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From: Sheila
Category: Comment
Date: 17 Nov 2001
Time: 10:13:18
Remote Name: 10.10.17.77
I have been after the Petco at Broadway and Craycroft here in Tucson about their ferret conditions for nearly one year now. The first time I visited their store, there were several kits living in filthy conditions with no toys or bedding, no water, and one bowl containing a hardened chunk of food. It was quite obvious they'd had no attention in at least two days. It was the most pathetic sight watching a tiny fuzzy trying to break a piece of food off, ending up only lifting the entire chunk of rock-hard food out of the bowl. These fuzzies were so hungry that when I had the clerk open the cage every one of them frantically bit us repeatedly. I made them immediately provide food, clean litter, and bedding for the kits and I returned to the store every day for two months to ensure that the conditions continued to improve. Although I am still very disappointed in the actual habitat the ferrets are housed in, I see that the store manager and employees are now concerned and trying to do a better job. They recently got another habitat installed which is still acrylic solid plexiglass, which I am not happy with, but again, they are trying. I have to reward that effort locally, because Petco's corporate offices still refuse to return my calls or answer my letters. If anyone reading this is interested in helping with an effort to make them accountable for upholding their own live animal care policy, please contact me at jinx1962@home.com Also, in the past I have tried to contact Ferret Friends by phone and email to donate cages, etc but never recieved an answer. Are you still an active shelter in the city of Tucson? Petco employees state that they have your shelter listed as a contact in the event that ferrets are unadoptable and/or dropped off. I wanted to make sure that they have someone viable to go to if necessary. I have provided my name and number as a backup. I would be interested in helping you out if you are still running your shelter, whether it be financially, volunteering, or help with internet-related chores.