The shop itself.

Looking back at my 'blog' I suddenly realised that although I had talked about animals I had omitted to say very much about my shop as it stands today.
I certainly wouldn't call my shop large. It is not situated in some big 'out of town' shed, rather a medium sized shop sitting on a main street in a quiet town. The shop itself has just recently been refurbished. I sell lots of pet foods and accessories, everything from poop scoops to vivariums, fish nets to diamante collars, bags of pet foods, birds seeds, cat flaps, dog beds, rabbit hutches, amazing hamster cages with wheels, tunnels, and twiddly bits. You name it, if its got anything to do with pets I stock it, or if not I can try and get it for you.
My fish selection is not huge, but there is as good variety of tanks and most things aquatic. And then at the rear of the shop there are some animal units with a selection of small animals and birds and a few reptiles. I deliberately do not stock a large amount of pets because I like to keep my eye on each one of them and to know where each animal comes from and who it goes to. My suppliers are generally a few local breeders who I have known for years and who really care about the animals that they breed. I also take in some animals that may need homes because their owners can't look after them for one reason or another. Provided these animals are fit, healthy and would make good pets I try and re home them. Then there are the 'accidents'. A human family may have two rabbits who have got together for a little 'rest and relaxation' and bingo suddenly there are now 8 rabbits. Usually the children in the human family are very happy indeed and enjoy the experience of the new babies, but eventually Mum or Dad realise that they can't cope with a large number of hutches and all the feeding and cleaning out. So they come to me and as long as the Pets are healthy I take them in.
I am very strict when it comes to pet ownership and have often refused to sell an animal if it does not look as though it is going to be cared for correctly. Sometimes that does not make me very popular. But on the whole most of the Pets that I sell are loved and well cared for. I have records of where they all come from and where they are going to. This is a condition of my Pet Licence. As well as this all my staff are qualified in Pet care and because they are all animal lover they too would not let a Pet go to a home that they did not think was satisfactory.
I do not stock puppies because we do not have the space or facilities for them. I do however have a great many customers who visit us with their puppies. Working in a Pet shop you see lots of young animals, but my heart simply melts when an adorable bundle comes bounding through the front door. Fat, thin, long coated or bald, - I love them all.
Well that's my shop - just an ordinary Pet Shop. Working in it won't make me a millionaire, in fact after paying business rates, taxes, wages etc. it doesn't make much money at all, but it is what I do best and what I enjoy.