# Pets at Home



## l0uiswh0 (Sep 9, 2011)

I really don't mean to come across as a complete idiot here, I just genuinely want to know what the deal is. My local PaH is clean, spacious, friendly and knowledgeable. The herp enclosures are really nice, and I've never seen a single ill or injured fish in there. And yet, all over the place I see that people hate the company, and would never buy anything from them. Is it something to do with company policy, or prices, or distribution? Something bad behind the scenes that I can't see?


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## EquineArcher (Feb 13, 2010)

Not sure, I have never seen a bad thing in a PaH store. I also went for a work assessment with them a few days back- the level of animal care they put out in the shop isn't just for show, out the back of the shop was just as good. All the animals seemed very well looked after, the staff were kind and quiet with them, and care seemed well organised. I'm sure people have seen bad things in PaH stores, but then I have seen much bad stuff in "specialist" reptile stores.


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## l0uiswh0 (Sep 9, 2011)

I've seen really horrible things in specialist stores too, but not PaH! Glad to hear their standards of care are just as good behind the scenes... I'm even more tempted to apply part time.


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## I3arry (Mar 25, 2011)

Last PaH I went in was in Crewe and all the live food was dead and the 2 small vivs they had were over crowded and full of poo and the live food in the vivs were way to big for the rep in them.

Guess it depends were you go to


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## l0uiswh0 (Sep 9, 2011)

That does seem to be the case... I just read a few other posts on the topic, and it seems there are a few really bad ones that put people off the good ones. I thought there must be something unethical about the company itself, but maybe this is the reason.


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## Lutra Garouille (Sep 22, 2011)

I think it really depends on the store - but ive had fish from a few which really dont last long at all. But the one i went to the other day had an ok set up for the reps but they have a member here on hand!  They were pretty knowledgeable but the one where i used to live?! Couldnt tell a guppie from a crestie... 

Some are deffinately better than others - ask some questions and you will soon learn wether they know their stuff or walked in off the street yesterday with no knowledge


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

I worked at my local PAH store for 5 years. Back then they used to sell birds too. They get their animals from wholesalers, which were not good then, as there were always rabbits with diahorrea, hamsters with wet tail, & the birds came in with all sorts of problems, from them being adult, to having deformed legs. Any animals that were found to be ill were taken to a room in the warehouse where they were left until the next delivery of rabbits, or whatever animal it was. The sick animal was jut sent back to the wholesaler, where it probably met it's end if it was very ill. I eventually got the manager to let me take sick animals to the vet. I even had the Head Of Livestock from head office down to see me, as I had written to him with all my concerns. That went down like a lead balloon. So I decided to leave. On my last day, when I left, I took with me a rabbit & a guinea pig from the back room of the warehouse, before they could be sent back to the wholesaler. I nursed them back to health & rehomed them. :2thumb:


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## l0uiswh0 (Sep 9, 2011)

That's both a really sad, and a really nice story - the nice part being that you at least tried to change things and saved a couple of lives.

How long ago was this? I know yer not supposed to set too much stock by the RSPCA nowadays, but going by the adoption stands and society pamphlets/fundraisers all over the place it looks like they might be collaborating now.... which might help a bit :S


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

It depends on the individual stores. The Plymouth one isn't too bad, they could do with a better supplier for their fish and more knowledge in that area (working in an independent shop just down the road, we are left to pick up [email protected] disasters)
The reptiles seem to be looked after well, and a girl who works there even sneaks her repashy in to feed the cresties! 
I got my Jack bunny from their adoption centre and he's been lovely. I also use the vets inside there.


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## southpython (Feb 18, 2010)

The problem is these arm chair experts who walk into stores and shops to pick at every single thing they can and then see like experts when they log onto the forum. In actual fact Pets at home stores are a lot better than several pet shops I have been in and I don't see the need to have 5 threads a day.


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## l0uiswh0 (Sep 9, 2011)

Erm, well I couldn't find any other recent threads, and the 2 that I could find were about a specific area of a specific store, when I wanted to know about the company in general.


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## LittlestarRed (Sep 8, 2011)

I must admit my local PAH isn't too bad, I sometimes buy my reps livefood from there if my usual shop doen't have the size I want. The reptile section seems pretty good if I'm honest. 

The small furries and hens seem well looked after as do the coldwater and tropical fish. 
However saying that the Marines section is sometimes awful! Dead or dying fish left in the tanks. Whitespot breakouts are frequent in their displays yet they still offer the fish for sale which is disgusting!!! The Corals never look too happy and the liverock is generally covered in nasty algae.

I guess the people in charge of each section are responsible for how good or bad each one is?

Hopefully they are (in general) getting better?


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## fishboy (Aug 7, 2007)

I think part of the problem is how corporate it is. They try to accommodate the care of numerous different species into a textbook format which is extrememely difficult if not impossible. I dread to think of the hoops the staff have to jump through to have their opinions heard, only to hit brick walls with suggestions. I don't see it as a forward thinking and evolving company, more one that pushes inane personal development plans for staff, and corporate initiatives aiming to supress individual thought, ideas and opinions and promote towing the line.
This is an opinion i came to by talking to a close friend of mine who is an ex member of staff.

Tis a conspiracy I tell thee! :lol2:

With all this in mind they do usually look quite neat tidy and clean, I think it's the actual welfare/diet of the animals that is the problem. Their skinny baby leos kept on sand, and also the shocking lack of variety.


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

I don't have a problem with my local pets at home and I buy my frozen mice from them and all the other things I need.


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

l0uiswh0 said:


> That's both a really sad, and a really nice story - the nice part being that you at least tried to change things and saved a couple of lives.
> 
> *How long ago was this?* I know yer not supposed to set too much stock by the RSPCA nowadays, but going by the adoption stands and society pamphlets/fundraisers all over the place it looks like they might be collaborating now.... which might help a bit :S


It was about 5 years ago


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## doehannah (Oct 19, 2011)

My local PAH have definitely upped their game. Their workers are being taught constantly and seem to be knowledgeable. Leo geckos kept on reptile carpet, cresties misted, beardies seperated by size in large vivs.
If Im honest I did get my beardie there as he was absolutely stunning. The only problems we've had with him is he is fussy with greens as he wasn't given a big enough variety in his first 6 months.
I was in a specialst down the road and they had a sick 3 y/o beardie with MBD. He told me the owners got it from the PAH here, which is bull as the beardies never reach over 6 months there as someone will always buy them or take them home. Funny how some people blame another company for their lack of knowledge.


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## buddylouis (Apr 28, 2011)

No problem at all with my local pets at home stores :2thumb: Infact far better conditions than many rep shops i've visited over the years : victory:


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## MessyTom (Oct 9, 2011)

I work in my local [email protected] and although we don't keep reptiles, everything else is kept very well. I have been appalled recently visiting some other shops in the area (Swallow Aquatics East Harling for one). [email protected] does get a raw deal on forums. They are a very good company, with very good training (loads to get through on all areas) although some areas are pretty basic, and take very good care of all animals.

I got my Crestie from a [email protected] store too (not ours obviously), as they were some of the best kept reptiles in the area (obv there are other good places), with the best availability at the best prices.


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## Tyrone (Aug 22, 2009)

So you think its acceptable to start a slagging off thread for Swallows? We work our arses off to keep the animals very well looked after and if you have a problem maybe you should speak to a manager while your there. I wouldn't dream off saying a bad word against another store what ever I feel being a worker at swallows. In fact I sent a customer your way today as we didn't have what they where looking for and I also sold a pet to a college of yours so we can't be that bad. We should be looking out for each other as there are plenty of anti's that would love for us to not keep these pets not moaning about each other.


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## fardilis (Mar 22, 2011)

l0uiswh0 said:


> I really don't mean to come across as a complete idiot here, I just genuinely want to know what the deal is. My local PaH is clean, spacious, friendly and knowledgeable. The herp enclosures are really nice, and I've never seen a single ill or injured fish in there. And yet, all over the place I see that people hate the company, and would never buy anything from them. Is it something to do with company policy, or prices, or distribution? Something bad behind the scenes that I can't see?



I'm assuming that's in west london then.

Coventry's are the opposite.


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## MessyTom (Oct 9, 2011)

MessyTom said:


> I have been appalled recently visiting some other shops in the area (Swallow Aquatics East Harling for one).


I would like to change "appalled" to "disappointed on occasion".


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## manda88 (Nov 27, 2009)

Woking Pets at Home is horrendous, sells cresties with the most severe MBD I've ever seen, advises people who've just bought a beardie to put the heat mat on top of the Exo Terra mesh lid to warm the viv...
The Byfleet store which is 10 minutes further up the road is a different story entirely, they've only got cresties in at the moment but they're fantastically well looked after, they keep them almost exactly the same way I keep mine, only difference is they use plastic plants  All their bunnies, hamsters and other furries are plump and happy, always have food, lovely and clean, it's brilliant


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