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Damonshumanslave
There was a thread on here the other day about the exercise balls that P@H have been selling with a picture of a guinea pig on. A few of us emailed about them and P@H sent some people a standard email reply to say that the picture on the balls has now gone. I emailed them to say that I have seen these newly packaged balls, and althought the picture was gone, I was dissapointed about the wording, as it still said they were suitable for guinea pigs.
I also included in my email a few complaints I had about my local store, including keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together, and some of the bad advice that I have heard the staff give to customers. I'm going to blank out the location of my store so I don't get in trouble, but I thought I would share their reply with you, as I am actually quite impressed with it. I think they actually listened!
Good Afternoon
Further to your e mail; I am sorry to hear about your recent experience and concerns for the welfare of the Rabbits and Guinea Pigs when you visited our ******** store. I wish to assure you that pet’s welfare is paramount in store and we have many routines and procedures in place to ensure the pets are well cared for.
I have passed on your comments and concerns directly to the Manager of the store as well as the Field Pet Manager and Area Manager to look into. I would like to assure you that we are taking this seriously and any action that they deem necessary will be taken.
Pets at home are currently in the process of re fitting all existing stores so the Rabbits are Guinea Pigs are split up into their own enclosures and no longer mixed and all new stores being built have the species split as a matter of course. The new deputy store Manager has ensured the Rabbits and Guinea pigs have now been separated and will remain so and also re iterated this policy to her staff. We have also been advising that these animals are not suitable companions for each other due to the risk of injury, particularly the Guinea Pig being injured by the Rabbit, and that they are much happier bonding with their own species.
The exercise balls in question are hamster and Rat exercise balls and not recommended for or sold for Guinea Pigs by Pets at Home. However, we are aware that the suppliers placed a misleading picture of a Guinea Pig and wording about Guinea Pigs on the packaging and our buyer has addressed this issue. All new stock will now be produced minus pictures and wording on Guinea Pigs and we have removed these items from sale while we await cover stickers to place over the wording and pictures on the packaging on the existing stock. We will also re iterate to all of our stores that exercise balls are not suitable for Guinea pigs.
Due to your comments relating to staff in store advising that these two animals are suitable to live together and also advising the exercise ball as being an essential piece of equipment for a Guinea Pig, the store manager would be grateful for the dates and approximate times you witnessed these comments in store and the names or descriptions of the staff members involved so the appropriate re training can be carried out.
Once again I apologise for any upset and inconvenience caused.
Kind Regards
To be honest, I thought I'd just get the same reply as everyone else, stating that the packaging has been changed, so I am really impressed with this email! Of course, I will be going to check that they have actually taken the wrongly-packaged exercise balls off the shelves.
I also included in my email a few complaints I had about my local store, including keeping rabbits and guinea pigs together, and some of the bad advice that I have heard the staff give to customers. I'm going to blank out the location of my store so I don't get in trouble, but I thought I would share their reply with you, as I am actually quite impressed with it. I think they actually listened!
Good Afternoon
Further to your e mail; I am sorry to hear about your recent experience and concerns for the welfare of the Rabbits and Guinea Pigs when you visited our ******** store. I wish to assure you that pet’s welfare is paramount in store and we have many routines and procedures in place to ensure the pets are well cared for.
I have passed on your comments and concerns directly to the Manager of the store as well as the Field Pet Manager and Area Manager to look into. I would like to assure you that we are taking this seriously and any action that they deem necessary will be taken.
Pets at home are currently in the process of re fitting all existing stores so the Rabbits are Guinea Pigs are split up into their own enclosures and no longer mixed and all new stores being built have the species split as a matter of course. The new deputy store Manager has ensured the Rabbits and Guinea pigs have now been separated and will remain so and also re iterated this policy to her staff. We have also been advising that these animals are not suitable companions for each other due to the risk of injury, particularly the Guinea Pig being injured by the Rabbit, and that they are much happier bonding with their own species.
The exercise balls in question are hamster and Rat exercise balls and not recommended for or sold for Guinea Pigs by Pets at Home. However, we are aware that the suppliers placed a misleading picture of a Guinea Pig and wording about Guinea Pigs on the packaging and our buyer has addressed this issue. All new stock will now be produced minus pictures and wording on Guinea Pigs and we have removed these items from sale while we await cover stickers to place over the wording and pictures on the packaging on the existing stock. We will also re iterate to all of our stores that exercise balls are not suitable for Guinea pigs.
Due to your comments relating to staff in store advising that these two animals are suitable to live together and also advising the exercise ball as being an essential piece of equipment for a Guinea Pig, the store manager would be grateful for the dates and approximate times you witnessed these comments in store and the names or descriptions of the staff members involved so the appropriate re training can be carried out.
Once again I apologise for any upset and inconvenience caused.
Kind Regards
To be honest, I thought I'd just get the same reply as everyone else, stating that the packaging has been changed, so I am really impressed with this email! Of course, I will be going to check that they have actually taken the wrongly-packaged exercise balls off the shelves.
Took me ages to read it though ;D
