Disease Outbreaks Killed Rabbits and Birds at Big-Box Pet Store Supplier Sun Pet Ltd.

Rabbits and multiple birds died from disease outbreaks at Sun Pet Ltd.—the notorious Atlanta-based animal dealer that supplies animals to many big-box “pet” stores—as revealed in a public records request submitted by PETA.

According to emails uncovered in the request, the company’s veterinarian submitted four reports for outbreaks of diseases that caused the deaths of these animals in 2022. The records also revealed that the company was issued a Notice of Quarantine after officials found “two sick birds” in a room housing approximately 400 birds. The birds were infected with avian chlamydiosis, a disease that can cause nostril and eye discharge, diarrhea, anorexia, difficulty moving, and sudden death in birds. Avian chlamydiosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease most often passed to humans by companion birds and can cause flu-like symptoms and sometimes severe pneumonia in humans.

The veterinarian also reported that at least 28 sick rabbits suffered “peracute”—very sudden—deaths.

These reports aren’t surprising in the slightest—animal warehouses like Sun Pet are breeding grounds for dangerous and deadly diseases, as they often cram animals together in filthy conditions and deprive them of basic care.

Additionally, the records revealed that the company apparently shipped animals to Pet Supplies Plus stores in Kansas with incomplete veterinary inspections that lacked the required import permits.

Deaths, Neglect, and More: Sun Pet’s Dark History

These recent findings are business as usual for Sun Pet, which has been the subject of multiple damning investigations and inspections, including a 2021 U.S. Department of Agriculture probe that revealed neglect and cannibalism at the facility. Inspectors found dead hamsters’ partially eaten bodies in nearly two dozen enclosures—and one hamster who was being eaten alive by other severely stressed hamsters. Unnoticed “pieces of deceased hamster” were scattered throughout animals’ food and bedding, and gerbils were unable to reach water. Additionally, a CBS46 News investigation in 2021 dug up documents spanning more than a decade saying that workers failed to treat animals for swollen eyes, labored breathing, hair and weight loss, and other painful conditions.

A 2017 whistleblower claimed that animals in severely crowded tubs cannibalized one another, dead animals were found floating in toilets, and the container in which animals were gassed was cracked—allowing gas to leak out and causing the animals to endure a slow death. In 2010, PETA’s undercover footage at Sun Pet showed one worker putting live hamsters into a bag and bashing them against a table. One of the animals was seen suffering and panting heavily for minutes.

Animals Aren’t Products on a Shelf

Rabbits, birds, and other animals often purchased as “pets” have unique personalities and feelings. In nature, rabbits live in close family groups and spend their time eating, grooming, and sleeping together. They are among the most common animals brought to animal shelters, as misguided humans often purchase them on a whim without considering their highly specific needs.

In their natural habitats, birds preen each other, fly together, play, and share egg-incubation duties. Many bird species mate for life and share parenting tasks. In the “pet” trade, these complex, sensitive animals are denied the opportunity to exercise properly through flight, flex their incredible cognitive and social skills, or communicate their feelings to other members of their species. The stress of confinement often causes them to scream, bite, pace, or even pull out their own feathers.

Tell the “Pet” Trade to Stick it Where the Sun Don’t Shine

Seedy suppliers like Sun Pet are the backbone of the “pet” trade, and PETA investigations have exposed widespread neglect, suffering, and death at such facilities. Every purchase from a “pet” store props up this cruel trade.

YOU can take action by telling Petco to stop selling animals.