Bird Seed for Sell in Aisles ....yet.... Birds Killed in Rafters
Dec 21 '04
The Bottom Line The customer is always right
One evening when watching a local news broadcast, they aired a news-clip that grabbed my attention away from a tedious project and alerted my senses. Apparently a local storefront, concerned with birds making their way into the store, had contracted a pest company to solve the supposed challenge.
Certain customers, angered and sickened by the method had captured the inhumane treatment on home video. I was sickened by the method used. Fred Meyer - in Ballard, Washington - contracted Sprague Pest Solutions. This pest control company placed -inhumane- traps in the rafters. The method they used, a sticky tape type of substance, provided a slow death to the birds. Apparently the birds were attracted to the sticky tape, where they became immediately stuck to it. Once stuck, they naturally struggled to become free, only to become further stuck. The video footage showed multiple birds struggling and/or dead. This was hard to watch; the visual images are still fresh in memory.
It was stated that a representative from Fred Meyer quickly placed blame to Sprague Pest Solutions, claiming they were unaware the pest control company would utilize such methods. Did the store manager(s) not notice? Did the employees not notice? The customers certainly did! Sprague Pest Solutions, not willing to go on air, claimed that this is a method commonly used. However after the news cast the inhumane method was replaced with live traps, a bird house sort of mechanism whereas the birds are trapped inside and supposedly re-released into nature.
I was appalled that these killings transpired and felt that Fred Meyer quickly placed blame versus owning the mistake. The situation irritated me enough to send an email to corporate office and boycott Fred Meyer for a season of time. I thought it hypocritical that this store sells bird seed, bird baths, and bird feeders in the garden and pet aisles yet kills birds in the rafters.
A few days later the Vice President of Public Affairs emailed me:
"Thank you for your comments. We too are horrified by this event. Fred Meyer does not support or condone the treatment of birds handled by Sprague, the
pest control company hired by Ballard Fred Meyer.
Sprague selected this method on their own. We would not have chosen this unusual and disturbing method. Pest control services customarily use deterrents (e.g. plastic owls, streamers, etc.) and, when needed, live-traps (e.g.
cages) to control birds in our stores.
After learning of this incident, we took immediate steps to ensure that this bird control method will never again be used in our stores. We join with the community in condemning this treatment of birds and we will make a
donation to the Audubon Society as a gesture of goodwill.
We appreciate that you took the time to write and we assure you that this will never again happen in our stores.
Sincerely,
**** *. ******
Vice President, Public Affairs
Fred Meyer Stores
Although I have long enjoyed casual bird watching via bird baths, bird houses and bird feeders in my home gardens, prior to this incident I wasn't aware of the degree to which I am fond of wild birds. I decided that although I am still irritated by the manner in which Fred Meyer allowed pest control to transpire at the Ballard, Washington storefront, the company as a whole appears to not approve, so I will again - on occasion - shop at our closest Fred Meyer storefront (not the Ballard branch).
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Links of Interest:
http://www.spraguepest.com/
http://www.audubon.org/
http://www.fredmeyer.com/
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(c)2004 Lisa_J
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Lisa_J
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Location: Pacific Northwest - Washington State
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Mom of two wonderfully spirited daughters. Childcare Director. Spectator fan of dance.
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