I am an animal lover, deeply passionate about their safety and well-being. It breaks my heart to see how some pet stores, particularly Petsmart and Petco, treat live animals. Numerous videos have surfaced showing people discovering live animals - from beta fish to parakeets - in dumpsters behind these stores. This is not only inhumane but also a gross violation of animal rights. Not only are they throwing them into dumpsters, if you go into any petsmart you will see that all of the birds are kept in small cages and they aren’t cleaned. The bettas are kept in small containers and majority of them are dead and not fed. In the big fish tanks they don’t remove the dead fish. The cats are left in small spaces with barely any Toys when they sell cat toys at their store and some of them do not seem well taken care of. 

Especially during harsh weather conditions, these creatures should not be discarded as if they were mere objects. Instead of throwing them away, these stores could offer them at discounted prices or donate them to shelters where they would be cared for properly.

According to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), millions of unwanted pets are euthanized each year in the United States alone due to lack of space and resources (HSUS, 2020). By discarding live animals into dumpsters instead of giving them a chance at life through adoption or sheltering, Petsmart and Petco are contributing to this tragic statistic.

We must take action now. We urge Petsmart/Petco to stop selling live animals without proper care protocols in place and cease their cruel practice of discarding unsold pets into dumpsters immediately. Please sign this petition today; let's give these innocent beings the respect and care they deserve.