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So, you want a puppy!

Who doesn't love sweet puppy breath, or that fat little baby belly, or a busy kitten determined to attack your foot? There are plenty of babies out there that need good homes! Do remember, though, that puppies and kittens really don't care how sharp their little teeth are - that's your problem. Pups require extensive potty training. An animal does not have to be "raised with your family" in order to be a wonderful member of your family, so keep that in mind.

Whatever you decide, please do NOT purchase an animal from a pet store. A reputable breeder never sells their animals to a pet store. Most puppies in a pet store come from pet mills. They are over or in-bred, may have a host of genetic problems or illnesses, and are not well socialized. In addition, you are pouring money back into the system that helps to create this problem to begin with. And if you have the stomach for it, you can read up on how horrible puppy mills really are: Stop Puppy Mills PLEASE do not contribute to these horrible people.

Be ever bit as weary of "backyard breeders" - disreputable pet owners that breed their own animals purely for profit (they often advertise in the classifieds section of the newspaper). They are adding to the problem in a big way, and you still may wind up with a poorly bred animal. As a note, many reputable breeders also breed at home and advertise in the paper - here's a great article on how to tell what kind of breeder you are dealing with: http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/breeding/breeder.html.

Check classifieds for free to good home animals, your local shelter, or http://www.petfinder.com for information on rescue groups close to you.

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