Pet retail practices have significant welfare implications from breeding to sale, and reforms in how animals are sourced, housed, and sold can dramatically improve outcomes for millions of animals.
Pet retail reform has achieved significant progress through a combination of corporate campaigns and legislation. The shift away from selling dogs and cats in major US pet store chains toward adoption partnerships represents a meaningful welfare improvement. However, exotic pets including reptiles, birds, and small mammals continue to be sold in conditions that fail their welfare needs and with inadequate care information provided to buyers. Regulation and corporate accountability are both needed to close remaining welfare gaps in pet retail.