Would you like Pet Stores better if...?

Petco will also be turning their sale of rabbits to adoption of rabbits through local rescues, they will stop buying rabbits from mass pet producers and turn to helping the less fortunate rabbits that are up for adoption.

"The times they are a changin' " Bob Dylan (I love him)

i would definitely seriously consider getting a dog from a petstore if that was the case. My first choice will always be the SPCA but that seems like a good way to

a) keep dogs from getting abandoned on the streets

b) stop supporting puppy mills

c) keep the wrong people from buying the wrong dog

i think that most petstores should start doing that! although you have to also consider that if it was an accidental litter they may have problem similar to the puppy mill dogs because the parents might have problems that they don't tell the petstore about when they give them the pups. They won't have as many because they were not born or kept in horrible conditions but they may have more physical health issues such as hip dysplasia and others. Also you woud have to find a way to convince the owners with the accidental litters to then spay and neuter their dogs so that it does not happen again. I do think though, that this is a valid suggestion one should maybe speak to a small petstore owner about. Petsmart or Petland are large enough corporations that they would e very hard to convince but even if one or two small petstores started a program like this it would be a good test to see if it would work! i hope this helps!

Em

Their not bad if you know were they come from, but you should probably get one from a breeder, try and get one that is hand fed if you want a good pet rabbit. Sometimes you can get good ones from people that sell them outside of stores, but you have to be careful and know what kind of questions to ask. Most pet stores get their animals from an animal farm which abuse there animals and most of the time you can't tell the pet is sick but in the long run will start showing signs of sickness. Although some pet stores get their animals from local breeders. before buying a rabbit, or an pet for that matter, at a store I would recommend asking were they come from.

If they took unwanted or accidental animals and sold them at a lower price, they'd be an animal shelter. Only they'd make profit, as most shelters do not.

Our local store supports anything and everything, they buy from BYBs, Mills, local breeders, local idiots, and anyone with puppies. They only require the dog to have a beating heart.

Employees having knowledge of breeds doesn't make the store any less at fault for pushing poorly bred animals on people. Nor does it excuse them for charging $200+ for a dog just as easily found in a shelter.

Most pet store i have ever seen keep their puppies in tiny cages and they never go outside which is why you see several people with 6 month old puppies who are not house trained. it's gross. i got my cat from a pet store because they had no kittens at the local shelter. i should have waited although i felt bad for my little kittie. i got her from a pet smart. the girl said she was a pure calico. their is no such thing as a pure calico- calico is a reference to the color of the animal. also they told me she was 8 weeks old when she was younger. i know this because cats in general are about a pound per month they are until about 6 months old or so. my kitten was barely one pound when i got her. anyway, they tell a bunch of lies. they still don't treat the animals well. just because there is children in a home doesn't mean a maltese won't be a good choice either. malese are a teasier to care for than a boxer which may hold up wih children pretty well but need ton of exercise and training that a person with a few children may not be able to handle. I worked at a Vet for a long time and we also adopted out quite a few animals when we adopted them out we actually went to their house. Anyway, even local shleters don't walk and acer for the dogs as i wish they would. i walk in and they are running through their own crap. they usually only walk them twice a day

Nope, still would not like them at all

The only Pet Store I shop at is Pets Mart, they host Adoption Days, but will not allow individuals to setup and sell their dogs inside or anyone close to the store outside..I cheer them for that...

It should not be allowed for Pet Stores of any kind to sell dogs or cats..

Alternative to Pet Stores, BYB and the Horrid Puppy Mills are simple, go to a Shelter or call your local Breed Rescue Group,,,now see that was easy LOL

Some of them already do that -- well, maybe not for a "low" fee but they're businesspeople, not a charity or a public service. And it's "careless" not "accidental" litters.

Bottom line is it's not going to happen. If there's money to be made, greed will follow. If they make $10 on one dog, next time they'll try to make $20. But the Petsmart in my city does sponsor adoption days for Animal Control which is obviously a non-profit entity. AC brings a selection of dogs from the pound into the store.

That would work, but then those *accidental* people might breed even more because they knew the pet store would take the pups. It would only work if they agreed to spay the dog if the pet store took the pups.

What I think would be better is if the pet store got puppies from the animal shelter and adopted those out. Not just give one to any family who wants one, but checked the back round of the people before they bought one.

Chuckles

I think Petco and Petsmart have the right idea - they do not sell the animals, they give room for the rescue groups to bring dogs and cats in for adoption, and then they make their money on the accessories.

The Petco where we go even gives a $250 coupon book to anyone who adopts. I guarantee they make a bundle on people who need everything for a new dog....I have known people who spent $200 on stuff for a rescued dog :o)

A smaller petstore could ask the rescues to bring in their puppies - Im sure there are plenty that need homes. And there would be no overhead, and no maintenance involved.....there is your profit :o)

Frankly pet stores need to stop selling pets period. The pets that they sell are in a high stress environment, are poked and prodded at by people walking in and around the store. Their cages are tapped constantly despite notes on the cage saying "Do not tap glass".

It is commendable that you are thinking of ways to solve quite a large problem (puppy mills) but to really stop the problem is to stop selling pets. Pet stores should just be like Pet Valu (Pet Valu not Pet Valu plus Pets) where you go in and get what you need for the pet you have. If someone wants to get a pet they can go to a shelter and get a pet or go to a reputable breeder.

That would support people to breed their dogs, and if they had puppies that didn't sell, then they could just turn around and sell them to the pet store. Some people don't breed because they're worried about not being able to find them a home, but if the pet stores would take them in, then more people would be breeding. Good idea, but then the pet stores would end up having to deny tons of people because a LOT of people have accidental litters.