On Thursday, March 9th, I called Pets West to ask about boarding my pet frilled lizard while I was out of town. They gave me their approval to bring him in that day, and they said they had a cage for him, but that I would have to bring his supplies.
Later that day, I brought in him and all his necessary supplies: his food and water bowls, food, calcium and electrolyte supplements to be added to his food and water, a lamp with heat bulb to provide heat necessary for him to function and eat, a lamp with a ReptiSun 10.0 UV bulb which is necessary for him to absorb nutrients from his food and prevent malnutrition, three silk plants to provide shelter so he doesn't get stressed, and a spray bottle used to keep him well hydrated.
I also left specific written instructions, as well as verbal instructions with the employee who accepted him. This employee also ensured me that they would take good care of him, and that the manager there had several of the same species and knew about their care. I left several contact numbers, and told them to call me if there was any problem.
On the 19th, I returned and went to Pets West to pick up my lizard. The same employee as mentioned above went into the back room and gathered him and most of his supplies. I noticed he looked very thin, as if he hadn't eaten at all in the time he was there, he was cold, and extremely dehydrated. When I had left him there, he was in perfect health, and he was fat and well hydrated.
I paid for the boarding, then looked through the bags to make sure everything was there. I noticed his supplements were missing, and the brand new, $50 UV bulb was broken. I told the employee that the supplements were missing, but at that point neglected to mention the broken bulb, as I knew from previous experience that the store would do nothing to replace it.
After leaving the store, a friend asked if I had told them about the broken bulb. I told her that I had not, and she said we should return to the store and tell them. I returned to the store approximately 15 minutes after leaving, and showed the broken bulb to the employee. She said there was nothing she could do, because they don't carry the same bulb.
She consulted the store owner, Bill, in the back room, and then offered me a lesser bulb, one that is valued at approximately $20 and has a very low UV output that would provide absolutely no benefit to my desert lizard, which needs the highest concentration of UV available. I asked if they could order the same type of bulb as the broken one, and she again consulted the store owner, who then followed her back up to register.
Bill confronted me, and said that he would not replace the bulb because they were not even sure it was broken there. I said that when I left it there, it was brand new, and in new condition, and when I picked it up it was broken, so someone there must have broken it. He replied, "I understand that, but we didn't even use your lamps."
For a second I stood shocked at his calm statement that they had neglected my animal while in their care, then I asked, "Did you provide him with any other source of UV?"
He smugly admitted "No, he was not provided with any source of UV or heat."
I then became upset and said, "UV is absolutely necessary for his health. I left this animal in your care, and you neglected him... How could you do that? He is unhealthy and severely dehydrated."
Bill simply said "Okay." and walked back into the back room. The previously mentioned employee asked if I wanted to take the cheaper bulb. I said I would, since it is all I could get, but the thing is entirely useless, and I have no reason to even open the package.
I don't care much about them breaking the bulb, but I am very angry about the grievous harm suffered by my animal under their care. He was completely neglected during his time there. They refused to use the supplies I had left them, and this caused him to stop eating, and become emaciated and dehydrated.
When I got him back, he was so thirsty he immediately began drinking water from my hand. And once he was provided with heat, he then ate three days worth of food. If he had been left in their care much longer, I'm sure he would have died.
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