RU campaign needed against Focus

I went into my local Focus today to see that they have now got a pet section. They had loads of really shoddy 4ft hutches which were very badly made. They were made of plywood, stapled together, thin, shallow and generally rubbish. Some were already coming apart at the back in the shop! :shock: They are selling them for £39.99



I took a quick picture on my phone. The worst thing is they are clearly advertising them as rabbit hutches, nothing about guinea pigs (which would be a bit more suitable if you ignore how shoddy they are). There is no way a rabbit would stand up on their hind legs, they were so short!



I don't really have time to spearhead a campaign as such, but I wanted RU people to get onboard with complaints. If you can write a letter or email to the store I would be really grateful. Could you please make it polite and explain why these hutches are innapproiate for rabbits. Please also mention that you think the product should be removed and either replaced with something which is a suitable size and quality, or the product should just be removed.

I took this from their website;

Step 1 Initial complaint

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service received, you should initially speak to a member of the store management team, or call our Customer Service Team on 0800 436 436. We hope that most complaints can be settled quickly and as close to the source of the problem as possible.

Step 2 If you are not satisfied

If you are dissatisfied with the initial response, you should write to us at the following address:
Customer Services Department
FOCUS (DIY) Limited
Gawsworth House
Westmere Drive
Crewe
Cheshire
CW1 6XB

Please give as much detail about your complaint as possible (for example location of store, product, and dates) and state clearly what you are complaining about.

You will receive an acknowledgement within 7 working days and a full response within 28 working days. Your complaint will be fully investigated personally and in confidence.

We keep a secure record of every complaint made to us. We use this record to help us avoid making similar mistakes in the future. We also use it to help us see how we can improve our procedures and services.

The only email address is the general enquiries, but if you send your complaint there, they may forward it on; Email: info@focusdiy.co.uk

This store is so big that if people see these awful hutches in there, they are going to think if they are advertised as rabbit hutches, they are suitable for use. Please post here and let us know if you make a complaint. Off to do mine now

Also, is anyone able to approach the RWA to get them involved too please?

Here is my email;

I am just writing regarding the rabbit hutches I have seen in your Brownhills Focus store today.

I was very surprised to see such a hutch being sold by a large respectable store as yourselves. These 4ft rabbit hutches are totally unsuitable to keep rabbits in. They would only be suitable for guinea pigs, however they are clearly labelled as rabbit hutches.

The plywood looks very cheap and they were held together with staples which is not secure or safe for the rabbits in my opinion. I noticed a few of them in the store were already bowing at the back and the backs looked as if they would come off if a rabbit would kick them.

It is a well know fact now that 4ft hutches are inappropriate accommodation for rabbits, so I am wondering why the store has made the decision to sell them?

We will only rehome rabbits into 5ft hutches if the rabbit lives alone, or a 6ft hutch is the rabbits are paired. Seeing these hutches in a store such as yours will put people under the impression that they are actually suitable for a rabbit to live in, which I think is terrible for any rabbit that may end up in there.

I would like to see all of these hutches taken out of stores, as in my opinion they are unfit for the use they are advertised for. If you are going to sell rabbit hutches, why not sell some that people need and ones that are appropriate for the animal? Our customers find it hard to find good quality 5 and 6ft hutches so there is definitely a gap in the market.

I've never heard of them before but will send them an email tomorrow and post it on here.

Remind me if I dont post.

I would also mention RSPCA guidelines plus the fact that the rabbits could not stand on their hind legs etc.

Will have a closer look tomorrow

Vicki

count me in lucy will do my complaint tomorrow

I'll do a letter later in the week. Once I've looked through the legislation for hutch sizes, etc. so I can quote it in the letter.

Yeah, well I thought I would do a general email first, then when they send me a rubbish reply I will hit them with more detailed info. not putting all my eggs in one basket or I will have nothing left to say :lol:

Wouldn't it be interesting if they would allow one or more of us to go along to their HQ and do some testing on how well made the hutches are :lol: Proving our point that with an animal living in it, it wouldn't last a week!

h no not another store selling minging hutches:evil:
Will write a letter.

vicki267 said:

Wouldn't it be interesting if they would allow one or more of us to go along to their HQ and do some testing on how well made the hutches are :lol: Proving our point that with an animal living in it, it wouldn't last a week!

Click to expand...

Oooo Ill go they arent far from me and Chloe chews EVERYTHING!!

They were the typical rubbish quality plywood that wouldn't survive a winter.

All my rabbits are free to run and play all day.Rabbits are not kept in hutches/cages in the wild so why do people think its still OK to sell prisons to the general public.I think rabbits should come under specialised pets not throw away toys that most pet shops still think fit to sell them in that category.

I am going to email Focus tomorrow!!!!

I will send a letter out tomorrow. Did it with tesco's and did get a reply.

Mine has just been sent.

*whispers* Totti was a Focus Do-it-all bunny 7 years ago and I bought one of these hutches for him ....inside but totally unsuitable.

I will write.

I will get an e-mail written and sent out tomorrow when I am a bit more awake! :thumb:

My local focus sold rabbits once. Think it was about 10 years ago. I wrote a letter of complaint to them and got a response. It was dreadful. They didn't give a monkeys!!! Hutches like that are disgraceful.

Well done for highlighting this. Ill write

This is the sort of thing, I would hope that the RWA would take on. They could have a volunteer, who could write under the RWA banner (which would be more effective than others), and work with organisations to eliminate these ridiculously small hutches that we see everywhere. Is there a member of RWA who could find out is this a campaign they have planned in their future.

Lucy said:

Yeah, well I thought I would do a general email first, then when they send me a rubbish reply I will hit them with more detailed info. not putting all my eggs in one basket or I will have nothing left to say :lol:

Click to expand...

i saw these in focus in august 2008, i sent them aletter and they never replied

raine said:

Well done for highlighting this. Ill write

This is the sort of thing, I would hope that the RWA would take on. They could have a volunteer, who could write under the RWA banner (which would be more effective than others), and work with organisations to eliminate these ridiculously small hutches that we see everywhere. Is there a member of RWA who could find out is this a campaign they have planned in their future.

Click to expand...

Yes, I second that, could someone volunteer to speak tot he RWA?

Edited to say I just spoke to them and they are onto it