a month, the money was all paid up and they flatly refused to tell me where the dog had gone. They never even offered to refund the extra money that I had paid.To this day, I think about that beautiful dog who was so cowered down and afraid. I had managed to find him an excellent home as well, but got no apology from the RSPCA.I can only hope and pray that he got a kind and understanding home.

fecto's mum
24-03-2014, 11:17 PM
OH just read an article by Mike Jessop, past President of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and he is totally against the P@H collaboration with the animal charities to 'sell' cats in stores. He say, and I agree, that cats become depressed if they spend too long in pens. That's why The Ark at Ashbourne let all their cats have access to outside gardens, the office and Roger's Room,
(their lounge). They also have lots of interaction with people IF THAT'S WHAT THE CATS WANT. If they want to keep quiet and stay away from stressful situations they can. The cats at P@H WILL HAVE NO CHOICE.

fecto's mum
24-03-2014, 11:23 PM
I am a great believer in letting cats do what they want within reason. If they don't like being picked up I don't pick them up. If they don't want to be stroked I don't stroke them. If they want to sleep somewhere quiet I don't disturb them. I don't make my cats do what I want just to please me. If any of my cats want a fuss or a stroke they will get all the attention they want, other than that I leave them alone. I had a small she cat called Priddy who hated being picked up. I had her for 13 years and the only time she was picked up was to be wormed or flead. She loved being stroked but only with one hand, so that's what I did. Why frighten her.

farthing
26-03-2014, 12:36 AM
I am really against putting rescue animal in a store to be bought. It's taken a long time to stop puppies and kittens being sold in stores, most rescues would like to see no animal being sold so that people cannot impulse buy, I see this as a step backwards. P@H are only in it for the money, they are a business after all.

I think you need to be very aware as to what classifies as a healthy animal- to some it means an animal with no health issues, to some it means an animal with treatable issues and to some it means an animal with long term issues but can still have a quality of life ( ie, a renal cat!)
In a way I can understand PTS in rescues, people do not want old or ill animals, rescues can then get 'clogged up' and become sanctuaries because they have no spaces free to take in any more animals.
The people to blame for animals being PTS or stray are not he rescues, it's those who breed and/or dump them.

Velvet
26-03-2014, 04:28 AM
I am really against putting rescue animal in a store to be bought. It's taken a long time to stop puppies and kittens being sold in stores, most rescues would like to see no animal being sold so that people cannot impulse buy, I see this as a step backwards. P@H are only in it for the money, they are a business after all.

I think you need to be very aware as to what classifies as a healthy animal- to some it means an animal with no health issues, to some it means an animal with treatable issues and to some it means an animal with long term issues but can still have a quality of life ( ie, a renal cat!)
In a way I can understand PTS in rescues, people do not want old or ill animals, rescues can then get 'clogged up' and become sanctuaries because they have no spaces free to take in any more animals.
The people to blame for animals being PTS or stray are not he rescues, it's those who breed and/or dump them.

Good post

And those who dont or wont spay/neuter.

As for the poster who said about no history with her kitty - many many times Rescues dont get any history. A stray cat has no history, dumped cats have not got history.

Phoenix
04-05-2014, 09:11 PM
I don't go to P@H either because they seem to be uncaring and clueless, for example the one time I went in there one of the store assistants tried to sell me some cat food when I told them that it was the exact brand Dylan (the cat I had at the time) was allergic to :evil:

P@H are :smt077 enough said.

angieh
11-05-2014, 05:49 PM
I think to be fair to P@H, here is a link to their response to the criticism they have received .....................

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/customer-services/charity-response

Here are a couple of extracts .......... please go to the link to find the whole story ...

"We’d like to reassure any concerned customers or animal lovers that we absolutely do not sell any rescue cats and dogs, nor do we make any money from any of our rehoming charity partnerships."

"We offer store space free of charge to certain charities to allow then to carry out their much needed re-homing work. These centres are manned full time by the charities who are experienced and fully qualified when rehoming animals in their care. We are confident that they would only allow animals to be passed on to responsible and committed new owners."

fecto's mum
11-05-2014, 11:41 PM
Hmmmmm. Still don't like it.

farthing
06-07-2014, 08:53 AM
I've come back to this post, just to add the the biggest thing P@H could do for animal rescue, is to stop selling any animals, altogether. They offered us to be linked with them as a local charity when they opened in this area, but we refused. I do not want to take money made on the back of animals suffering. Since they opened here there is a marked increase in 6 month to year old rabbits and guinea pigs being rehomed due to 'allergies' or the kids no longer being interested. They sell substandard and horribly small housing for small animals, when being a large company they should be following welfare standards and advising people properly.
We either buy online, from our vets and from our fantastic local pet shop who sells no animals, is knowledgable in animal care and supports us in any way she can.

There was a large rabbit rescue in Horsham a few years ago, filthy conditions, rabbits ill, rabbits dead, the person was a supplier to P@H, the rodents generally come from breeding warehouses, there is no consideration as to how the adults are kept and no care as to who the babies are sold to, as long as you have money in your hands.

fecto's mum
06-07-2014, 11:46 AM
I absolutely agree Farthing. I hate any animal being bred purely for profit. P@H don't get any of my custom and will never get it. They can use all the excuses in the world but the bottom line is they want to make money on the back of the 'pester power' of children. I still say animal welfare should be a mandatory subject in all schools from an early age.