If you are in the pet store business, you know how important it is to find quality animals through pet breeders and suppliers for your store. As you navigate this industry, keep in mind the following:

1. There are often city, state and national laws that may affect you.
2. Quality pet suppliers can vouch for the upbringing, care and pedigree of their animals.
3. Quality pet breeding supplies can help keep your animals healthy and marketable.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make sure your pet supplier is licensed and be aware of current laws

The Animal Welfare Act protects animals, from those used in research to those that are commercially transported by pet breeders. The United States Department of Agriculture also licenses animal dealers across the United States.

I recommend: Check with your pet breeders and pet suppliers to see if they are licensed. Become more familiar with The Animal Welfare Act and apply for licensing of your own, if needed, by visiting The United States Department of Agriculture's website. If you have questions regarding your own city's and state's regulations that can't be answered by contacting a city or state agency, try FindLaw. Its site allows you to search by area code and topic. When in doubt, you can always contact a local attorney; find one by visiting attorneys.com.

Work with respected pet dealers

Working with respected pet dealers will help you ensure that your animals are healthy and less prone to in-bred diseases.

I recommend: If you are finding animals locally, The Humane Society of The United States offers a guide to those searching for an animal from a reputable breeder. Breeders.Net can help you search by breed and area for dogs as you look for a pet breeder. CatterySearch is a great search engine that can assist you in finding a local pet dealer.

Use the best quality pet breeding supplies

By providing your animals with clean, comfortable cages, exercise and care, your customers will tend to feel more confident in their health and sociability and your skill as a reputable pet dealer.

I recommend: For cat breeding supplies and dog breeding supplies, PetEdge carries a wide variety of products geared towards veterinarians, retailers, kennel owners and breeders. Specialty Store Services also carries pet supplies for retailers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  First impressions count in the pet breeder business. Keep your pet store clean and inviting, and your animals well groomed.
• •  Coach your staff to be able to answer a variety of questions your customers may have regarding dog and cat breeds. The education you can provide may differentiate you from the larger box stores.