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PETA's Campaign Against Rainbow Exotics
Updated January 31, 2008
PETA launched a negative media campaign against Rainbow Exotics, one of our small animal suppliers, on January 21, 2008. A PETA representative who got a job at the facility shot video of animals and various aspects of the operations. We found some of the images disturbing.
We launched a full-scale investigation, including dispatching a team of PetSmart veterinarians and other technical experts to Rainbow’s facility unannounced. We also have carefully reviewed PETA’s video and allegations.
Here’s what we found:
While we believe there are always opportunities for improvement in how pets are bred and raised by our pet suppliers, including Rainbow, we found no indication of animal cruelty or mistreatment at Rainbow’s facilities. We do not believe that PETA’s video accurately represents the entire situation.
Rainbow’s employees care about the safety and well-being of the animals they raise.
The PETA representative who recorded the images reportedly failed to raise any concerns of abuse or mistreatment to managers of the facility during her two-month employment.
PETA’s troubling video segment of a Rainbow staff member neutering a rabbit showed some practices that were not in line with generally accepted procedures and that certainly did not meet our standards. We have revisited with Rainbow our expectations for staff training, sterilization and post-operative care. Rainbow has assured us it is committed to meeting these standards and we are holding them to this commitment.
During the period in which the pictures were taken, Rainbow had an attending veterinarian. Since then, and weeks before PETA made its allegations known, Rainbow hired a licensed veterinarian full-time.
In our investigation, we found only two areas of minor concern with respect to our space standards for the breeding and raising of small pets and birds. We felt some Guinea Pig and Rabbit habitats had grown slightly overcrowded. Rainbow has agreed to resolve this issue. (PETA publicized images of numerous pets in large wooden, cardboard and plastic containers. These are temporary containers used by Rainbow to consolidate pets for brief periods when they are being received at the facility or preparing to be separated and shipped out. They are not the habitats or the shipping containers for these pets and do not pose any risk to the pets.)
PetSmart requires that our pet suppliers’ facilities meet USDA requirements for animal care as well as our own high standards and that animal habitats are designed for cleanliness and safety. With few exceptions, animals’ cages were clean and the animals adequately fed and watered. We’re working with Rainbow to correct the minor issues we found.
PETA portrays Rainbow as being insensitive regarding sick animals or pets that may have died in its care. Unfortunately, even under the best circumstances, some animals get sick. And while we’re committed to treating sick pets, there are cases where that treatment is ultimately not successful. The loss of any life is upsetting, and while images of sick pets and death are always difficult to accept, sadly it’s inevitable in nature.
We identified certain areas where improvements will help better protect the health and safety of animals being bred as pets. Notably, these are in the areas of sanitation, bio-security and record keeping. We believe these improvements will make a good operation and our own practices even better.
Rainbow is a valued partner and we have no plans at this time to discontinue receiving pets and birds from them. However, as with all of our pet suppliers, we will continue to hold them to high standards and expectations and work closely with them to ensure these standards are met.
PetSmart remains committed to the exemplary treatment of pets, and we believe this is evident to customers who shop our stores.
If you have any questions, please contact our Customer Service line at (800) 738-1385, ext. 2518
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one per household.
www.startsampling.com
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this is the ENTIRE PetSmart's statement from their website
PETA's Campaign Against Rainbow Exotics
Updated January 23, 2008
PETA has launched a campaign against Rainbow Exotics, one of our major pet suppliers. The images, video and allegations are very disturbing.
Of all of PETA’s allegations, there are two that are of particular concern to us:
1. PETA alleges that some surgical procedures being performed at the facility are outside standard veterinary care. One particularly troubling segment of the video shows a Rainbow staff member conducting a surgical procedure on a rabbit.
It’s difficult to know exactly what was happening during this procedure, however, we are concerned that appropriate methods weren’t being followed. This is a serious concern to us and one we’re investigating fully.
2. The PETA video implies that a Rainbow staff member killed an escaped hamster by stepping on it. While the video is not completely clear and we’re not sure of the true facts surrounding this issue, we’re treating it seriously and are fully investigating it.
These allegations are troubling and we’re taking them very seriously, which is why we’re conducting an investigation. PETA also made other allegations that deserve a response:
Care and condition of the pets and facility
PETA alleges that pets are housed in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.
• PetSmart requires that our suppliers’ facilities must meet USDA requirements for animal care as well as our own high standards, which includes space requirements. We’re conducting a full investigation to make sure our standards are being met.
• The habitats are designed for cleanliness and safety, knowing the pets spend only a short time in these facilities before being shipped to stores. PETA’s images unfortunately portray only pets that are in various stages of being transported within the facility, when large numbers are grouped together for a few moments.
Medical care provided the pets
PETA alleges that no veterinarian ever visited the facility during the two month investigation and that pets were cared for by untrained staff.
• PetSmart requires each vendor to have an attending veterinarian, and Rainbow has a veterinarian that is responsible for overseeing the medical needs of the pets.
Death and disposal of pets
PETA portrays Rainbow as being insensitive regarding the disposal of pets that may have died in their care.
Even under the best circumstances, unfortunately some pets get sick and die. The loss of any life is upsetting, and while images of death are always difficult to accept, sadly it’s an inevitable fact of life.
PetSmart is committed to the exemplary treatment of pets, and we believe this is evident to customers who shop our stores.
We use only USDA-licensed breeding facilities for our pet suppliers, and we require that our breeders have a licensed veterinarian on staff. We expect our breeders and their veterinarians, including Rainbow, to be true to our high standards for pet care as well as those required by regulation. When PetSmart vets have visited Rainbow’s facility (including unannounced visits), they have found those standards in place. That’s why we’re so disappointed and disturbed by some of the issues that have been raised. We’ve launched a full investigation into this matter and we’ll take any and all steps necessary to make sure our pets receive appropriate treatment and care.
If you have any questions, please contact our Customer Service line at (800) 738-1385, ext. 251
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Seems that some updating would be in order for a company wishes to have their results of their investigation known.
Last time i viewed an article,seemed that Petsmart was going there,by now has gone and would have established a conclusion of breeder company at fault or not by now.
anyone know any new news ,or all is still old news?
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this is the ENTIRE PetSmart's statement from their website
PETA's Campaign Against Rainbow Exotics
Updated January 23, 2008
PETA has launched a campaign against Rainbow Exotics, one of our major pet suppliers. The images, video and allegations are very disturbing.
Of all of PETA’s allegations, there are two that are of particular concern to us:
1. PETA alleges that some surgical procedures being performed at the facility are outside standard veterinary care. One particularly troubling segment of the video shows a Rainbow staff member conducting a surgical procedure on a rabbit.
It’s difficult to know exactly what was happening during this procedure, however, we are concerned that appropriate methods weren’t being followed. This is a serious concern to us and one we’re investigating fully.
2. The PETA video implies that a Rainbow staff member killed an escaped hamster by stepping on it. While the video is not completely clear and we’re not sure of the true facts surrounding this issue, we’re treating it seriously and are fully investigating it.
These allegations are troubling and we’re taking them very seriously, which is why we’re conducting an investigation. PETA also made other allegations that deserve a response:
Care and condition of the pets and facility
PETA alleges that pets are housed in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.
• PetSmart requires that our suppliers’ facilities must meet USDA requirements for animal care as well as our own high standards, which includes space requirements. We’re conducting a full investigation to make sure our standards are being met.
• The habitats are designed for cleanliness and safety, knowing the pets spend only a short time in these facilities before being shipped to stores. PETA’s images unfortunately portray only pets that are in various stages of being transported within the facility, when large numbers are grouped together for a few moments.
Medical care provided the pets
PETA alleges that no veterinarian ever visited the facility during the two month investigation and that pets were cared for by untrained staff.
• PetSmart requires each vendor to have an attending veterinarian, and Rainbow has a veterinarian that is responsible for overseeing the medical needs of the pets.
Death and disposal of pets
PETA portrays Rainbow as being insensitive regarding the disposal of pets that may have died in their care.
Even under the best circumstances, unfortunately some pets get sick and die. The loss of any life is upsetting, and while images of death are always difficult to accept, sadly it’s an inevitable fact of life.
PetSmart is committed to the exemplary treatment of pets, and we believe this is evident to customers who shop our stores.
We use only USDA-licensed breeding facilities for our pet suppliers, and we require that our breeders have a licensed veterinarian on staff. We expect our breeders and their veterinarians, including Rainbow, to be true to our high standards for pet care as well as those required by regulation. When PetSmart vets have visited Rainbow’s facility (including unannounced visits), they have found those standards in place. That’s why we’re so disappointed and disturbed by some of the issues that have been raised. We’ve launched a full investigation into this matter and we’ll take any and all steps necessary to make sure our pets receive appropriate treatment and care.
If you have any questions, please contact our Customer Service line at (800) 738-1385, ext. 251
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this is the ENTIRE PetSmart's statement from their website
PETA's Campaign Against Rainbow Exotics
Updated January 23, 2008
PETA has launched a campaign against Rainbow Exotics, one of our major pet suppliers. The images, video and allegations are very disturbing.
Of all of PETA’s allegations, there are two that are of particular concern to us:
1. PETA alleges that some surgical procedures being performed at the facility are outside standard veterinary care. One particularly troubling segment of the video shows a Rainbow staff member conducting a surgical procedure on a rabbit.
It’s difficult to know exactly what was happening during this procedure, however, we are concerned that appropriate methods weren’t being followed. This is a serious concern to us and one we’re investigating fully.
2. The PETA video implies that a Rainbow staff member killed an escaped hamster by stepping on it. While the video is not completely clear and we’re not sure of the true facts surrounding this issue, we’re treating it seriously and are fully investigating it.
These allegations are troubling and we’re taking them very seriously, which is why we’re conducting an investigation. PETA also made other allegations that deserve a response:
Care and condition of the pets and facility
PETA alleges that pets are housed in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.
• PetSmart requires that our suppliers’ facilities must meet USDA requirements for animal care as well as our own high standards, which includes space requirements. We’re conducting a full investigation to make sure our standards are being met.
• The habitats are designed for cleanliness and safety, knowing the pets spend only a short time in these facilities before being shipped to stores. PETA’s images unfortunately portray only pets that are in various stages of being transported within the facility, when large numbers are grouped together for a few moments.
Medical care provided the pets
PETA alleges that no veterinarian ever visited the facility during the two month investigation and that pets were cared for by untrained staff.
• PetSmart requires each vendor to have an attending veterinarian, and Rainbow has a veterinarian that is responsible for overseeing the medical needs of the pets.
Death and disposal of pets
PETA portrays Rainbow as being insensitive regarding the disposal of pets that may have died in their care.
Even under the best circumstances, unfortunately some pets get sick and die. The loss of any life is upsetting, and while images of death are always difficult to accept, sadly it’s an inevitable fact of life.
PetSmart is committed to the exemplary treatment of pets, and we believe this is evident to customers who shop our stores.
We use only USDA-licensed breeding facilities for our pet suppliers, and we require that our breeders have a licensed veterinarian on staff. We expect our breeders and their veterinarians, including Rainbow, to be true to our high standards for pet care as well as those required by regulation. When PetSmart vets have visited Rainbow’s facility (including unannounced visits), they have found those standards in place. That’s why we’re so disappointed and disturbed by some of the issues that have been raised. We’ve launched a full investigation into this matter and we’ll take any and all steps necessary to make sure our pets receive appropriate treatment and care.
If you have any questions, please contact our Customer Service line at (800) 738-1385, ext. 251
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Did not Petsmart have a longer more detailed post for you to submit, viewing this one countless times gives the impression that you got lots of points.LOL
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Also Petsmart did not put any one out of business. People do that by choosing who they patronize and those who cannot make go out of business. We have two local petstores that are doing just fine. However, the one I will not even step foot in. Not only do they sell puppies and kittens the place is dirty.
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Thanks to PETA
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I am glad they are going to investigate their vendors, but it's a little too late for all the animals before this article.
Petsmart, get your act together.
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The breeders might not.
But Petsmart does, and they do more vet checks and such with those animals than most petshops.
Last week they had a sign up saying no birds were going to be sold, because all were going to be getting their shots.
Does that really sounds like a bad PetShop?