Muddy4paws, I'll just tell you about the one place I've ever been that sold puppies. It broke my heart. I wish it was not necessary for that store to be in business. The store is immaculate, and the puppies are darling. They sell a small selection of collars, toys and leashes, but the focus is mostly on the pups. It's just that I know there are dogs and puppies (and cats and kittens) waiting in shelters for homes. But, what you're describing sounds different than that to me - this business you're researching carries both the animals and the supplies.

I think (and this is my uneducated, unenlightened opinion) that a generation or two ago, there was less awareness about puppy and kitten mills than there is now, so getting a pet from a pet store was a different situation.