Petshops

Petshops are the tossup of the pet adoption world. Some are really great! Others could be put out of business without a second glance from would-be customers. The key is to determine which is which.

A great petshop doesn't have to be organized, or have a huge variety of different animals and supplies. A great petshop, however, should be very clean, the staff should be very knowledgable, and all available pets should be healthy and happy-looking. All petshops get a sick animal once in awhile, and it isn't a big deal as long as that animal is isolated and treated. Whether that pet is visible to customers or quarantined to a hospital area depends on the store, but definately, healthy pets should not be exposed to diseased or contagious pets.

A bad petshop is easy to detect if you ask the right questions. The staff in a bad petshop will do one of two things: Ignore you entirely, or worse, try to convince you to buy a pet right now. Many people don't stand up well to the kind of pressure some salespeople can throw onto you, so the moment they start, put up your guard.

Take a quick look around. See any hand sanitizer? This is especially important if there are open-topped or barred cages, so that you may touch the pets directly. If you don't see any, don't touch! Instruct your children to follow suit. It's always important to carry sanitizer with you when you visit adoption centers, however that doesn't mean there should be stations for visitors around the store.

Does everyone have clean water, fresh food, and a good supply of light? Is the bedding clean, fly-ridden, horrendously discolored? Ask how often cages are cleaned, food and water is provided and changed, and how often animals are checked for illness.

If you found a good petshop, great! Again, check for a knowledgable staff, and get on with your research!