Pets at Home threatening schools with legal action after classing emplyees as key workers

[Keepcalmanddoyourbit]

twitter.com/simonkidwell/status/1241390189102186497

Advising employees to contact their legal department re: school places

Oh my god i hate myself for saying this

But what is the aibu bit

I really want to say that pets at home are being incredibly unreasonable...or scummy

Which button YANBU? I’ll press that one til you say otherwise

Oh yay...looks like ive got it right

To be fair they do usually have vets within the larger stores ... and they are classed as key workers (vet medicine).

So if it the vets and vet nurses carrying that letter, they are right.

But not for the shop assistants, obviously!

Yes but, even for the shop assistants, the shops need to stay open because people need things to care for their animals - food, medicines etc.

But not for the shop assistants, obviously

They have specifically mentioned the sale of food and other items...so i reckon they are including shop assistants

And vets are already key workers aren’t they...so you wouldn’t have thought there would be an issue with that

I'm on the fence about this.

I want to say YANBU, but many of the PAH have vet practices within them. They are also a major stockist of many pet foods - I get my dog food there. People need to be able to feed and care for their animals.

They have specifically mentioned the sale of food and other items...so i reckon they are including shop assistants True, just like supermarket staff. I take that last bit back! Shop assistants should be included!

That letter is appalling. It’s reckless and irresponsible and 100% about profit over safety. They could keep the vets bit open but they absolutely shouldn’t class all their employees as critical key workers, because they certainly are NOT. The passive aggressive legal email at the end as some sort of threat, really reveals what an odious company they are.

They have animals on the premises to care for don't they? And stock animal essentials?

@CuriousaboutSamphire @FallonSwift pet food can be bought in supermarkets and online.

No, people do not need to get into pets at home.

They could offer to post medicine. However, they dont actually sell that much medicine. They can be open for the vets but the store doesnt have to be.

And most importantly, the children of their workers do not need to be in school, increasing the risk of spreading the virus faster and risking closing schools.

They could, have Skelton staff, if they must and pay the rest. All staff do not need to be there. Their kids do not need to be in school.

Judging by my supermarkets, pet food, cat litter, etc is in short supply there.

I wouldn’t take any of my four pets to be treated there. Or places like Vets 4 Pets etc
Bit off topic I guess but ........

As somebody who works in a childcare setting and will possibly be looking after the children of key workers I do think pets at home have a point. Many stores have vets onsite who will be needed, many sell animals and although I think this should be stopped for a time, those animals will need to be looked after. They may sell specialist pet food and equipment that will be needed and can't be found elsewhere in supermarkets etc. However I do think where possible staffing levels should be limited and should focus on those who don't have children where possible.

There is a big debate in the veterinary world about this right now.

As it stands, most vets aren't actually considered key workers. Large animal vets involved in food production are (you could argue the "veterinary medicines" bit covers companion animal vets too but it's a stretch given the heading and rest of the text) and the British Veterinary Association and RCVS would consider emergency vets key workers too, however unfortunately vets aren't vital to ensuring people don't die. I'm not saying they aren't important (I'm a vet - animal welfare is my life!) But in the case of Covid19 they aren't directly involved in ensuring people survive.

Now, what PAH is doing is ludicrous. They are even saying dog groomers are key workers. The BVA and RCVS are urging veterinary professionals to ONLY use key worker status in extreme circumstances to access schools and nurseries, as they understand the seriousness of the situation. PAH are clearly only looking at the money.

People can shop online for pet supplies.

But asking people to contact their legal department for advice is not the same as threatening legal action... am I missing something here?

Bare in kind that most vets for pets, based in pets at home, will no longer be doing standard appointments.

So even if you pay for the complete plan, which includes working, flea treatments and vaccinations.....you cant go get them. Even though you pay for them.

So surely you can not go and buy worming or flea treatments in the store. Since you cant walk through the store and pick them up from the vets desk....you cant walk through the store pick them up and purchase through the till.

Why would one be on and not the other?

Many stores have vets onsite who will be needed, many sell animals and although I think this should be stopped for a time, those animals will need to be looked after

Most vets for pets are only allowing emergency appointments, if in the stores. But you can go in to buy things that arent an emergency?

Someone can go care for the animals. The store doesnt need to be open for that.

pet food can be bought in supermarkets and online

Good luck buying frozen mice or live insects in Asda or Tesco.

Pets at Home are open at the weekend.

Pets at home could extend its opening hours to account for the situation.

Similar could apply to normal vets too. Emergency situations wouldn't need to change much either.

As I understand it there are countries on the continent who have closed all but essential shops and pet stores have been kept open alongside supermarkets, as they should be. Pets at Home sell specialist foods, necessary equipment as well as medicines/the veterinary service.

I can only get my cat's food at PAH, was there yesterday to buy a month's worth while I wait to see if they stay open or if I need to try getting it online from them in the future. But as with the supermarkets it's unrealistic to expect online delivery to be available for everyone.

The health and wellbeing of our animals matters too.

And online deliveries are getting pretty difficult to come by. Plus the food that my dogs eat is out of stock online - I've already checked.

Most PAH stores have animals instore that need looking after. Not just fish but rabbits, gerbils, hamsters etc. The store assistants do this, even if the store itself is closed.

Keeping PAH open for essentials does not mean all their staff are key works and need to send their kids to school.

It ridiculous

This is genuinely appalling. Vets aren't automatically key workers, and they could come up with a rota for emergency care only.

As a teacher, I'm not going into school to help companies continue to make profit. I'm going in to provide care for the children of people who are absolutely essential to society right now AND have nowhere else to go.

The more people who abuse the system, the more likely it is that schools will end up unable to open due to lack of staff (as they will be more likely to need to self isolate) and worst of all more likely that someone will get seriously ill and die.

Also Pets At Home are asking their staff to put themselves and their children at increased risk of infection.

If they were acting responsibly, they'd shut store's, go to online only, and have a skeleton staff come in to care for animals, or temporarily get staff to care for the animals at home.

This is yet another reason why the sale of live animals in shops should be banned IMO.