Is PetsMart Being Discriminating?

[loves-da-pits]

This has been a topic of discussion.

PetsMart has a Doggie Daycare. The problem is they have made all Bully Breed dog excuded from being able to attend. That would mean A.P.B.T, Am Staffs, Am Bull dogs, French Bulldogs, and English Bulldogs, and mixes that acquire any Bulldog traits. Wolf Hybreds are excluded as well.

http://www.petsmart.com/doggiedaycamp/index.shtml

I feel the responsibility of being a good Bully Breed owner is being automatically taken away and being unjustifiably denied based only on breed discrimination.

What gets me is PetsMart will sell Bully Breed magazines, adopt them in the adoption centers, allow their owners to spend tons of money on them, but refuse them from participating in their Doggie Daycare.

They're a high profile Pet Corporation that supposed to support the well-being, the training, and adoption of ALL animals, not just the ones they select.

Granted Pitbulls are known for dog aggression, but give the Pitbull owner some credit to know their dogs limitations. Don't turn us away at the door without givng us a chance to be evaluated.

I think it will be bad for their business once Bully Breed owners hear about this whether they want to take their dogs to Daycare or not. I personally feel very insulted. Some people think it's justified.

Here's the petition that's been posted. You can sign it if you want, or just read the comments. In this day of people trying to fight off B.S.L. I think it's a slap in the face AGAIN for people who own Bully Breeds to be shunned by this Country's largest Pet Supply Corporation.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/911904877?ltl=1151094451

[DeLaUK]

Thats wrong!!! I agree with you totally.

Tell you about a little incident I had at a Petsmart a couple of years ago, they had a resident trainer that had her own two dogs that would walk around the store with her, nice dogs, cant remember the breeds but friendly with everyone, these two dogs (larger dogs) were off leash.....they have a rule there where ALL dogs should be on leash....I used to take the dogs I was training into this store, its great experience for them to get used being in a store, being around a lot of people and other dogs....I never took a 'fresh' dog in there, they had already gone through some work on the streets and in parks etc....so I walk in there one day with a large Pit Bull, I asked the woman if she could put her dogs on leashes or at least take them away from the dog I had with me as she was in training and I really wasnt sure how she would react with two loose dogs coming at her, she hadnt shown any signs of aggression before but then again she hadnt been in a fairly enclosed, strange area, on leash with two loose dogs around....she called the dogs away....I put the dog in a down stay position, she did well.....then BOTH the trainers dogs came cruising up the aisle, one went to the Pits rear end and the other to her head....I think I almost had a heart attack on the spot, I told her to stay....she was still laying down....extremely vulnerable, she was anxious but she didnt break the stay and she didnt go for either of the dogs.....I was soooo angry at this woman for allowing this to happen though, the Pit Bull was just amazing, she well exceeded the expectations I had of her.
I never went back to that store again....not for anything, just how stupid can someone be. It was just as well I didnt have the Doberman or Retreiver that were in for training at the same time...with me, either one of them wouldnt have been able to handle that situation the first time there. We were all lucky I had taken the Pit Bull....but you know who would have got the blame had the Pit actually gone for one of the dogs....and this was another trainer !!!

[Chezza]

This is the sort of thing that puts un-warrented fear into people about Bullys..Really not fair at all...
Its kinda racist of the breed when you look at it..

[Mary_NH]

chances are its probably more a liability issue for PetSmart than a discrimination issue. I bet, if you could dig further, you'd find they probably had an incident at some store somewhere and they had to pay out.
I bet it's a case of one idiot owner who let their dog cause a problem now affecting responbile pet owners.

[lil96]

I think it is wrong too, but I do think it is like Mary said, somewhere therre was a lawsuit and they don't want that again.
Something that gets on my nerves is that at the local pet store, they allow the expensive birds to fly around and sometimes the rabbits are just running around and sometimes the are in a pen, and dogs are allowed inside. Quite often I have seen a dog (and the bird) get startled and upset. Then everyone stares at the dog and its owner, like terrible dog how dare you bring that untrained wild animal in here. But I think when a bird falls off its stand and on a dog, that can be scary! I know I would jump if something fell down on me or a little rabbit hopped out from behind a corner.

[Mary_NH]

I was at our local privately-owned pet store once petting ferrets and one of the little beasts jumped up and latched onto my chin with his teeth!!!
They must have had other problems cause I noticed shortly after they had stopped selling ferrets.
They also used to sell kittens until years ago when there was a rabies scare they actually had a kitten for sale that had rabies!!!
Stuff like this can be a huge liability for stores.

[DMikeM]

Actually I would believe that the insurance carrier that PetSmart is using will not write a policy for them that will include bully breeds. Insurance companies are the driving force behind many BS problems, like home owner and renters insurance policies. Many will not write a policy to include any Rott, Chow, Doberman, Pitt, Staffordshire, and even German Shepards. They call them dangerous and a liability.
Rather than getting worked up over PetSmart just contact the corp head quarters and ask why, and even ask if it is an insurance problem. Then go after the underwriters for the insurance companies for being discriminatory and placing the blame on the consumer.

[DeLaUK]

Maybe then PetSmart should put a large sign up stating that they cannot get insurance to cover certain breeds....with a phone number for clients to complain to.
I know how the insurances are there in CA, my friends homeowners insurance cancelled on her when she took in a Dobie, she had a bit of a fight on her hands but she ended up getting her insurance policy back from them, not exactly sure how she did it but I think there are loopholes....its different for a business though.