This is sickening

[E. Goldhammer]

Yep.  And I am the local "guardian angel" at my nearest Petland.  They keep mixing strange gerbils and ending up with torn-up bleeding animals.  Last time I was there (couple of days ago), there was a little lilac youngster that looked like half his front left leg was gone.  And I know he shipped in perfect, because I saw him the day he arrived. I don't think he was going to make it.   I keep warning the store manager that the gerbils are ripped up and not to mix them.  I actually got to tell the Regional Manager of all the NYC Petlands, and I saw that the 10 gallon tank had been replaced by a 20 gallon.  But they're still mixing animals with fights ensuing.    I also saw the other night a lady return a "sick" baby guinea pig.  It was lying on its side, heaving for breath.  Against my strong protestations (and that of other customers), they just put it in with their healthy guinea pigs, to heave its lungs out for another couple of hours before painfully expiring.   I'm also constantly on their case to (1) take care of sick birds there and (2) give all the psitticines (parrots and keets) TOYS to play with, lest they become neurotic from boredom.  At my urging, they finally gave the BIG parrots toys.  Now, these are highly intelligent animals, and I can't believe what mental damage would be caused by being caged individually, with no toys.   I only go there to buy pinhead crickets and waxworms for my tiny lizards.  Wouldn't DREAM of acquiring any livestock there, except maybe the odd fish.   Now, the Petland at Park Slope in Brooklyn is run very well, with immaculate cages, all birds with toys, all animals properly housed, etc.  They don't mix their groups of gerbils, either.  The manager, a long-time acquaintance, has asked for my e-mail, and will contact me if he has an animal problem.  I'm glad to alleviate any potential suffering.   Petland is based in Long Island, and I know they have a webpage....   --Esther