Do you or have you worked in a pet store?

[MelindaKiah]

Do you or have you worked in a pet store?

I got called for an interview today for a pet attendant position (which, to be honest, I'm not even sure what that is! ).

I was hired yesterday at a call centre, which is what I've done for the past year and a half (we moved recently so that is why I had to leave my last position). I don't mind that work, but it can start to get to you after a while...being yelled at, demands, etc. And I don't even do outbound calls...people call me!LOL

I'm just trying to get some input on working in a pet store. Like it, hate it, etc.

Thanks.

 

[Disney_1derland]

I started as a cashier at Petsmart several years ago was promoted through the management chain pretty quickly. I can tell you specifically about Petsmart but not sure that experience really applies to 'pet stores' as a whole. If it's specifically petsmart you want to know about, PM me and I'll give you the lowdown.

Overall, it was a fun place to work but can be very stressful. You just never know how people will react when you are out of the one can of food their beloved pet will eat. Retail is just what it is. It can be fun, it can be really stressful, it is definitely NOT easy. And, as to the call center type job, at least there you don't have to hide the emotions on your face when people are yelling at you. In retail you have to just take it and smooth it

 

[almacdonald]

I worked at a pet store a few years ago. It broke my heart to see people come in and buy stuff that you knew was not good for their pet (ie toys that were too small, puppy food for an old dog, choker collars with spikes on the INSIDE or buying an aquarium, gravel, plants etc with no chemicals and insisting on taking home a full tanks worth of fishies) You can suggest more appropriate items but in retail there's a fine line.... My boss was also a real "treat" to work for. She told us to sell sick fish because we got an over shipment of fish medication. There was also a boarding kennel attached to the store and she wouldn't give the pets the toys/blankets that their owners brought in because "they made a mess". It was terrible. I ended up quitting after only a month or so. I know not all stores are like this but you will get irresponsible pet owners everywhere... and choose the stores you apply for carefully. I'm not going to point any fingers but there are a few larger chains that are notorious for selling "puppy mill" animals. A reputible breeder wouldn't dump their puppies at a store for any old schmoe off the street to adopt, they're usually pretty picky! I'd apply to places that adopt out shelter animals to people who pass the screening process.

... And that's my personal experience and opinions.

 

[Tasha+Scott]

I started as a cashier at Petsmart several years ago was promoted through the management chain pretty quickly. I can tell you specifically about Petsmart but not sure that experience really applies to 'pet stores' as a whole. If it's specifically petsmart you want to know about, PM me and I'll give you the lowdown.

Overall, it was a fun place to work but can be very stressful. You just never know how people will react when you are out of the one can of food their beloved pet will eat. Retail is just what it is. It can be fun, it can be really stressful, it is definitely NOT easy. And, as to the call center type job, at least there you don't have to hide the emotions on your face when people are yelling at you. In retail you have to just take it and smooth it

Wow, I could have typed this post myself almost! I started as what was titled a pet stylist assistant. Basically I bathed dogs and cleaned the kennels (aka cleaning crap!) in the groom shop. I also trimmed nails and things like that. I was offered the chance to go to "grooming school" which they would have paid for as long as I signed a 3 year contract with Petsmart to stay on as their dog groomer. I turned it down b/c I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to being there for 3 years. I sometimes wish I would have done it just to see if I would have liked it or not. Anyway, I ended up working in specialty (fish and small animals) and then was promoted to lead cashier. I was then promoted to Specialty manager but I ended up quitting shortly after that due to personal reasons not really related to the job.

I liked it and I hated it if that makes sense. Some of the people that came in there were really weird when it came to their pets. One guy took baths with his pet iguana and slept in the bed with it. His wife was thinking about leaving him over it. Really weird. I have lots of stories like that! But then it was fun seeing all the animals. Petsmart lets the animals come in the store too. Plus, I was able to take my dog to work with me when I was trying to housebreak it so I could take it out when it needed to use the bathroom. It didn't take long to housebreak her! I loved the animals in the store but it was sad when any of them died or got sick. I ended up taking a sick mouse home with me and nursing it back to health. My dh is scared of mice though (although he won't actually admit it!) and I had 4 cats that kept trying to get to him so I ended up giving him to someone else that worked there.

I think the hardest thing for me was that I am a big softy. I ended up taking home 6 cats (2 were sick and later ended up having to be put to sleep from feline leukemia even though I tried REALLY hard to save them!). I still have 4 of them and I haven't worked there in over 4 or 5 years. I took home several dogs and found them good homes. I took home 2 gerbils...again dh is scared of them so I had to find them a good home too. I also took home several fish that people couldn't take with them when they moved. I still have 1 of them 5 years later! Part of the problem was people that could no longer care for their pets knew that most of us working there were softies so they would bring their animals up there and ask if any of us could give it a good home. Several of us almost always did. It got to be too much trying to care for animals and I could not stand when they were sick and I couldn't save them so I eventually had to stop taking them in! It took me a LONG time to get over the one cat that had to be put to sleep. He only lived another 6 months because of me and then eventually succumbed to the disease anyway. I was really attached and it was very hard for me!

In a way I did really enjoy working there and Petsmart does promote within quickly but it was also somewhat stressful. I also did the small animal and fish purchase orders and price changes in the store. I did quite a bit and was elected employee of the month by customers often. Yes, the customers put our names in a box each month and I was always flattered that I was chosen. But I am not sure I would work there again. Too many other things going on that I did not like. Even some of the people that worked for us did not truly care about the animals, they were just there for the paycheck. I saw animals not being properly cared for while there. One time we got parakeets delivered and they were put in a back room that we sometimes put birds in while we were clipping their wings, etc. and this person did not tell us there was anything back there. We rarely went back there unless necessary. I had to go back there for something a few days later to discover several dead birds and several sick birds! It was awful! I did manage to save half of them though. There were many instances like this and I just don't think I would want to go there again! Okay, I've rambled long enough but that was some of my experiences! Good luck with whatever you decide!

ETA: Oh, yeah, meant to add Petsmart (ours anyway) only adopts out cats (and occasionally but not very often dogs) from the humane society. They do not sell dogs and cats. Their motto is they would rather all the animals at the humane society have homes before breeding and selling more cats and dogs just to make a profit. That is where all of my cats came from. They were so strict about it that we were not even allowed to advertise breeders businesses in our store, although breeders came in asking all the time as did many customers.