I just want to give a big THANKS to PetsMart Stores!!!

I know that PetsMart is one of those big chain pet places, but I can't say enough wonderful things to our PetsMart in Wilmington DE and how they go out of their way to help adopt dogs and cats!!!

Our local PetsMart provides ample space for local shelters, rescue groups and animal sanctuaries to help these groups raise money and adopt out their pets. I volunteer for the Animal Humane Sanctuary, a cat rescue group in Delaware (Evita came from their group) and we have space to help adopt the cats we have rescued (we actually have cats from 4 different groups in DE including Forgotten Friends, Faithful Friends and Dumpster Cats - many of these are Trap, Neuter & Release (TNR) groups). All of the cats & dogs available for adoption are rescued animals and the adopters pay a low fee to cover the costs for a pet that has been fixed, shots, tested and ready for a loving home. Plus with every adoption we do, PetsMart donates an addition $5 to our group and provides the people who adopted the animal with a bountiful of coupons to help get your pet started.

This weekend PetsMart did a major promotion to help get animals adopted. So along with the usual groups that are setup within the store (mainly cats), we had several dog rescue groups and the Delaware Humane brought dogs & rabbits to adopt.

However, there is ALWAYS someone who takes advantage of this situation. Some idiot thought this would be the perfect time to bring in his 5 purebred Pug puppies and see if he could sell them for $500 each. He put the pugs in a shopping cart and pushed them around the store soliciting the adoption of these dogs.

Now I have nothing against those of you who have purebred dogs & cats. But I'm sure most of you have gone to respectable breeders to purchase your dogs and not from idiots like this trying to make a profit. Who knows what condition the breeder pugs were being raised. Who knows what care these puppies were given before adoption. If I was to spend $500 on a purebred animal you better believe I'd put a ton of research into where to buy before I made my final purchase.

But PetsMart was on top of it. They told the asshole with the pugs that he was not allowed to solicit adoption of his dogs. The groups that had animals there for adoption were approved by PetSmart and all of the groups were all non-profit animal groups. PetsMart also told this idiot that they had contacted the Mall Management and that the management had also stated that he was not allowed to sell these Pugs anywhere on the property of the shopping center. He quickly left the store (shoving 5 pugs into one travel case) immediately.

Thank you PetsMart for putting animals first and not profits. I'm not sure what other PetsMarts are like across the country, but I know the one in Wilmington DE is the best (and damn if their food isn't cheaper than anywhere else)

We've been to the one near us. They had a wonderful puppy there that a rescue agency was trying to help get adopted. He was so sweet. I sat on the floor playing with him and encouraging other folks that walked by to give him a rub.

One was a Beagle mix and the other a beautiful shepard mix.

I bought them each a nylobone and some snacks. (with the permission of the group). They wanted me to adopt one since they could tell I love animals but I told them that unfortunately my home was maxed out with Abbie and Evita

We thought we had a home for him but it seems not. If something doesn't happen by next week we're going to be going up to get him. He's been told he was adopted 4 or 5 times and each time the people who said they wanted him never came back for him.

:hi: I'm glad they support local organizations
to help animals .

I hope a lot of our animals were adopted.

They had a Mini-bob there today that went right away. If I didn't already have 2 cats I would have adopted it myself.

I am part of a group that fosters animals. When there are more animals then we have foster homes, PetsSmart will always be there to help us display our animals and get them good homes and free up space in our foster home system.

So yes, PetsMart is a big corporation but a big corporation with a heart for the homeless animals.

My wife and I went into our local PetsMart to see about getting her a job there. Turns out they only do mass interviews about once a month so we had no luck on that front. But, while we were waiting, we went to the little room where the animals awaiting adoption are and there was just this one long-haired, pure black kitty who was such a complete sweetheart. He stuck to my wife like Velcro and wouldn't come off. In fact, I even suggested that for a name and my wife loved it.

Sadly, I just couldn't justify the expense of adopting another cat when we already have 3 to take care of. Plus, we have to borrow vacuum cleaners every once in a while as we don't have one of our own, and a long-haired cat would turn our beige carpet black in no time. I rarely have to tell Jeanette no when she wants something, but I had to that time and it really sucked. I'm quite sure, though, that for a measly $30 somebody will take that little bugger home and he'll make a wonderful pet.

The one in my avatar there. She's quite a bit bigger now, though. I use Pet Smart as an alternative to WalMart. I hope that they are better than WalMart, but I figure no one could be as bad. Even WalMart can't beat the price of a 96 oz bag of grass for the Guinea Pigs/Rabbits.

Plus, you can take your dogs there and everyone is real sweet to them. It's the easiest way to socialize a puppy in the world. The only problem I've ever had with Pet Smart is that the dogs they have for adoption break my heart, especially the 8 and 9 year old dogs that people got rid of "because they aren't very playful anymore". If I keep going there, I'm going to have to get a bigger house. :D