Pet Connection selling sick kittens

SnowyOwl_2

I visited my local Pet Connection today and found that they were selling five kittens which looked as if they had cat flu - sticky eyes and v.listless and disinterested.

I mentioned it to the two guys behind the counter and they said that some other customers had said the same thing. A little discussion ensued, and they told me that they took the kittens from a woman (member of the public) as a favour as the kittens were unwanted. They do not insist that the animals they accept to sell on are vaccinated, or even healthy. The staff know so little about animals they are unable to identify that the kittens were most obviously sick.

The solution to this is that they are going to return the kittens to the woman who gave them to them in the first place. That won't help the kittens of course - now that they are going to cost money I would not be surprised if the kittens were drowned. OK, I don't know this for sure, but if she had spent the money to get her cat neutered then none of this would have happened.

I am cross with the shop, but also cross with the woman who failed to have her adult cat neutered.

Bossyboots

This shop must have a licence from the local council to operate as a pet shop. Get onto them and report it.

aliasojo

I agree with BB. Also the RSPCA perhaps? If they can't/wont get involved because it's a business (although I've no idea if that matters or not?) then the least they can do is offer advice on reporting.

If the kittens are returned to the woman, the RSPCA might want to keep a check on them then?

SnowyOwl_2

Hi & thanks for your replies. This pet shop is one of those big warehouse type affairs, so I would be stunned if they didn't have a proper licence - they sell rabbits, guinea pigs, fish, birds and so on, plus a very large range of food and accessories. Why they compromised their reputation by accepting kittens as a favour is totally beyond me.

It bothers me enough to want to let the council know, or perhaps trading standards, so I think I should send a letter. Even if the evidence is now removed should the council follow up on it then hopefully it will scare the management sufficiently so that there isn't a repeat performance.

The shop is here in N.Ireland, where the RSPCA doesn't operate - we have the USPCA (Ulster Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals). They aren't related to the RSPCA and have a different agenda to them. I could let them know, but bearing in mind that 40% of ALL the UK's unwanted dogs come from N.Ireland and that the USPCA is the organisation stuck with the problem then I would be surprised if they would have the resources to get involved.

It's not looking good for these little kittens - the woman who donated them really doesn't deserve to be allowed to keep animals. If she was unwilling to pay for her female cat to be neutered and vaccinated against flu it's unlikely she's going to open her purse to save the kittens. Oh it makes me so cross!!!