CFN – Does retail Monster Wal-Mart hate dogs? Reports from CBC allege that Carley Cheney was fired by her manager after being called in for calling police after a Walmart customer left their dog in their vehicle in July! The former Pharmacy technician is now worried that her actions will cause other staff to not report animals or children left in vehicles.
This is not unique. More and more people are leaving their pets and even children in their cars and getting ticketed or having their windows smashed in.
Reports of children dying are not rare enough, and it’s even harder for dogs and cats left in vehicles.
Animal rights activists have been talking about these issues for years, but because of the frequency they’ve entered mainstream media where report after report of not only suffering pets, but owners confronted for thoughtlessly leaving their animals in cars.
Later on that day, Cheney was called into the office of her manager, whom she had spoken to a week earlier about a different dog left in a hot car and who told her there was nothing she could do about it.
Carla Cheney says people should leave their dogs at home if they’re going shopping. (CBC)
She said she told him her side of the story about the dog in the truck and that he told her to come to him with any problems in the future.
Cheney said she wouldn’t do that.
“So I [told him] if I did see something unsafe, that I would just go to the police if I thought it was necessary,” Cheney said.
“He told me then that I was terminated, he wanted my vest, my badge, and to clean out my locker and that I needed to leave.”
‘I thought I was doing the right thing’
Cheney also said that another former Walmart employee was scolded last week for confronting a customer about leaving a dog inside a vehicle. She said that person had already given his two weeks’ notice, but that the manager sent him home and told him he’d be paid for the rest of the two weeks.
“Now I’m worried that other associates won’t say anything and they’ll be afraid that they’ll lose their job if they do say something,” Cheney said.
“[The manager said I was fired] because I was rude to a customer, but I felt because I was not even on the clock, it shouldn’t have been an issue anyways. And I don’t think it should be an issue even if I was on the clock … because it’s on the news and we’re being told not to leave animals and children in cars.
“I thought I was doing the right thing.”
Contacted tonight Ms Cheney said that she would be taking action:
I am taking action. I do not feel comfortable taking my job back after being escorted out like a criminal.
Wal-Mart sells a lot of pet food and products. It’s odd that they would be so callous to the suffering of ultimately their clients, the pets, in their parking lot?
I agree with Ms Cheney. In this day and age it’s time to not leave dogs or children in hot cars as inconvenient as it can be. Was Walmart wrong for firing Ms Cheney?
There is a Facebook page – Animal Rights for Kemptville Walmart.
You can post your comments below.
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Wally World is in a world of their own. They truly own you as an employee.
First off, if the staff member was wrong in their ‘client’ selection, Wally may be liable for a lawsuit. This is why they have trained security, who must be the go to persons representing Wally in such cases. If security does not follow through, then the employee would certainly be a good witness after the fact.
What the employee may have considered is to alert a different customer so they could make the complaint or bust the window.
When I go to a store I leave the windows down 2 inches and for a short visit I push the start button on my key fob for a/c. If temp is over 20 degrees, the dog stays home.
This employee ‘may’ have recourse if Wally had never trained staff in one or more of their morning meetings. Sue the buggers for all you can……..do not work for them ever again, yet demand a copy of all your personnel reviews up to that time for future application references.
Good luck.
Typical.
The manager should have been let go for being a heartless bastard. I’m not a dog lover but no animal (or human) should be locked up in a hot chamber (it’s no longer a vehicle as much as a death trap).
Leave the pets at home !!!
Shame on Walmart! The mgr. should be fired!
I think this is the sorriest thing I have ever heard. Wally world has just gotten to darn big to really care about anything but the all mighty dollar! Shame on them, the people in that town should boycott!!!
Girlfriend, you don’t want to work at that pit anyway. I RARELY go into any Walmart store … it is a HAVE TO BASIS. They are ONLY ONLY ONLY interested in the almighty dollar, PERIOD. I guess if it had been a child, it would be none of their concern either. Be GLAD you are away from that place and those people. Your “supervisor” should be terminated … in fact, he should be left in a hot car in July, all windows up until his temp reaches 107 and he dies. It’s a horrible way to go … then … MAYBE he could see why you were concerned … he is an absolute idiot.
What is this world coming to with people firing others cause they are following a law and are doing something right when the person(s) leaving animals or children in the darn hot, humid cars are the ones doing the injustice!!! Unbelievable!! I hope she gets what she asks for cause no one should be fired over something so ridiculous in all my life. On the clock or not, people with their right mind and head on their shoulders would react the same way when seeing this kind of nonsense keeping kids and animals which most would describe being in a sauna room!!! I hope justice is served and shame on Walmart for being such idiots and probably going to get a bad reputation now after this matter. I would not be able to work in such a place with no class or common sense!!! I feel no sympathy to those idiots who lock and keep animals and kids in bloody, murderous heat.. your car will be vandalized cause of your own negligence and stupidity. Shame on you Walmart!!!! :/
The manger sould be farid for faring her she was not on the clock she was thinks about the anaimls she was on her time. He done wrong he don’t care about anything but his self what a jerk he is.
She did the right thing, the asshole that fired her should be held accountable for wrongful dismissal,there should be a petition started to help her case, someone educated,who work their entire lives for a decent position to be fired for standing up for animal rights,for having the guts to do what is right,for being a caring person? What kind of message is this sending? There are legal steps she can take to fight this,I wish her the best of luck…
I do not believe Wal-Mart hates dog but there is definitely something wrong with this manager. Hopefully this person’s boss/manager or better yet, a “head” of Wal-Mart gets rid, demotes or has a serious talk to this manager. If not and these incidents keep happening then it will look bad on Wal-Mart’s part not just some insensitive manager. I hope anyone who sees a young child or an animal in a car on a hot day (or anyway) questions themselves and takes action. Anybody that doesn’t should feel very guilty that something might happen.
Carla has help me numors times I always fond her to be very helpful and always with the best of attitude I have been a customer at Wally s pharmacy since they open in Kemptville I m presently having second thoughs continuing if Carla is not back at work I m going elsewhere to get my prescription
Sounds like we have part of a story, since no company wishes to find itself evolved in a wrongful dismissal suit probably best to wait for more information before jumping on the judgement bus. Who wants to look like a knee jerking fool?
I don’t even leave my husband in the car on a hot day. (if you know my life, you would understand..)
she should have been given a raise for pointing out an idiot ! she should also be given another job for being fired by an idiot !
Boycott the store, Easy. Thumbs down Wal-Mart!
I am a resident of the Kemptville area and was a regular customer of that Wal Mart. Ms. Cheney only did what any other caring person should have done in the circumstances. The ramifications for her standing up for another (in this case a dog) is that she is no longer employed. I hope it was worth it for Wal Mart to “stand up” for that cruel and ignorant customer while costing itself uncountable others.
Well, a big congrats WalMart – I can guarantee you that we will not darken their doors again until this lady gets an apology AND her job back!
It is wonderful to see so many new names posting here, and even more wonderful to read the compassion for both humans and animals.
I hope she pursues Wal-Mart with a Wrongful Dismissal suit. That Manager should be severely reprimanded and demoted. You can’t fire someone for obeying the Law.
Walmart should fire the manager of this Kemptville Walmart!! Carla did the right thing when she helped the dog left in truck in the parking lot! More people should care for the welfare of animals.If this happens often, maybe the SPCA should check parking lots daily for people with dogs left alone in cars.It should be a HUGE fine to leave any animal or person in a hot car unattended in the heat.Walmart owes Carla an appology & her job back if she wants to work for them still.
SHAME ON YOU WALMART! I WILL NEVER SHOP AT YOUR STORE. STAY THE HELL OUT OF WALNUTPORT – WE DON’T NEED YOU!!!!!!
What would Walmart have done had that been a helpless elderly person rather than a dog? Would the manager have taken the same action? What is the official company policy that is fed to managers? I think we should fire Walmart and shop elsewhere.
This Walmart manager should be fired,I heard that C T wants to interview her for a job,hope that it is true,My God what if it were a child left in the car,Good Luck Carla on your case
I am so sorry to hear of your experience. I LOVE WALMART worked there for 4 years at the courtesy desk. Had a very similar experience, I tore a strip up one side and down another of an idiot leaving there dog in his car on a very hot day. I was not let go but applauded for the actions that I took.
Keep your head held high you did the right thing.
The associate in question was absolutely not let go for trying to help a dog in a locked car. The decision to dismiss an associate is one that we take extremely seriously and must follow a comprehensive process. However, out of respect for the associate and for privacy reasons we cannot provide specifics about why this associate was let go.
Walmart is a major supporter and advocate for animal rights. Over the past year alone we have made donations to local SPCAs, the Humane Society and Animal Shelters. In addition, signs will be added to the front of all our stores across the country to advise customers of the dangers of leaving kids and pets in a hot car.
We also have a long standing protocol that directs associates to take appropriate action, and if necessary, notify the authorities if they believe an animal is in distress or at risk. With respect to the recent story in the media about our Kemptville store, as per our protocol, the store manager did speak to the customer in question about the dangers of leaving a dog in a hot car.
My family and I shop at Wal Mart all the time and find that their staff is very good and helpful here in Ottawa. We have stores around us and we prefer Wal Mart.
About the manager firing the pharmacy assistant it must have been about other things and maybe one thing led to another just to get rid of her. We don’t know the story and they are not allowed to tell us why since that is highly confidential.
I too am totally and completely against leaving pets and kids in cars and no matter what the temperature is outside whether hot, humid, cold or whatever. Leave pets at home with water and food and where it is cooler. Kids should be left with a person who is mighty dependable to look after them or take them in with you. There is absolutely no excuse at all for any of what is going on. Wal Mart is in the business of making money which is true and so is every other business and they don’t want to lose their customers but if people have any kind of brains left in their heads they would not be so mighty stupid and negligent.
Was the person that left the dog in the car actually charged I hear about walmart but what about the crime someone actually did. Any store is about the almighty dollar not just walmart either as for who did the mistake here I would think the manager did.
I hope this employee fights this unlawful firing. This is not right. Loosing your job for doing the right thing! … Shameful Wal-Mart.
Put the manager & the owner of the pet in a hot car for a while to see how it feels.
You need a Union – call the Teamsters in Ottawa – they protect employees. Now you know why Walmart fights not to be unionized. You are forty minutes away from their head office – they would have advised you to call the police and protect you through this.
So much for the Walmart cheer – your fellow employees should stand behind you and sign the Union cards immediately. This shouldn’t happen in 2013 in Ontario! Call the Teamsters tomorrow!
I think it’s disgusting that Walmart supported Greg Payne the store manager at the Kemptville store.
They had an employee that did the right thing and showed compassion and they fired her. They should have promoted her or given her a medal.
Unless I hear that Carla Cheney is given a written apology and an offer to reinstate her job I will never walk through Walmart’s doors again.
Your choice Walmart. You were so afraid of insulting the guy that left his beloved dog in a hot car but you obviously don’t care about animals or offending the thousands of animal lovers that shopped there by firing Carla which is like a slap in the face to me.
CFN is looking for a sponsor for a PSA we’d like to run for the Summer regarding Animals and Kids being left in cars. Email info@cornwallfreenews.com if your business or service would like to be that sponsor.
walmart released a statement that the firing wasn’t due to that specific reason. They added that in order to keep the privacy of the former employee they would not release that reason.
Would the manager liked the headlines “Walmart manager refused to call aid for dog who died in car from heat exhaustion”. There would be picketing at that store. Media would have burned him. He would be unable to gain employment at any establishment once he was crucified in the news.
The employee did the right thing and that should have been front page news “Walmart cares about pets!” What a great testimony. But neither happened. Employee was fired for having a heart. I hope you go on to succeed in life and brush off the dust of Walmart off your feet and don’t look back.
I think that manager is very heartless and stupid,and should be fired,thumbs up for the person who brought it to our attention and thumbs down to owner.
Send application to kemptville Walmart, looks like a job will soon be available.
Seriously people, everything at Walmart is complete china junk!!!!
And your supporting it.( Funny, they dont like dogs in china).Lots of other places to shop in kemptville that sell real quality items.
Carla’s problem with Wal Mart is all over Yahoo.ca news and people are standing behind her. I stand behind her on the issue of the dog being left in the car and I don’t know what Wal Mart has against this woman but from what I read that there are other issues. We will not know what those issues really are (if any) since that is very confidential between employer and employee.
People should have the brains to not put pets nor kids nor anyone else in a hot car while they go and shop. Have the good intelligence of leaving your pets at home with water and food and in a cool place. Take your kids to a good sitter or take them in to shop with you – you have a choice and a very responsible one. If you are not a good pet owner or a good parent then you should have neither.
About Wal Mart aka Wally World or Slave World they are out to make money just like any other business. This morning my husband and I were at Future Shop to pick up something that he wanted and it was the very first time that we saw staff coming forward before we even asked if they had a certain piece and where to find it. Everyone wants our business – they are there to survive – otherwise a business would not last if they didn’t pull out the red carpet for you or just about.
It is all up to the people to act accordingly on their responsibilities. If I saw a pet or a child in a hot car I would report it to the cops and the humane society. I would never let anyone abuse an animal nor another human being ever.
Carla you sure did make the headlines and gone all over the country and maybe even to the US. Gerald Celente of Trends Research got hold of the explosion in Québec and I wonder if he might have heard your plight as well. I love that man who tells it like it is.
To the person that got fired any business that you are rude to a customer you will be fired it has nothing to do with a dog why she got fired it’s to do with being rude. They are ways to talk to people all I would do is call the police myself instead of worrying about anything else. As for walmart letting this person go I don’t blame walmart at all it’s her own fault for being rude to a customer. I don’t agree with leaving pets in a car either but it’s not a business responsibility to look after everyone any business is there to sell not just walmart.
Stupid pet owners, do stupid things. Over zealous people, can have big mouths.
I think there is more to this & Walmart had other issues with her, and Carla wants everyone to agree with her, obnoxious over zealous, do gooders with mouth, hence the news story.
The manager told her ” next time come to me, with the problem” in her own words. And it would have been done. She said ” I will not, I’ll call the police”. There is the problem!
Carla has started a website to both push Walmart into changing it’s policies regarding firing staff for doing what is right and protecting a life. As well as promote and educate people about the dangers of leaving your pet in the car in hot temperatures. Please join us in our efforts https://www.facebook.com/groups/200194003477274/200916150071726/?notif_t=like
I absolutely do NOT believe the post put out by Wal-Mart concerning Cheney’s firing. They are saying the dog incident is not why she was fired. That is garbage. I hope she goes after Wal-Mart and wins her case. She had every right to confront the rotten pet owner, who should never be allowed to HAVE a pet. Everytime an employee does something right that puts a store, any store, in a bad light, they always retaliate and say there are other reasons for the firing, and Wal-Mart has just proved they are only out to make sure they don’t lose money over this. They do not care about their employees and they do not care about animals left in hot cars.
i don’t hate dogs but animals are animal. all these people worried about dog but what happen when these guys eat ham burger, cheese burger , whopper, mc burgers chicken nuggets and all those meat. at that time they never thought about the animals, just dog was in hot car and these people comments so many thing what about when all these guys are eating.
all these people those comment in favor of dog they should immediately stop eating meat/chicken and so on…they should in future before giving comment see themselves…