Petco

[3muttsandaboston]

My local mom and pop shop knows me. I used to supply some baby rabbits and finches. I went in to buy my hamster. I knew I wanted a hamster but I didn't know which one I wanted or if I wanted a dwarf or a syrian. So they showed me where the tanks were and told me to take as long as I wanted. I was able to open each tank and handle as many hammies as I wanted before I picked one out. They will let anyone do this as long as they watch you handle the animals and see that you know what you are doing. They are very friendly in there, honestly I will never buy an animal from a chain pet store. The animals raised for chain pet stores are kept in terrible conditions in puppy mill type places before they are finally shipped off to petco/petsmart. I have gone in petco and seen completely bald finches from being overcrowded.

[DrKym]

My local mom and pop shop knows me. I used to supply some baby rabbits and finches. I went in to buy my hamster. I knew I wanted a hamster but I didn't know which one I wanted or if I wanted a dwarf or a syrian. So they showed me where the tanks were and told me to take as long as I wanted. I was able to open each tank and handle as many hammies as I wanted before I picked one out. They will let anyone do this as long as they watch you handle the animals and see that you know what you are doing. They are very friendly in there, honestly I will never buy an animal from a chain pet store. The animals raised for chain pet stores are kept in terrible conditions in puppy mill type places before they are finally shipped off to petco/petsmart. I have gone in petco and seen completely bald finches from being overcrowded.

Please Please do not take what I am saying the wrong way..............I agree some pet stores and several breeders should be cited. All I am saying is do not take personal if they hesitate. They are (I truly hope as I am ) keeping the animals best welfare in mind.

[Genny]

My local mom and pop shop knows me. .

Same with the pet store we go to. It's a family owned store called Timberlake. They are very nice and we know them all since we've been going there since I was a little girl. They will let anyone hold anything as long as someone that works there is watching them. They show you how to hold the animal and they're really friendly about it.