Where did you get your pets?

- Got my cats from different places. One was from a shelter, another from a rescue organization, and one I found in the drainage pipe next to my house.

- My dog from a local breeder

- I got my rabbit on craigslist.

- Tortoise from PetSmart

- All my fish from Petco and one from PetSmart

- Caught my frogs and tadpole

- Snails from PetSmart

I see that you have got your rabbit on Craiglist. Some people told me that there are many scammers on Craiglist selling pets which do not exist. So what did you do to make sure that you got what you paid for on Craiglist?

The people we had bought her from had posted a picture of her along with there ad. It's also always nice if you call and ask some questions about the animal right before you leave, to.

We have always have our pets from the street . Actually each time we thought it would be the last one, and then a poor cat was found outside, abandoned, skinny, sad and of course we kept it. Cat's can always find you when they want you to adopt them, no need to go in a shop t buy them (dogs are different )

All my cats have been strays from the street except for a cat named Pocahontas that was given to me by someone that was moving.

With all the homeless waifs that are wandering the streets, I wouldn't buy a cat. I would rather adopt a cat from a shelter than buy a cat.

I purchased both my Yorkshire Terrier dogs from private breeders. I found one online in my state and the other I purchased from my sisters friend. She has been breeding Yorkies for years and the dogs are very small and her price is really low.

I adopted my now 3 year old cat from an animal shelter down the street from me and I believe the adoption fee was $100. Well worth it considered they'd already had her spayed and a round of shots. The 7 week old kitten that I just got I adopted from a friend of mine who had rescued him and his 4 siblings from a feral mother in the neighborhood. She gave me him for free but I'll still need to take him to the vet shortly to be neutered and have his first round of shots.

My cats and dogs are all rescued from the streets. Whether it be in Toronto or Egypt. I also have a pet Dwarf African Frog that was given to me last Christmas. Her tank mate passed away four days after I had received them. But my female frog is still going strong and she makes me laugh everyday!

My dogs are shelter dogs. I'd highly recommend getting your pets from shelters instead of buying them from stores. Rescue these poor pups instead of supporting an industry that puts dogs in puppy mills, which most of the time are extremely uncomfortable and neglectful conditions for the dogs to force them to breed for profit.
Get your pets from the shelters.

I have always wanted a poodle ever since finding my first one on the street, but I knew we would never be able to afford to go through a breeder. I never even had heard the term back-yard-breeder until I had already gotten Gigi from one and joined a poodle forum. Some of those people on there made me feel like I was irresponsible buying her this way. All I knew was I didn't have a lot of money and I had wanted a poodle, so I found one through the PennySaver. She may not have come with papers, and her ears would be considered too high, and she does have a problem with tear stains. But I love her just as much as if I had spent $1,500 or more on her and she came with papers and all. She is spoiled beyond belief and I take great care of her. People shouldn't be so quick to judge those who get their puppies from BYBs. Besides, those dogs need a home, too.

I have two cats, and both of them are regular, 'alley' cats. I got my first cat, a tuxedo cat I named Nell, from a person whose (strictly outdoors) cat had kittens that were unwanted. She was the last to be adopted, probably because she wasn't pure black like her siblings (I've noticed that some people consider multicolored cats to be ugly). After about a year, I thought about getting her a playmate, but I didn't think I had the right conditions. 4-5 months later, I found a kitten on a street. I felt really sorry for him, and I was considering taking him, until I noticed his back leg was standing a bit unnaturally. At that moment I knew I had to take him in, otherwise he probably won't survive. So, a few vet visits later (it's was some kind of a vitamin deficiency) I had a healthy new kitten, Heathcliff. I love some animal breeds, but I could never buy a pet when there are so many left to die on the streets.

Most of my pets were either given to me or adopted and when I say adopted I mean "taken from the streets" and not adopted from a shelters. My chickens were given to me as chicks by someone working in a chicken farm. My rabbits were gifts. I took in kittens left to die on the streets. I got my dogs as puppies from friends. I had to buy my birds and my fish and it is only in recent years that I actually decided to buy dogs from a breeder and a pet shop. I am planning to adopt a dog from a shelter next year.

I got extremely lucky when I got both Peanut and Prissy. Both are Yorkies. My hubby got Peanut for me for my Birthday a couple of years ago. It was sort of a friend of a friend of a friend type situation. I had always wanted a Yorkie for the longest time but obviously they are very expensive dogs and we could never afford one. He surprised me on my Birthday with Peanut. The best birthday present ever! My husband was just in the right place at the right time and was able to get Peanut from a Yorkie breeder who was getting out of the breeding business. She acquired some health related problems and didn't have the time or the money anymore to continue taking care of her dogs. Her adult male and female Yorkies had just had a litter of puppies and she had to get rid of them immediately and didn't have the time to try to sell them. She was heartbroken but she gave away her adult Yorkies and the litter of puppies. Peanut was one of them! My husband's aunt was able to get Peanut's mom! I let Peanut visit his mommy from time to time. ;-)

My husband got Prissy for me a year later on my next Birthday! Again, best present ever! Can I have 2 best presents ever? My hubby is an exterminator and he made a house call to an older lady's home. When he walked in the door, he was immediately greeted by Prissy. She ran up to him and was smiling! She jumped up on the nearest piece of furniture and was begging for him to hold her.

My husband had never been to this lady's house, however, Prissy acted like she knew him. The lady told my husband that Prissy had never done that to anyone and that she was always very shy around men and wouldn't have anything to do with them. She was very shocked and surprised that Prissy reacted in this way towards my husband. They got into a conversation about Prissy and my husband brought up Peanut and was telling her how we had a male Yorkie and how I had always wanted a female too. The lady waited a few minutes and then told him that she was actually debating on giving Prissy away because of her being so high strung and hyper. The lady said she was hoping she would eventually calm down some but she had not and was too active for her. She wanted more of a lap dog. She told my husband that with her being older she felt like she couldn't really keep up with Prissy. She felt like she wasn't able to give Prissy all the attention that she deserved. She told my husband that she would think about it more, but if she decided she was in fact going to give Prissy away, that he would be her first choice.

2 weeks later, my hubby received a phone call from the lady and she said her mind was made up and that she wanted us to take Prissy. We went to the lady's house and I witnessed Prissy greet my hubby just the way he told me that she did the first time he was there. The lady said she felt it was meant to be for us to have her and it was like Prissy even knew she was meant to be with us. She was so happy leaving with us. I felt so sorry for the sweet lady. She stood on her porch crying as she watched us leaving. She was definitely right about Prissy being high strung and hyper. Peanut is so laid back and relaxed. I couldn't imagine not having Prissy as part of our family though. I don't know what we did without her before. ;-)

I have three amazing cats, each of which came from completely different circumstances.

Tommy, is my oldest cat and is currently around 3 1/2 years old. He was adopted from a shelter. Prior to his adoption, Tommy had undergone four surgeries before he was deemed physically healthy enough to be released to a new home. It has taken Tommy about two years to recover emotionally and gain a level of comfortableness and trust that he may have never found if he hadn't been rescued from an animal shelter.

Rusty is my second cat and is almost 2 years old. I came across Rusty one day while browsing through Craigslist. I brought him home at 8 weeks and as a result he is my first pet that wasn't rescued and therefore has never had a single want or need unanswered. I have watched him grow into a confident and playful cat and this has shown me how every animal would be if they were given the life that they deserve.

Cracker Jack is my third and youngest cat, he is about 8 or 9 months. I literally found him sleeping under my mailbox. I've never known exactly how he came to be there, he was too young and small to have walked on his own. It's my belief that someone left him there in hopes that someone would take him in. Cracker Jack has always been a little timid and skiddish, we hope that he will one day gain assurance that he is safe and will no longer feel the need to retreat under the nearest bed.

I purchased my Alaskan Malamute, Carling from a a Kennel Club registered breeder. They didn't live too far from me when I was living in North Wales. I had done my research on the breed and I was asked questions over the phone first just to make sure I knew what I was getting in to. Then I went around to the house and I met the Mum to the puppies who was a stunning bitch and of a lovely temperament. I was then shown where the pups were living, there were only the two boys left and a little black ball of fur picked me as his new mum.
I think it is vital to meet the mum or Dad or both if possible of a pup you are buying. Also it is important to see where the pups are living.
Is it a clean place? Are the Mum and Dad of good nature?
Carling's mum had all the paperwork and was also his Dad was a Canadian Champion equivalent of Crufts so I have his birth tree

I adopted my dog from a rescue shelter. He was born in the shelter, his mom had been physically abused and all the pups were in the need of a new home. I think this may be the best option for everyone looking for a new pet. Finding your closest shelter can help the community as well as help an animal in need.

We purchased our Boston Terrier from a breeder. He was 6 weeks old when we brought him home and afterward I was told by an acquaintance that we should have waited until he was 8 weeks before we brought him home but I didn't know. But anyway, he is healthy, happy, and my "baby". I love him bunches. He does need some behavior training though so we are trying to look into that.

I always purchase my Japanese koi from a reputable carp breeder with whom my family has been acquainted with for a long time. His selection of the various breeds is impeccable and he even had some pretty rare varieties like green-colored koi.

I purchased both my silky terrier and my Rottweiler (yes, my pets reflect both sides of my personality :-)) from breeders as well. For my next dogs, I was thinking of just going to the animal shelters because I believe it would be more fulfilling knowing that you are doing your part to help animals in need.

We have five pets currently: a nine year old golden retriever, a seven year old golden retriever, a six year old beagle, a cat that's eighteen, and a beta fish that's probably about six months.

The nine year old golden retriever: She just moved into our house recently because she's my step-dad's. She actually moved up before my step-dad did, though. My step-dad bought her as a puppy. I'm not sure where he got her, but I'm pretty sure it was from some random person who's dog just happened to have puppies, not from a pound or a reputable breeder.

The seven year old golden retriever: We got her when she was almost eight weeks old from a backyard breeder. The breeder was nice and took care of her dogs, but she was still considered a backyard breeder.

The six year old beagle: We got him as an eight week old puppy from a hunter who was breeding his dog. I don't think he knew much about breeding dogs, but I guess he took care of his dogs well enough. He just considered his dogs as tools, while I consider them family members.

The eighteen year old cat: She was a stray and came to our home starving when she was around four. You could easily see her all the ridges one her backbone and everything. The vet found out she was pregnant, but the kittens couldn't be saved.

The six month old beta fish: my step-dad bought him before he moved up here. I'm not sure, but I'm assuming he got the fish from a pet store.

My dachshund Cosmo, came to us in a round about way. The tiny adorable little pup was found wandering the beach. Someone rescued him and took him home to be a playmate to their own dachshund. Cosmo being the little spitfire he is quickly annoyed the senior dog and was ousted from the home. He found a new home with another dog and that dog soon got tired of him too. The poor little guy was brought in to work and offered to anyone who would take him. This gentle pup was so happy to be in a home and soak up all of the human attention , were he remained a loyal companion .

All of my pets were strays or rescued from shelters. I have worked in both pet stores and animal shelters. Many pet store animals are not well cared for and are very expensive. Shelter animals are a fraction of the cost and many are put down after 7 days if they're not adopted. They are also spayed or neutered before being adopted out.