Animals purchased at PetSmart come with a "vet assured" promise of health and wellness plus a 14-day satisfaction guarantee.

This means that if you purchase an animal at a PetSmart store and he or she becomes ill or dies during this initial 14-day period, or if you're not satisfied with your "pet" for any reason, PetSmart will replace your animal or refund the purchase price.

PetSmart claims that this guarantee is one of the many ways in which it ensures that you enjoy your experience with your new animal; however, many animals who survive long enough to be sold often suffer from compromised immune systems and diseases and die soon after leaving the store. Needless to say, if returned to the store, animals are doomed to be relegated to the back room, where they may not survive to be resold or shipped back to the breeding mills from which they came. Here's what some PetSmart customers had to say about their purchases of animals:

• "None of the birds survived more then a day or two. They would seem perfectly healthy, then they would start to decline. … They started to get listless, mucus came from their nostrils, their breathing became shallow, and they started to breathe with their mouths open. Ten to 12 hours later, they were dead."
• "I was shocked when she died, and even though we had only had her for two weeks, we were most attached … and extremely upset. … I did contact [PetSmart employees], and they said there was nothing they could do. … I have vowed, however, never to purchase another animal as long as I live, especially a bird."
• "My bird died shortly after I got [her], two weeks. I just came home one day to find [her] lying at the bottom of [her] cage. I made a complaint, and [PetSmart] decided to give me another bird for free. That bird also died shortly after that; this time it was only one week. But in the time that [the bird] was living, [she] was miserable and sick."

How to Spot Abuse and Neglect at PetSmart

Many states have laws that are intended to protect animals sold in pet stores like PetSmart, but animals need your help getting these laws enforced. Just one example is a law in Virginia that states that food must be "placed so as to minimize contamination by excrement and pests." At PetSmart stores, food bowls are routinely and carelessly placed directly underneath the perches where birds sit.

Help ensure compliance with laws and minimal humane standards at PetSmart stores: Print out this list of pet store laws that apply to your state, find the PetSmart location nearest you, and pay it a visit. If you see anything that you believe may be a violation, ask to speak to the store manager and voice your concerns, citing the law that appears to be violated. It is vital that you return to the store at a later time and ensure that the problem has been fixed.

The list of pet store laws is a good starting point, but please watch out for all the things listed in our inspection sheet, as laws don’t always cover all that is important for the well-being of animals. If you notice any of the following, speak to a manager and demand that the situation be fixed immediately.

If you visit a PetSmart store, please make sure that the animals are being treated well. Print out the inspection sheet and take it with you to your local PetSmart.

You can e-mail us your findings or fax them to our office at 757-628-0796.

Please do not buy anything from PetSmart until it stops selling all animals, and send a quick note to PetSmart urging the company to end animal sales.