Another Pet Smart Horror Story

I really AM NOT trying to bash PET SMART,

but since our first article on a pet death at Pet Smart, SO MANY

employees and customers have come forward with their comments,

we feel it is important to share this information with

our thousands of monthly readers.

This came in today -

I worked for PetSmart for over 6 years. I quit a year and a half ago because I cannot work for a company such as theirs any longer. I do not agree with the principles that they have set for themselves and the company in the last 5 years. If you think that it is just the animals they do not care about then remember this, they care even less about their employees.

Oh, they have a survey they conduct every year where you get to say some of what you think, but little, if any of it, is heeded. Their goal is now to make money. To sell worthless training classes, to make money, to sell grooming services, and...to make money.

I happened to see documents, (these were real!), stating how many dogs groomers are expected to do in an 8 hour shift. Each groomer is expected to groom up to 11 dogs or more. If they do not meet this quota, they are hauled into the office and questioned why they are not grooming enough, and what are their plans to do more? Mind you now, this is 11 dogs to bathe, dry and groom in 8 hours, with a half hour lunch break, and two 15 minute breaks which are required by law, and to cover their own butts, they expect you to take them.

So, this is 7 hours grooming time. I ask you this then, HOW can any groomer SAFELY do this many dogs in this type of time frame? The pressure is on these people to sell, sell, sell. Not only grooming, but overpriced services like shampoo, tooth brushing, clogne, and other worthless crap you don't need or want.

In the store I worked in, they automatically tacked this on to your bill without asking, all so they could meet the quota that corporate expected, so they did not get yelled at for failing to meet it!At the end of every day, if a groomer does not meet his quota, he, or she, has to fill out a report stating how they are going to meet their requirements for the nest day, and the rest of the week. Still think they care most about your pet??

The mission of this company USED to be about people and pets. However I watched this focus completetly change over the years. If you knew what it is like to work for this company, and what really goes on behind the scenes, you would not shop there.

I will say though that in the store I worked at, the small animals and fish department was very well maintained, and high levels of quality were a requirement. That was due to the knowledge of the employees and manager of that department. However, now, with a new store director who is more concerned about climbing the corporate ladder, than providing a good working enviornment, I believe the whole store is failing dreadfully in employee morale. This also seems to be the new way to run the company as a whole, since this was not the only store where this type of thing goes on.

Two years before I quit, a statement was made to me, by someone rather high up in the company, who should not have said to me probably. "The time is now to get out of PetSmart. Changes are in the wind, and it is not going to be a good place for any one to work any longer. Don't believe me? Give it two years!"

He was right. I watched store directors quit, district managers quit, and others who truly cared about the employees were fired, and replaced with what they now have. These people let you know, you are expendable, plain and blunt.

This is not a good place to work, it's not a good place to shop, and certainly, NOT a good place to take your pet for grooming! Since I quit, I have never looked back, and I have never returned with my pets for any services they have to offer!