Update on Injured Hamster.

[crazy01204]

So I made a frantic post a couple days ago about an injured hamster.

http://community.livejournal.com/hamsters/2272540.html?nc=14

here's what happened...

Comments

[zoochica]

As a PetCo employee (dog trainer/floor personnel, non-management)...

I was taught to take sick/injured animals to the infirmary section of our wellness room (the "Backroom" - and, yes, I call it that too sometimes) and alert the Animal Care Specialist. There are three possible outcomes:

* Animal makes full recovery and is returned to the floor for sale;

* Animal is compromised, making it ineligible for sale, but perfectly fine for in-store adoption, or

* Animal's illness/injury is too great and animal dies.

The vet is called as soon as an animal is placed in the infirmary and - at least in my area - the animals are driven to the vet in the AM. As far as I know, PetCo is NOT allowed to put an animal down. All efforts are made to save an animal and - even if it is painfully obvious that an animal is going to die within 24 hours - the animal is given his medication or treatment. I've seen that myself with a recent outbreak of wet tail in our long-haired syrians.

Also: employees are allowed to refuse sale of any animal to a customer if there is doubt regarding the ability to take care of an animal. I've done this myself - I get a lot more idiots in aquatics (cuz, you know, they're just fish *seethe*) and have refused sale of fish due to improper preparation and an overall unwillingness to create an appropriate environment for their would-be pet.

PetCo is based out of San Diego - this is probably why the stores there are particularly good. My store is about 2.5 hours away, and we are definitely visited by corporate quite a bit. It's a far cry from the PetCo I worked at in Iowa, that's for damn sure.

I will tell you, though, that we are not allowed to release an animal if it is still under treatment. We had a fella come in the other day - an experienced fish enthusiast who spotted a sick fish in a tank that has been undergoing treatment. He wanted to pay full price for it because he was sure he could save it. We weren't allowed to sell it because it was obviously compromised and still undergoing treatment.

...which means that if this little hamster is being treated (they'll undoubtedly put him on an antibiotic to start with) and starts to go downhill they are not legally permitted to sell, adopt out, or give the hamster to anyone regardless of experience or desire on the part of the hopeful pet parent.

I sincerely hope that the little guy heals and that he'll get a lovely home with you. I've worked in the animal fields for a while now and still get surprised by the stupidity of people once in a while. One never shakes the bitterness, though.