Well, the day has been a busy one for the Drs. Foster & Smith Customer Service, Marketing and probably their legal team.  It has also been an interesting day watching a company go from telling us the truth to completely changing their story and it’s hard to find it credible.

The facts are these… when first contacted about providing HSUS with customer’s information the company had no apologies and openly admitted to selling/sharing customer data.  One of the unhappy customers had this to report…

“I called Drs Foster & Smith (1-800-381-7179) and verified that they have, indeed, shared much information with HSUS. I spoke with a supervisor, "Marge", who read a prepared statement. She further indicated there is no certainty that names will not be shared with HSUS and similar organizations again in the future. I requested that any and all of my contact information be removed from their computers and to refrain from ever sending me another catalog. Any catalogs I receive from them will be returned to them postage due.”

One person who wrote to the company received this response:

“Dear XXX,
We appreciate your past loyalty and we would never intentionally do
anything that would betray that trust. As is common in the catalog industry we
share names with companies, and we have shared a small number of names with
the HSUS. We do understand your concern and appreciate your opinion. We
will reconsider our position regarding the HSUS going forward.
If we can be of additional assistance, please contact our Internet
Customer Service Department at 1-800-381-7179, via email or on our Live Help link.
Live Help is available 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. CST Monday through Friday
and 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST weekends.
Sincerely,
Customer Care
Drs. Foster & Smith
Foster and Smith Aquatics”

Then later in the day on Facebook we started to see a different response from Gordon Magee the Internet Marketing and Analysis Manager for Foster And Smith Inc.  Mr.. Magee wrote this response.

“Recently through means and for reasons unknown to us, Drs. Foster and Smith has been falsely accused of financially supporting a particular advocacy group, HSUS and further that HSUS has a list of Drs. Foster and Smith’s customers.
We have not financially supported HSUS or any other advocacy group of perhaps a different persuasion than HSUS.
At no time has HSUS or any other advocacy group ever had a list of Drs. Foster and Smith customers.
Thank you for understanding that our focus as a company is on providing quality products and services related to superior pet healthcare.
Sincerely,
Drs. Foster and Smith”

And now they are in complete denial phase.  They are claiming it’s a false rumor and has no basis in fact.  More likely is that they figured out they were selling their mailing lists to a 3rd party that deals in such things and HSUS bought it from there.  That does not excuse the lax policies of the company that’s business is pets in an increasingly hostile world for pet owners and breeders.  Any good company would promise to protect vital data such as home addresses of their customers or at least disclose that it may be sold to third parties and where that information may end up and allow us the option to opt out.  I think it’s time for every unhappy customer to report this incident to the Better Business Bureau and let them help us sort it out.

We had some good dialogue going on the Facebook Fan Page for Drs. Foster & Smith however that was ended quickly when those who dissented were stifled and prevented from posting and many arguments for the misconduct of Drs. Foster & Smith in this situation was also deleted.

We all make mistakes and this company has certainly made a big one.  The worst part of this entire incident is their mishandling of it and dishonesty.  I think many of us could have forgiven and forgotten if they had admitted it, and then didn’t deny it, and promised to work on it and provide us an option to protect our data and keep our names and addresses out of the hands of the animal rights industry.  However they didn’t and they continue to try to sweep it under the rug.  This coupled with the pet pharmaceuticals fiasco is more than enough for me to send people to another, more reliable company.

What does this mean for kitten buyers?  Perhaps not a lot but if you rely on pet supply stores online or by catalog we must caution you not to trust this company and to carefully read the privacy policies of any company you choose to do business with.  In light of this scandal we will be reviewing the companies we do business with and updating you on their policies and statements in regard to sharing customer databases with animal rights organizations.

In this day and age it’s pretty much standard practice for companies to sell their customer database to 3rd parties though I personally find it a distasteful and unethical practice.  To have the information sold to a group well known for trying to cause the distinction of the family pet, the incarceration of all dog and cat breeders as criminals and destroying USA farmers this is unconscionable.

We are calling on all dedicated pet owners, breeders, exhibitors and animal lovers to boycott Drs. Foster & Smith and let them know that we will not tolerate this gross violation of our privacy.  I am sure they never asked a single customer if it was ok to share their home address, phone number and the survey information they gather on how many pets you own and if you are a breeder with the HSUS.  This information is vital to the HSUS’s efforts to stage animal raids where they break into property and steal animals from law-abiding citizens.  They also use this information, I am sure, to tabulate the statistics they use with legislators when they try to get anti-pet legislation passed.

I am not sure i will ever trust Drs. Foster & Smith again even if they were to change their policy today.  This also makes me highly suspicious and worried about the other companies I do business with including Pet Smart (their Pet Perks card asks for your address), and some other online suppliers.  It makes me love my local livestock supply store that never invades my privacy but always has a friendly store with products I love.

If you have information on any other pet supply companies that are selling or sharing our information without permission please post it in a comment below.  We need to help one another to be safe.  I will be posting updates as I call each company asking about their policy regarding our privacy.

We will also post a list for our kitten buyers, and our readers, of companies that indicate they will keep your information private and protect their customers.  Hopefully it will be a long list but we’ll only find out by investigation.  Wish us luck!

More information:

Article on the HSUS and the rest of the Animal Rights Industry.

Three Prendraig Siberian Kittens

It’s unbelievable but five years ago today we welcomed into the world the first Pendraig litter.  Born out of our foundation cat female that came straight from Russia we had a gorgeous litter of reds and torbies.  One of the two red females is Pendraig Red Sonja SunFire who became the foundation cat for our red line of Siberian cats.

Though we bought our first Siberian cat in 2003 and started making plans for our cattery in the summer of 2003 the true date I consider having “started” my cattery is the day this litter was born.  So Sonja’s birthday is also the anniversary of our cattery’s first litter and a very important day for us indeed.

Only one boy was born in the litter, an odd event for most breeders who seem overwhelmed with males we have always had predominantly females from the very start.  Pendraig Ivan SunFire is a beast of a cat, weighing easily over 18 lbs and filling up your arms when you pick him up for a cuddle.  He lives a life of love and luxury with my brother.

The handsome Ivan, red tabby Siberian Kitten

He was always sweet and affectionate but a bit shy like his mother.  He would never make a show cat despite his handsome good looks, amazing coat and huge size but he is a most loved and adored cat by our family.

Sonja had the best type to my novice eye and she was already promising to have an outrageously good coat and the most beautiful green eyes but she was not the biggest boned of the kittens.  I had decided to pass on a kitten though I loved them all and breed Sonja’s mother again to keep a kitten for myself.  Sonja had other plans though.

Pendraig Red Sonja Sunfire - Red Solid Siberian Cat

She latched onto me and would not be swayed from her choice in family.  She would follow me around like a puppy, chirp and call to me and always wanted my attention.  It was a good thing I decided to keep her because she is the most wonderful companion and an important part of our lives.  She has been a favorite pet of my son since he was just a few months old and she took great interest helping “babysit” him even as an infant.  When I was pregnant she would try and sleep for hours if I let her purring on top of my belly (and the baby inside).  She loved that I was pregnant and I know in her eyes my son is as much hers as he is mine.

Happy Birthday Sonja and Ivan, and your litter mates.  You have brought much joy to our lives and in the case of Sonja you have brought further generation of wonderful Siberian cats into the hearts and homes of pet owners all over the country.

The lovely Red Sonja at 5 years old

When people ask, “Is it true that the Siberian Cat breed is dog-like?” I have to laugh.  The reason is that the description is entirely accurate of most of the breed but especially of Sonja.  She follows me, and my son, around just as a dog would from room to room wanting to be a part of our every activity.  She greets us at the door when we come home finding a perch as high as possible so she will be at eye level.  She will chirrup a hello as soon as we make eye contact and start purring.  One is expected to put down whatever one is carrying in order to pet her and say a proper hello.  Sonja plays fetch and sometimes even brings the toy back.  She is very protective of people and our property and has been known to growl at strangers, or my husband when she doesn’t recognize him, climbing on a ladder outside the window.  Her growl is quite serious and you know she is not to be trifled with!  In one incident she was slapping the window hard and growling as loud as she could to deter this intruder from assaulting her home.  She didn’t realize the intruder was my husband.

Sonja can be territorial as any dog not wanting to share my lap with the new golden tabby we imported from Russia but eventually that has yielded to a grudging respect and I hope they will find friendship one day.

Red Sonja at 5 years old, photo by Helmi Flick

I can say that I fell in love with this breed reading about them and seeing photos, I loved them more when I greeted Sonja’s father at the airport and her mother as well.  But my true devotion started when I was staring into those green eyes of a little red tabby female I called “Pendraig Red Sonja SunFire”.  Happy Birthday my quirky, fiery, devoted and beautiful little friend.  I love you.

Photo of Sonja by Helmi Flick taken on Valentine’s Day of her 5th year.

These little guys are advancing with leaps and bounds.  They do not want to be outdone by Dica’s kittens and don’t seem to care that they are almost 2 weeks older.  Already they are running amok in the nursery, playing and pouncing, investigating food bowls and learning to use a litter box.  They aren’t quite ready to eat solid food yet but it’ will be any day now.

We are pleased to announce that all the kittens are reserved except one that is being held for a potential breeder and show cat.  We enjoy taking photos and videos yesterday as well and hope that you all enjoy watching them grow and thrive as much as we do.

For the future kitten owners of this beautiful litter please mark your calendars.  The expected release date (when they can leave the cattery) is March 26th.  Its not set in stone of course but it’s our target date.

Siberian Kittens Pendraig’s L Litter 2009 Photos

These sweet and darling girl is still awaiting her new name.  She is currently on hold as a potential breeder and show prospect.

She is a lovely silver with her sire’s great muzzle and we hope his green eyes as well but only time will tell.

She is calm and sweet, loves to cuddle and we think will take well to the busy show halls.  We are setting her up with a new breeder protégé and we hope she gets to enjoy all her potential.

This little girl is going to a special family and as a surprise for one lucky little lady… best not to give too much away though!

She is sweet and affectionate and has an affinity for our small son.  She is also very gentle and patient with him so we know she will make a wonderful companion for a loving child.

This little girl has been named “Lada” after the Slavic goddess of beauty.  What a fitting name with her flame of red on her head and those gorgeous eyes.

She is going to a wonderful family that we have been pleased to get to know recently.  She is also great with our toddler and will make a wonderful companion for a family.

This little girl has been named Leia and it’s a fitting name for this little princess.  She has a warm almost honey brown coat coming in that looks so much like her sire, Karat.

She is sweet and intelligent, one of the first in her litter to explore the nursery, use the litter box and today she was investigating the food the older kittens were eating.

This is the single male in Lily’s litter.  He may be out numbered but he hold’s his own and he’s absolutely beautiful.

His name is Lazar Leonid, picked out by his future owner.  He looks like a silver version of his sire, Karat.  He’s sweet and affectionate with me and always says hello as soon as he sees me.  He’s definitely a ladies man.

We hope you have enjoyed the photos of our Siberian kittens at 3 weeks.  All are reserved or being held for their owners.  We are planning our litters for Spring and Summer 2010 but we are close to closing those waiting lists.  If you are interested please fill out an application for a Siberian Kitten today.

As for the litters we have now they are all on hold, all but one is official!  We are just waiting on one last deposit to be received.

Thank you to everyone who has picked out a kitten.  Many of you had a good long wait and we appreciate your patience.  Good things come to those who wait, right?

Those of you who missed out on this litter if you are on our waiting list we have some exciting plans for spring and summer.  If you aren’t on our Siberian kitten waiting list, what are you waiting for?

At the end of 2010 we may breed Dica again but she is deserving of a break.  We do have some exciting plans to expand our cattery and new breeders we are working with.  There are many good things to come.

We are so flattered and honored to have the interest of so many wonderful people.  Thank you to each and every one of you.  Without you this cattery could not exist.  We breed in hopes of producing top quality cats and insuring a bright future for this wonderful breed but if we didn’t have dedicated and loving pet owners we could never succeed.  I know the Siberian Cat Breed thanks you as well.

This is also when we announce their official names.  Thanks to their new parents we had an easy time naming our “K” litter of Siberian Kittens.

First we will introduce the two kittens that are staying here as the future of Pendraig Siberian Cats.

Future Siberian Stud for Pendraig

RAWR!

Our newest stud in training has great potential.  He has the classic pattern we love, a lovely silver shade, adorable white paws, cheeks and tummy and the tiniest white tip on his tail.

It’s early to tell but he seems to have a beautiful muzzle and head shape and of course the wonderful Cica coat from his sire Cica’s Zoran Yaroslavovich Black.  He’s daring and he loves to explore.

His name is Pendraig Korsak Zoranovich SunFire.  We will call him Korsak.  He is named after the striking and beautiful Corsac Fox found in parts of Russia and Asia.  The fox has a unique coloring that is silver and red.

Future Siberian Queen Hopeful for Pendraig

Captivating, this little girl can’t help but steal your heart.  She is like a movie star and we hope she continues to have that dazzle at the cat shows.

She’s also sweet, cuddly and adorable.  She loves to greet us as soon as we come into the nursery and she enjoys following our son around.

Today she was the most cooperative for the photo shoot and didn’t seem to mind the flash of the camera.

We have named her Pendraig Kyllikki Zoranovna SunFire.  Kyllikki is from Finnish folklore and also one of my favorite books.  She definitely deserves to be named after a Finnish goddess… look at that face.

Another Handsome Fellow

The near twin of our beautifully handsome Korsak this boy has the same gorgeous classic pattern and red silver color though his is a bit lighter and will be more silver as he matures. 

He has an adorable white tip on his tail, white feet and white throat and chest.  He is endearing and fun loving, always exploring and the first to taste water out of the bowl.  He is going home with the blue calico girl and they will make a handsome pair.

His name is Pendraig Kafka Zoranovich SunFire.  His new “parents’” have named him Kafka. His call name is going to be “Beckett” which I think is very fitting to his personality.

The Bold and Beautiful Girl

We very nearly had to keep this girl.  She has amazing heft and is the biggest kitten in the entire litter.  She is like a lead weight.  She also has the most striking coloring and pattern and her coat is dense and beautiful.  It wasn’t an easy decision passing on her for our cattery but I know her future owner is happy that we did.

This girl is a tad more reserved than her sister Kyllikki but she is still outgoing, smart and sweet.  She enjoys a good cuddle and will follow me around the nursery.  She is very smart and is finding ways to get into trouble much faster than her siblings.

Her name is Pendraig Kira Zoranovna SunFire.  Her name Kira was picked out by her future owner and we think it fits her perfectly.  It is a perfect name for this bold and beautiful Siberian kitten.

The Beautiful Red Boy

This boy has a beautiful and intense red coloring.  He reminds me very much of his great grandmother Sonja.

He is gorgeous and sweet and has a great new family lined up with two devoted new parents.  He is sweet and gentle, always ready to cuddle and very laid back.  He is also smart and inquisitive.

His name is Pendraig Krasnoi Zoranovich SunFire.  Krasnoi means “Red, beautiful” and he is definitely both.  We are so proud of this little guy.  He has his mother’s distinct spotting too which makes him unique.

Darling “Little Blue” – Not so Little

Now we come to our little miracle child.  The tiny kitten born premature and the smallest kitten we’ve ever had born alive.  I fretted night and day, did some supplemental feedings and read some very depressing statistics in books and articles on kittens.  Despite the dismal odds they gave her to make it two weeks here she is at 4 weeks and getting big.  She is sweet and playful but always gentle and kind.

She is our little princess of the litter and her brothers seem protective of her like big brothers should be.  She also had a surprise in store for us as her coat is turning smoke so she will be a smoke blue tortie and white Siberian kitten.

Her name is Pendraig Kasmir Zoranovna SunFire and was named by her future owners.  She will be going to live with her brother Kafka and has a devoted and excited family awaiting her.  From their emails I can already tell she and her brother will be spoiled rotten.

We hope you have enjoyed this photo update of our little darlings.  We will start spacing out photo sessions now so I can get a break and so they don’t get too frustrated with flashing cameras.

All of these kittens are now reserved and held for their future homes.  Thank you to all their new families!  We have found some wonderful people to share our Pendraig Cat Family with and we hope to have a long and happy friendship with you all.

Where does the time go?  I can hardly know!  Seems like somehow between all the feedings, cleaning up, changing litter boxes and cuddle time the kittens are growing faster than I can keep track.

Lily’s litter of Siberian kittens is now 2 weeks old and more adorable every day.  The warmth is coming into their tabby patterns and on the girls there is more and more red coming out.

Lily is a devoted, dedicated and loving mother.  She enjoys sharing her duties with her daughter and helps to care for her grandchildren.  She also has been helping care for Eowyn’s kittens that were rejected by their mother.

Enjoy the photos of our two week old kittens.

Group Photos Siberian Kittens

The “red faced” torbie Siberian kitten (Female)

Our darling girl with the red flame on her head is growing into such a big girl.  She is sweet and loving already.

She is available to those on our waiting list.

The “red footed” torbie Siberian kitten (Female)

This little girl is slightly darker than her sister the warm brown torbie but she is beautiful.  She has partially red feet and is adorable and sweet.

She is on hold for our waiting list.

The “warm brown” torbie Siberian Kitten (Female)

Sweet and darling girl with a beautiful honey brown coloring coming in.  She is a torbie but it’s really hard to tell right now.

She is already starting to play with her siblings and loves to cuddle.  Available to our waiting list.

The Silver Torbie Siberian Kitten (Female)

This is a lovely silver Siberian Kitten female with some red patches.

She is a bit of a princess already and knows she’s royalty.

She is available to our waiting list.

The Silver Tabby Siberian Kitten (Male)

The only boy in the group but he’s not lonely.  He’s a big and robust boy with a sweet disposition and what promises to be stunning good looks.  His markings are distinct. 

He is available to our waiting list.

Want a Pendraig Siberian Kitten?

Well you aren’t alone!  Right now the waiting list is full but we are accepting a few more limited positions for our planned spring and summer litters.  If you’d like to inquire please fill out an application.

Have a great day!

Eowyn and Karat have blessed us with a litter of large and lovely tabby kittens on December 29, 2009.  Just days before New Year’s we were glad to make their acquaintance and welcome them into the world.

Now onto the introductions.  We have two boys and two girls.  This is the “M” litter and we will be deciding on names for them shortly.

Male Tabby Siberian Kittens

We have two wonderful boys.  One is darkly handsome and the other warm brown like his handsome daddy.  Both boys are large and robust.

The “warm” brown tabby already looks much like his daddy, Jorrah Karat.  He has a beautiful almost gold under coat with inky black stripes.His coat already shows promise to be thick like the Cica cats from his mother’s side.

The other boy is a darker tabby with the same inky black markings on a darker background.  He is large and robust also and his coat is slightly more dense than his brother.  It will be fun watching him grow and watching his coat colors change.

Female Tabby Siberian Kittens

We have two big girls with beautiful patterns.  One has much wider stripes and almost looks classic which is a surprise.  We will have to wait and see.  The other has more stripes in a pretty and even pattern that is mesmerizing.

The sweet darker striped girl has inky black markings on a medium warm back ground.  These markings will be very striking when she is fully mature.  She is showing signs of the Cica coat also.

The other sweet girl has more of a ribbed type stripe, ideal for a mackerel pattern and showing some lovely color.

She is also the bigger of the two girls and has great promise.

Buying a Siberian Kitten

Buying a Siberian kitten is a big decision for you and your family.  Here at Pendraig we do all we can to make that process easy and fun but we also want to be sure each and every kitten is going to a good home where they will be safe and loved.  We also want to make sure each kitten will be fed a healthy diet and given the best of care for their entire lives.

If you feel you can provide such a home then please fill out an application and we will begin the process to get you started with a Pendraig Siberian Cat of your very own.

We at Pendraig Siberian Cats want to wish you a joyous holiday season filled with love.   May your new year bring many blessings and if you are a lucky owner of a Siberian Cat may that year be full of purrs and fun that leaves lasting memories in your heart.

Love to you all!

Dawn, Doug & Gabriel Campbell

Pendraig Siberian Cats

I also have to thank Karat and his breeders.  Both Jorrah and Forestwind Siberian Cats have done an amazing job of putting some of the best traditional lines together and Karat has so much to give to my cattery  I am so grateful to them both for letting us care for, love and use this wonderful male for the year.  I will hope and pray that besides his obviously good looks they also get his amazing temperament and sultry green eyes.

Now onto the introductions for our new Siberian Kittens.

Meet the Boy: A Silver Tabby Siberian Kitten

Darling and handsome this boy looks so much like his father, Karat, only in a lovely silver shade.

He has a promising muzzle already and was born with a hefty weight.  He was our first kitten and I wondered if Lily was going to give me some males for once.  She has only had a few in her breeding career which is surprising as most breeders complain of having way too many male kittens.

He is definitely on hold.

Meet the Girls:  More Torbie Siberian Kittens

This sweet girl has the most red on her than any of the others, at least for now.  She has a lovely blazing red head which I noticed immediately when she was born.  She is the second kitten born of this great litter.

I am already quite smitten.  This girl is also on hold.

This lovely girl is a very warm brown tabby with inky black markings.  I believe she is a torbie but the red is hard to find right now so we shall wait and see.

She is lovely and large and if she inherits her father’s startling green eyes will definitely be a looker.

This sweet girl is on hold for now.

This is the darker girl but she is definitely a brown torbie with a half red foot and some dazzling markings.

She is large and quite sweet already.  We expect she will be the apple of her new parent’s eyes when they take her home.

She is on hold for a family on our waiting list.

And finally we have this stunning and large girl.  She seems to be silver but it’s early to tell.  She is so sweet and adorable.

I love her strong chin and big muzzle.  Her markings are also quite alluring as they just have that painted on look.

She is also on hold for now.

Getting a Pendraig Siberian Kitten

We hope you have enjoyed seeing our lovely Christmas Siberian Kitten Litter.  We will be updating with new photos as they grow.

It is likely all these kittens will be taken by those waiting patiently on our waiting list but we encourage you to fill out an application for kitten adoption if you are interested in our kittens.  Though it sometimes requires some waiting our previous clients can tell you that it is well worth the wait to get a kitten from Pendraig Siberian Cats and to become part of our growing cat family.

Happy Holidays!