The Westgate Pet Superstore pleads responsible to recent complaints to the Record concerning bad customer service and carelessness.
The resident complained about her experiences at the shop during August. She had bought four snails for her fish tank at home to control algae, spending R100, only to return them four days later because “the shells were empty”. The shop gave her the benefit of the doubt and gave her R100 in-store credit, which she spent on four comet goldfish.
The resident returned to the shop another four days later, furious that the goldfish seemed to have infected her Siamese fighter with some disease.
“I breed Siamese fighting fish and I could not believe my eyes when the one goldfish died and all the others seemed sick,” the resident explained to the Record.
“We already were concerned after she returned with the empty shells and when we inspected the fish that she brought in, we found that they have fin rot,” said Morné Mustard, store manager.
Mustard explained that fin rot happens when the quality of fish tank water is not up to standard. pH levels, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and alkalinity and the amount of “new” water added to the tank when fish are being introduced to the tank are among the factors that affect the water’s health.
“We explained to her that all her fish has fin rot and that she needs to have the water in her tank tested, as bad quality water causes fin rot.”
According to Mustard and store owner Peter Webber, they tested her tank water free of charge.
“These tests are quite expensive, but being genuinely concerned about the health of the fish that we supplied her with, we tested it without charging her.
“After the tests were done we found that the water’s pH levels were really high.”
After the resident explained that she added a certain volume of fresh water when she added the new fish, the shop supplied her with medication meant to treat fin rot. The resident returned once again, more furious, saying that the three gold fish also died and that her Siamese fighter is looking worse.
“She pleaded with us to keep her Siamese fighting fish in the store until she can get the quality of her water corrected, and we did.
“This was the biggest error in our judgement, since we usually don’t offer clients that service.”
When the resident returned to pick up her Siamese fighter it was evident that one of the store clerks sold it to another customer.
“It seems that no one marked the tank that we kept her fish in and a fairly new clerk accidentally sold it to another customer.”
Between management and the resident, they agreed that they will correct the problem by supplying her with two new Siamese fighting fish, one male and one female. Unfortunately the suppliers could deliver these fish to the shop a few days later. It is after the woman’s last visit to the shop that she contacted the Record.
“We take our stock and our clients very seriously at the Westgate Pet Superstore,” explained Webber.
“There is no way that we could have sold her empty shells, since the staff would have seen the shells floating in the tank.
“My suspicion is that her tank’s pH levels actually dissolved the snails.
“Still, we tried to help her in all ways possible.”
All in all, Webber says that the shop did two free water tests for their client, gave her a double refund on her Siamese fighting fish that was sold accidentally and offered her the courtesy of two new fish.
“I try and rather inform my clients than just sell any animal to them. I’d rather turn away clients that appear to have no knowledge of the animals they want to acquire than struggle on with complaints about my stock quality and service.
To date, the resident has not claimed any other damages from the store.
