This is an interesting time to be an animal specialist. About a week before I took my test, it was posted on the Portal (our store sort-of-news-site-sort-of-employee-resource-center) that our animal assortment would now be determined by store instead of by district.

For those of you unfamiliar with retail terminology, the assortment is the selection of what the store sells. Research done of the surrounding area determines on what the assortment will look like. Taking the assortment down to the individual store level means whatever we don't sell will be ordered less or taken off the shelves entirely.

Basically, it means my department will be losing all of its conures, cockatiels, doves, finches and canaries. Strangely enough, I actually think this is a good move on the company's part. The only species we consistently sell are budgies. The rest sit in overpopulated or small-ish* cages for months until they are finally sold, transferred to another store, or die. This way we'll only receive the animals that sell on a regular basis; so, less fun species for me to play with but fewer, healthier, happier birds. And their happiness wins out over mine any day.



*By small-ish I mean the minimum size that the species can safely be housed in 24/7. Certainly a smaller habitat than I'd consider for my pets, but the store is a business and needs to be run that way.

I Got the First Post! Oh Wait...

I passed my avian specialist test Thursday. As such, I make no claims of being an expert in my field, especially since 4/6 of the store study books involved proper ordering methods and customer service rather than actual bird care. For that to make sense, let me back up a bit. I currently work at a large pet store. No, I will not post which one, though I'm sure it will become obvious through context sooner or later.

So what's the point of this blog? Well if you've never read a typical "This is my life at work" type blog you've been missing out. Might I recommend:

True Porn Clerk Stories

Acts of Gord

and most recently
The 7-Eleven Blog

I will be attempting to emulate the greatness of those without the guarantee of their inherent hilarity. I will also offer no firm posting schedule at first as I am also a college student and, "School comes first." (I know mother, you needn't remind me every time we talk on the phone.) Having said such, most of my posts will probably be made at school while procrastinating on some project or another so I might surprise myself and all of you in the process.

Since I have named my blog after my newly acquired position I will also attempt to focus on what happens in my department. Unfortunately being a specialist does not mean I am exempt from being on the floor or register so I'll take my amusing tidbits where I can get them. Horror of horrors, I might also be making some informative posts, with links even. Here's to hoping.