Incompetent store owner and employees are mistreating their gerbils

[Gerbilgirl]

Went to another pet store today (one of those Mom 'n' Pop ones). They kept all of their animals in little 5-gallon cells. The gerbil tank contained a large, rusty metal food hopper, a playhouse with colored tubes, about seven live gerbils and a dead one. I told the guy at the register about the dead gerbil; he disposed of the animal in the way that most people pick up their dog's crap. :irked:
The guy-- I think he was the owner-- told me that some people had stopped by a few days ago and sold him some gerbils. He had just plopped them in the tank with a few young adults from the previous litter, even though they obviously had some kind of eye infection (he told me it was "just old age"). Thus, the fighting that caused the gerbil's death. Thus, the young gerbils are becoming infected too.
The sickest gerbil keeps one eye squeezed shut, the other cracked open. The fur under his eyes is all wet and messy. It's tinted blood red, though I think it's just discharge from his eye.
I am going to try and convince the guy I met or one of his employees that it is necessary to treat the gerbils. So...how exactly would you treat an infection like that? :sorry:

[SpunkyMunky]

Where I live if the pet stores mistreat the animals they will get a big time fine and possible jail time, At the big name pet store (Nature) The animals there are treated very well, The dogs have their each individual time to play around the giant play pen they made for the dogs. The gerbils all have 20 gallon tanks with the proper wheels, same with the hamsters, the gps have their own big 40 gallon tanks, and the chillas has the big fish tanks. The fish and the reptiles are treated the same they all have their own big space that they are kept in. And sometimes you can see the people who are devoted to work there playing with the dogs, cats, gerbils and mostly every animal in that store! I havent really been to small pet stores but the animals never seem to be injured, sad, depresed, or sick. So I guess here they always treat animals very well. I think you should try to do something about that pet store. You should call the humane society.

[dnott]

Sounds like you better report this petstore. That is no way to treat little gerbils. The owner knows diddly swat about gerbils.

[MonoOmoi]

That is so sad! Those gerbils definitely need to see a vet, not to mention getting better housing and some love...

I agree, you definitely need to report them to someone, the humane society or any local animal rights group. Pet stores like that just shouldn't exist. If you're going to talk to the guy, maybe you can at least convince him to get them in a better environment, and perhaps split the sicker ones into a seperate cage so the healthier ones will have a better chance. At the very least he needs to get that rusty food hopper out, and maybe get some vitamins or even antibiotics in their water (but a vet would know better). *sigh* I hate hearing stories like this because it's so sad that people don't care, but it's encouraging that there are people like you to make the world better for those poor little critters. (by the way, SpunkyMonkey, that's so great about the store that's near you! I don't think I've ever heard of a store so dedicated to animals!)

[Zouave]

ASPACA or RSPCA.

Animal Legal Defense Funds.

Humane Societies.

Consumer Affairs Dept. of the government who licenses them.

Etc.

REPORT THEM - but first contact the district manager of the store chain (if any). I have gotten results almost always by doing that.

[dnott]

Anything new? Did that store get reported?

[Revenge]

Sue the freaking store well your at if there mistreating the gerbils and not worrying about the infection I wouldn't mind just going in there and stealing the gerbils from them!