18 Of The Weirdest Employee Complaints In Indie Pet

We posed this question to the PETS+ Brain Squad, our reader survey group of independent pet retailers and service providers: “What is the weirdest complaint you have ever received from an employee?” Turns out, indie pet pros have heard some things. Here are 18 of our favorites, with more to come.

That our employee reimbursement program was too high (i.e., we were paying them too much). Adina Silberstein, Queenie’s Pets, Philadelphia, PA

It was the hottest she has ever been — we’re a bakery, we have ovens. It was summer. Stephanie Rossino, GiggyBites, Chadds Ford, PA

An ex-employee complained that we made her work a weekend day during the holidays, because she needed to be able to go snowboarding with her boyfriend on weekends — she was afraid he was cheating on her with a mutual snowboarding friend. Eyeroll. Shane Somerville, Paddywack, Mill Creek, WA

It’s too busy! (I was like, what????) Beth Staley, Happy Dog Barkery, Downers Grove, IL

Wouldn’t give three days off for the death of her ferret. Jessica Cooke, Yuppy Puppy, O’Fallon, MO

That they couldn’t use the iPad we use for our POS to watch Netflix when they weren’t busy. Beth Kidd, Dogs By Design, Irwin, PA

When I asked one of our groomers to please not shave her head with the dog trimmers during work while she has dogs on the grooming table. She responded she has dysmorphia, and that hurt her feelings. Shari Wilkins, Lake Dog and Their People, Eufaula, OK

Since we get Christmas Eve off early we should get Father’s Day off early. Gary Hughes, Gangsta Dog, Norfolk, VA

That the cameras we installed to help protect employees and product were there for us to listen in on employee conversations and we shouldn’t have installed them. Comical that staff think we are that concerned with what they’re saying during the day, and that we don’t already know what they say about us as managers and owners. We did turn off the sound recording function after the complaint, regardless of how silly it was! Cassie Nilsson, The Mill Stores, Whiteford, MD

That they should be able to do whatever they want once they complete their given tasks for the day — not take on more projects. So they can work fast and have the rest of the day to just relax and hang out. Jennifer Larsen, Firehouse Pet Shop, Wenatchee, WA

I hired someone who was quite familiar with our store, as her family had shopped here since she was a kid. Less than a week into her position, she revealed that she’s a vegetarian and uncomfortable handling animal parts with her bare hands. We provided nitrile gloves, and even tongs, but it still grossed her out. She wouldn’t even pick up a Vital Essentials chew, wrapped in plastic. Jennifer Flanagan, Pacific NW Pets, Sherwood, OR

Why do we have to listen to ’80s and ’90s music on the sound system — why can’t we listen to my music? (She’s 16, and most of her music is laden with profanity.) Shell Tomjack, The sPaw, Rapid City, SD

A former overnighter said that he can’t work overnights anymore because there was a ghost in the groom room. Molly Taylor, Molly’s Mutt House, Houston, TX

That the toilet seat pinches his butt when he sits down. He would like me to replace it ASAP. Tiffany Brown, Becker Pet & Garden, Detroit Lakes, MN

You are like a mother to me. Pam Alerine, Style Mutt, Cleveland, OH

Why can’t I put 20 towels in the washer at once? Kris Lamoreaux, Healthy Pets Mountain West, Cottonwood Heights, UT

“You should have stressed more that being on time was important.” Um… Diana Farrar, Fifi & Fidos Pet Boutique, San Antonio, TX

I am pretty sure employees are the bane of existence for small business owners everywhere. But I do not really get many complaints from employees unless it is something the Macaw we have in the store (someone abandoned him with us) says something rotten. Megan Kurzweil, Forepaws, Minooka, IL