Pet Land I had two cats from Petland Arlington Heights and they both died. Arlington Heights Illinois
On my birthday 2002, my boyfriend surprised me with a box from Petland. Inside was a beautiful persian kitten. My heart sunk when I saw the kitten came from a pet store. I've heard bad things, and I asked him if could bring the kitten back. He had paid $550.00 for it. After I found that out I really wanted him to take it back. He said they would not allow him to return it.
So I kept the kitten. I took him to my vet and arranged to have him neutered. He died during the operation, while under the anesthesia. My vet did an autopsy and found out he had a heart ailment called cardiomyopathy, a genetic disorder. I was devastated since I never expected that to happen. I only had him for three and a half months.
We returned to petland and told them our story. They would not give us a refund, only a replacement kitten. I wish I never got another cat from there, but about 5 months later I did. A female persian that had the prettiest face. After having my vet check her she had ringworm. Went back to the petstore, and complained it took 3-4 months of treatment and vet checks to get rid of it.
Petland said they would reimburse me for the treatment, but kept giving me the run around when I brought the bills into the store. Finally about 6 months later after I wrote to corporate they gave me the money back for the medications only- not all the repeated vet visits I had made.
Since then she was fine, made it through the spay operation fine. Now- April 2005- I noticed she was breathing rather fast.Not panting, but her her chest was moving faster than normal. I called my vet and was told to bring her in right away. That made her worse, with the stress of being taken to the vet. My vet knew something serious was going on. She was X rayed and had fluid in her lungs. My Vet advised me to drive her to an emergency animal hospital right away, to have a sonogram done on her heart.I was told she could possibly die on the way there.
When I got her there she went into cardiac arrest twice. They extracted some of the fluid, that was actually in her chest cavity. The diagnosis was FIP- Feline Infectious Peritonitis-it's a viral infection cats get when they are just born, when they're immune systems aren't strong. It takes up to two years for symptoms to arise and when they do -it's fatal. The animal hospital recommended I put her to sleep. She more than likely was infected by this at the breeder. She was placed in an oxygen cage, I knew I had to put her to sleep and I was and still am an emotional mess.
I went back to the Petstore told them what happened- I have an $850.00 medical bill to find out my cat is going to die. They said this has never happened before. They never even heard of FIP. I said what are the chances of me having 2 cats die, and this never happened to anyone else that bought animals from you- no.. Sorry, but there's nothing we can do, blah blah blah. Can you at least contact the other people that bought cats from the same litter and inform them they may have it too? They said they would but I don't believe it. I have also contacted the breeder, which hasn't return my calls.The pet store said it's breeder's fault- now I'm sure the breeder will say it's the petstore's fault. I now believe all the stories I hear. Sure, animals can't be 100% healthy- things happen and I accept that, but for going through this twice you can imagine how hurt and enraged I feel.
Please do not buy pet store animals! Do not even give them your business by buying food from them.They do not care about the health of their animals- only making money. Believe me, I know the animal suffers and so will you.
Kristine
Rolling Meadows, Illinois
U.S.A.
10 Updates & Rebuttals
Kathy
Prospect Heights,Illinois,
U.S.A.
DEFINITION OF PARVO
#11REBUTTAL Individual responds
Sat, November 19, 2005
Kim,
Are you from Arlington Heights, Alabama or is that a typo? I am so glad your cat is still alive too. Parvo is a highly contagious and fatal disease if not treated that puppies get. He did not even appear to be sick but was only four pounds and died that night.
I will be out of town all next week but I will respond to your email when I get back on the 26th.
Thanks.
Kim
Arl Hts,Alabama,
U.S.A.
How to contact Kathy?
#11Consumer Suggestion
Wed, November 16, 2005
Kathy - how do I get in touch with you about this? And what is Parvo? We are lucky that our cat is still alive but he does have underdeveloped ribs that you can feel on his little body. Although he is deaf he is the only cat that likes our 2 year old. :)
I would definately recommend contacting the media, especially Walter Jacobson from Fox News for his perspective. He's great with this stuff.
N/a
Chicago Area,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Former Employee Input
#11UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, November 09, 2005
I left Petland Arlington Heights for a better job and for ethical differences with the manager. Upon giving my notice, they tried to promise me a better position in the store. This is not written out of some personal vendetta, only out of concern fo the animals and the customers.
I can atest and confirm to many of the allegations above. Petland does retain a vet who is supposed to inspect new puppies when they are dropped off (every Tuesday morning, if I recall correctly). This vet is the same one you need to visit in their health contract. Out of the weekly deliveries of 20 or so puppies, 2-3 were actually looked at by the vet, and not even what I would call a thorough inspection. The dogs are bought from "breeders," but they are the type of breeders many would consider to be a puppy mill. Multiple breeds, poor regulation on mating, and questionable care of the animals. They are purchased wholesale, usually for $200 or so, then sold at 500% or more markups. Many seemed to me to come in too young for sale. MANY customers (at least once a week, often more) would come in with reports of a sick or dead animal sold to them by us. Once, a dog too sick to be sold sat kennele in the back room for in excess of 5 weeks after delivery. Only in one case do I remember a return being excepted. Often times, there would be a loophole in the contract about using their vet which would keep people from reimbursement of any sort.
I do not advise anyone to go to any pet store that carries dogs or cats, and least of all Petland Arlington Heights.
I have not given any personal information, because my tenure there was recently enough that I still need to provide them as a reference on job applications.
As a suggestion, a protest at the front doors will make customers notice. A protest of the 7 am semi pulling up out back to unload puppies with the press might demonstrate where these dogs are coming from.
Kathy
Prospect Heights,Illinois,
U.S.A.
I am organizing a protest
#11Author of original report
Thu, November 03, 2005
Kris, Kim and whoever else,
I am organizing a protest at the Arlington Heights, IL Petland on Rand Road on a Saturday the first part of December, the l0th or l7. Please let me know if you would like to participate and/or know anyone else who would be interested. My puppy died after having him four days. Two days after seeing the vet Petland probably has on their payroll somehow. I took his stool to an independent vet and the lab test showed positive for Parvo!!! Shocking I think not! They are all liars and murderers, broker, breeder, Petland and all the vets affiliated with them. That is their out! Well I want them out of the mall! Thanks.
Kathy
Prospect Heights,Illinois,
U.S.A.
I am organizing a protest
#11Author of original report
Thu, November 03, 2005
Kris, Kim and whoever else,
I am organizing a protest at the Arlington Heights, IL Petland on Rand Road on a Saturday the first part of December, the l0th or l7. Please let me know if you would like to participate and/or know anyone else who would be interested. My puppy died after having him four days. Two days after seeing the vet Petland probably has on their payroll somehow. I took his stool to an independent vet and the lab test showed positive for Parvo!!! Shocking I think not! They are all liars and murderers, broker, breeder, Petland and all the vets affiliated with them. That is their out! Well I want them out of the mall! Thanks.
Kathy
Prospect Heights,Illinois,
U.S.A.
I am organizing a protest
#11Author of original report
Thu, November 03, 2005
Kris, Kim and whoever else,
I am organizing a protest at the Arlington Heights, IL Petland on Rand Road on a Saturday the first part of December, the l0th or l7. Please let me know if you would like to participate and/or know anyone else who would be interested. My puppy died after having him four days. Two days after seeing the vet Petland probably has on their payroll somehow. I took his stool to an independent vet and the lab test showed positive for Parvo!!! Shocking I think not! They are all liars and murderers, broker, breeder, Petland and all the vets affiliated with them. That is their out! Well I want them out of the mall! Thanks.
Kathy
Prospect Heights,Illinois,
U.S.A.
I am organizing a protest
#11Author of original report
Thu, November 03, 2005
Kris, Kim and whoever else,
I am organizing a protest at the Arlington Heights, IL Petland on Rand Road on a Saturday the first part of December, the l0th or l7. Please let me know if you would like to participate and/or know anyone else who would be interested. My puppy died after having him four days. Two days after seeing the vet Petland probably has on their payroll somehow. I took his stool to an independent vet and the lab test showed positive for Parvo!!! Shocking I think not! They are all liars and murderers, broker, breeder, Petland and all the vets affiliated with them. That is their out! Well I want them out of the mall! Thanks.
Kim
Arl Hts,Alabama,
U.S.A.
me too. my cat was deaf.
#11Consumer Suggestion
Mon, May 02, 2005
I have filed areport on here as well regarding my experience. Please check out the other PetLand reports for the Arlington Heights Petland. I would be glad to contrbute any of our information that you need for legal action.
Kris
Rolling Meadows,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Thanks for your input
#11Consumer Comment
Sat, April 30, 2005
Thank you for the suggestion. I am now gathering more information about Petland. My vet suggested I write to AVHIS, and I plan on doing that.
I went to Petland's website and couldn't believe what I was reading. They claim that their animals are examined by at least 2 Vets before they are sold. On my 2 deceased cats paperwork it claims they were seen by a specific vets office, yet the place where it says "date examined" is blank- you'd think maybe they forgot to write down the date- but it is blank on *both* papers for each cat! Also my cat that just died had ringworm when I got her. You'd think at least one of the supposedly 2 vets that examined her would of caught that. My guess is that they are not examined at all. The vet they specify that examines the animals gives you a card FREE check up when you purchase the animal. If you are a new pet owner, chances are you'll bring your animal there, since you don't have a regular vet of your own. This way, they can cash in as well, because chances are good that animal will have expensive medical problems.
The Petland website also states the stores inspect the breeders catterys for cleanliness.My cat had FIP, which is something they caught from another cat-which they were more than likely all kept together in unclean, cramped living conditions. Ringworm is spread the same way between cats. I feel this is untrue- I do not think they bother inspecting where the cats are bred.
Petland claims they do all this legwork for you, that's why you should buy from them, instead of the breeder directly.
This is so misleading. I'm thinking about taking legal action.
Kris
S.n.
Bucyrus,Kansas,
U.S.A.
Suggestion go to Small Claims Court to get your money back.
#11Consumer Suggestion
Fri, April 29, 2005
If your vet will sign an affidavit as to the illnesses for both of the kittens you got from this store, go to Small Claims Court to get your money back. Contact your local DA and advise him/her that this store is selling sick animals and should be investigated. Contact your local feline rescue and your local humane society and advise them of what has happened. They may end up with cats from this store in a rescue setting and they should know what disease(s) these kittens or cats may carry.