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Leading pet shop stops selling animals after welfare pressure
Last updated at 00:07am on 22.09.06
The country's second biggest pet retailer has decided to stop selling thousands of live animals, from rabbits to cats and parakeets, amid complaints from welfare campaigners.
Wyevale Garden Centres say the decision to end the trade at 52 of its 115 outlets across the country represents its desire to be seen as ethical and responsible.
The company began putting up notices about the phased closure of the departments in stores on Thursday.
The decision represents a major U-turn for the business which has sold pets for more than ten years and has recently come under new management.
It coincides with the threat of a boycott campaign from the Animal Aid welfare group which was unhappy at the notion of people buying pets on impulse.
It said there are concerns that thousands of pets picked up alongside potted plants will be abandoned or mistreated and end up in rescue centres.
The move against mass-market pet sales follows a decision by the Focus DIY chain to stop pet sales in 2004, again following pressure from animal welfare groups.
The Animal Aid director Andrew Tyler said: "Offering pets for sale in garden centres and other such outlets cannot help but encourage impulse purchases. These lead to a great many animals being neglected and abandoned."
Animal Aid had made a personal plea to the owners of Wyevale to abandon the trade. They believe that Sir Tom Hunter, the Scottish entrepreneur and philanthropist, who recently bought a major stake in Wyevale, was the driving force behind the decision.
Mr Tyler said: "We recently wrote to Sir Tom setting out our concerns. His commitment to ethical conduct is evident from the work his charitable foundation does for some of the most disadvantaged people around the world." The decision was revealed by Wyevale's commercial director, Andrew Livingston, who is part of the company's new management team, in a letter to the welfare group earlier this week.
He wrote: "The new team has been taking a fresh look at all aspects of Wyevale's business, and that includes pets. Following this review, we have decided that we will stop selling live animals in our stores.
"Our main concern is the welfare of the animals in our care and to ensure that they are all placed in suitable homes."
For this reason, the closure of the departments will be phased. Mr Livingston added: "This decision is one of a number of changes at Wyevale recently, and we look forward to building on Wyevale's existing good record of responsible trading practices, whether in relation to pets or to any other areas of proper ethical concern."
Animal Aid congratulated the company. Its director, Mr Tyler said: "We are absolutely delighted with Wyevale's announcement. We commend them for it."
Wyevale stressed it is to continue to selling a wide array of pet accessories. It will also sell both cold water and tropical fish through 18 of its outlets, which is opposed by Animal Aid.
The largest pet chain is Pets at Home.
Reader views (9)
I wholeheartedly support and applaud Wyevale for taking this action. In this day and age it is abhorrent to sell a living thing 'off the shelf' This is not about staff not caring, or being untrained - I am sure they are. However, as a home vetter for a rescue centre, I am all too aware of the agreement of the adopters (or customer) in a pet shop to agree with good intention to the advice being given, to simply disregard it once leaving the shop. The majority of abandoned pets are those originally sold in pet shops. In reply to Stephen David, backstreet wouldn't need to happen, as there are still many ways that people can obtain pets, but removing the opportunity to buy a live creature like a tin of baked beans means that people who really do want a pet will approach these other avenues, and hopefully many of these will adopt through rescue centres, where there is an ABUNDANCE of animals needing homes. It will also perhaps make them stop and think about it. In the case of puppies, all of which are sold to the pet shops by commercial puppy farmers (licensed or otherwise), this will reduce a major outlet to this vile trade, and hopefully eventually cause it to die out.
- Katrina Doble, Beckenham, Kent
The organisation which chooses to target mainstream retailers who trade in live animals, appears quite clearly very one-sided in their views and do not see the adverse affects that their 'fanatical' protesting will lead to.
Like with any trade, you will always need the 'big name' outlets to set the standards for others in the business. The public has a right to be able to enjoy animals in some way, not just on the television but to be able to see and study animals in their homes as long as the animals are properly cared for.
There are many benefits to keeping animals- both theraputic and educational. Just remember most of these creatures would never be seen in real life if it wasnt for commercial production of captive-bred pet animals.
Needless to say many species would be extinct if it wasnt for keeping and breeding animals in captivity.
Other affects which are more serious- and clearly overlooked by these protestors, is in closing the more reputable Pet Centres (falsely acused of selling livestock to impulse buyers) and selling childish headlines which say, 'VICTORY!' for another store closed, will ironically promote an opening of black market and 'back street' selling of live animals.
- Steven David, England
Running the Woodside Animal Sanctuary in Plymouth we are finding it extremely hard to cope with the hundreds of animals brought to us unwanted having been purchased from pet shops and garden centres. After the sale these places want no more to do with the animal, leaving us to pick up the pieces, crippling us financially. We urge people to go to their local rescue and not support pets for profit outlets.
- Carole Bowles Mbe, Plymouth England
At the same time as understanding why people feel so strongly about pets being bought on impulse from garden centres, I really do have to stand up for the pet care staff from most of these companies. I have worked at two major garden centres, both in the pet department and I and most of my colleagues have been to college and studied correct animal management techniques, others have been put through intensive, certified courses whilst working for these companies, it is in their contracts. I feel that all staff take jobs with these animals because they genuinely care, and want the chance to inform and demonstrate to the public correct animal husbandry. Not once have I witnesses any of my colleagues selling animals to 'impulse' buyers, we actually have a checklist to run through with the customer based around appropriate accommodation, provisions for veterinary care, provisions whilst on holiday, correct cleaning and feeding regimes so that hopefuly customers can realise the hard work entailed when buying a pet. This does often put off these 'impulse buys' even if they just go away and think a little bit more, come back and seek more information, then obviously we have done a great job at making appropriate owners for that particular animal. At my latest workplace, we actually have a vet nurse employed part time, she arranges free health checks for all our aniamls sold. this is someting smallpet shops could not afford, so by having a large company financially backing us is great.
- Kayleigh Tarry, Birmingham, England
Hooray - well done Animal Aid and the others who campaigned for this, and well done to Wyvale for taking this compassionate step. I have stopped using my local garden centre as I got so distressed seeing the animals for sale there, and have discovered a pet supply centre and an independant flower shop which are both much better than the garden centre anyway! I have neighbours who have 'impulse-bought' rabbits and gerbils and fish and all these poor animals are kept in tiny, barren enclosures which is where they will live and die. The rabbits live in dirty hutches, stinking of amonia, no room even to sit up straight, and they and their owners can look out at wild rabbits on the lawn, grazing and playing and basking and standing on their back legs to nibble the bushes. Each evening the gerbils at another neighbour's house gerbils hang on to the mesh top on the 'fish tank' enclosure, gnawing and gnawing - presumably in an attempt to escape as there are other things in the fish tank they can gnaw on - or go up and down against the glass. In both houses there are fish swimming up and down around the red and blue plastic fronds of their miniscule tanks. Well done to everyone concerned for making the chance of this happening to other poor souls that little bit less likely. Fewer animals will be bred for the pet trade and a life of endless captivity if there are fewer outlets to buy them in.
- Tricia Holford, Caistor, England
Ross, I'm sure they will all be found good homes.
- Dhanraj, Basildon
Ross, from the article it would appear those departments will be "phased out," which means the animals will likely continue to be sold until they are all gone.
- Eric, Los Angeles, USA
And what will happen to all these animals?
- Ross Todhunter, London
This is welcome news for all animal lovers.
- Dhanraj, Basildon
