Pet stores remain a significant source of companion animals in many countries, and the welfare conditions of animals held for sale vary enormously across the industry.
Pet store welfare problems occur at multiple points in the supply chain. Commercial breeders that supply stores often maintain conditions incompatible with good welfare for breeding animals. Animals in stores are frequently kept in undersized, barren enclosures with inadequate social or species-appropriate interaction. The stress of constant handling by strangers, unfamiliar environments, and unpredictable routines compounds welfare harm. Legislative bans on dog and cat sales from pet stores in favor of rescue-only models have been effective, and similar approaches are being advocated for rabbits and other small animals.