Where is the best place to find a pet?

Perhaps the first questions should be "what pet is best suited for your lifestyle?" When considering a pet you need to consider these questions as well as others:

     How much time will you be spending with your new pet? - Consider this for every day for the rest of your pet's life - no just when you first get him or her. 
     What sort of care will your new pet need? Grooming? Walking? Medical Care?
     How much money will it take to care for your new pet? Lots of food? Special diets?
     How much do you want to spend on your new pet? Don't forget to plan for medical care!

     Where should you get your new pet?

There are lots of wonderful animals needing loving homes - most of these animals are at Animal Control, at the SPCA, or with varius rescue organizations. Please consider adopting a pet from one of these sources thereby saving their life! Most of these organizations list their available pets at petfinder.com.
 
Most of the animals coming from these sources are already spayed or neutered and have some of their medical needs already taken care of. This can save you lots of money!

If you have your heart set on a purebred puppy or kitten, find a reputable breeder. Reputable breeders will let you see their facilities and the parents of the puppies and kittens. Breeders who sell to pet stores know that you will never see the parents or the breeding facilities, so the quality of the parent,how well it represents the breed standards, and how healthy it is will never be known by the new owner! The only way to stop backyard breeders and puppymills is by not buying from them!