This is exactly what my Mum does back home and love's to get photo's of her Pup's in there new homes she always has a waiting list and if she cant help she'll put you in touch with someone that might be able to.

We got our dog from a local pet store (not a chain). He only got there that day. We didn't realise at the time there was such places as puppy mills. We took weeks to decide what breed of dog would be best for us and to research the costs associated with dog ownership, as a dog is for life, not just for Christmas. (He owns us). He has always been a healthy dog and kept upto date on shots. He might have been the runt of the litter as he is smaller than the standard but we don't care. He is getting older now, but is just as lively and loving as when we first got him. When he passes on we plan to get the same breed, but from the breed rescue.

My mother bred show quality dachshunds, so I'd like to dispute your characteristic tone of overwhelming authority.

Of course we ALWAYS wanted to know about the family and home the dog was going to, but many breeders DO have trouble getting rid of puppies. My mother gave up breeding after we had to walk around a French market town with a wicker basket of puppies to 'advertise.' We then found good homes for all of them, but couldn't charge for some (it was more important for us to find good homes for them than to get paid.)

France say no more

I had no idea thats what happened to the puppies, i was wondering the same thing as the OP. I never buy from any of the pet store chains.... after getting 2 hamsters on different occasions both died within a few weeks and were very very nervous of people to begin with. We recently had gerbils babies accidently didnt realise we had a male and female, i refused to give them to a pet store due to the conditions and instead have 2 tanks soon to be 3 full of gerbils!

I said 'good breeders'...of course there are those that breed not to improve the blood line but for financial gain. It is the latter that normally have a problem finding homes...because they do not have the reputation.

You did say France didn't you? Enough said. I'd just like to add I am not grouping your mum in the latter category...like you said it was France. At least she was more interested in finding good homes for the pups...which is more than can be said for breeders who let them go to pet shops.

We got a cat from our local pet store (Petco - a chain) - well not actually from the pet store. The shop gives space over to the rescue shelter for them to 'advertise' - there are a few large interconnected cages, with cats - no dogs. You actually have to apply to the shelter to adopt the pet (which is where the cats normally reside) , you can't just buy it from the store.

That's how the organization I volunteer with does its adoptions. The foster animals are taken to Petco each Saturday where we set up crates for them. People who want to adopt from us (cats AND dogs) have to fill out an application form and (if approved) pay us the adoption fee. Petco just let's us use the location. We also do adoptions on a much smaller scale at PetsMart every other Sunday.

Petsmart is where i was going to adopt from (well the charity is furkids,,,)

You've got that right!

Reputable breeders I know breed for the love of the animal. They don't discard the 'imperfect' dogs in want of a trophy. But because not every dog fits the AKC standard - most reputable breeders then have "show quality" and "pet quality" animals as a result. There are still waiting lists for pet quality animals.

I'm 100% with JG on this one. (karma sent if I can) Someone earlier said something about 'not everyone can afford $300 for a breeder'. That's likely not a breeder, that's a backyard breeder more than likely (if they are in the paper, online w/puppies available, in a store). Those are NOT the people to support. If someone doesn't want to spend $300 for a puppy, fantastic, go to the shelter or to a rescue group. Then you also contribute to giving a puppy a home that might otherwise be destroyed.

That's a different matter altogether.

Good. I had some in the Philipines once and it was rather tough. Didn't taste anything like chicken either.

Local fast food outlet called it the "Woofer"

I heard that a national chain with stores near me, sometimes fail to identify the gender of their baby rats and consequently people buy one or even a pair to find that they have a pregnant rat on their hands who shortly gives birth a litter of baby rats. Rats can reach sexual maturity at five weeks of age!

So, for me, that's another reason not to buy rats from a pet shop because next time I get some rats, I plan on getting a pair of males.

They aren't allowed to be sold till they are at least 6 weeks old...the nuts are hard to miss by that stage