Every year pet stores both big and small receive animals from large-scale breeding operations that often lead to animals that are inbred, sick, or injured in some way. Some corporate pet stores promise that the animals are checked over by a vet. If this were true, problems like emaciation, poor dental health, heart health, genetic anomalies, and other illness/injuries would be caught earlier.

As the writer of this petition, I will share my personal experience with the result of one pet store's neglect. Last July I purchased my guinea pigs Finn and Jasper. They appeared to be the very picture of health. But as the months passed Finn grew, but Jasper hardly grew at all. I thought nothing of it. I didn't know much about guinea pig growth. I thought that since they were different types their gains were also different. But one day Jasper stopped eating. It's not that he had no appetite, he did. He just couldn't eat. Something was wrong with his mouth. As it turns out, Jasper's jaw was severely misaligned and at the point where he stopped eating he had developed severe molar disease. The veterinarian I took him to, and I fought hard for Jasper, but unfortunately this was just something that he could not overcome.

We ended up making the decision to euthanize him. The worst part is knowing that if a  veterinarian truly had checked over Jasper, they would have caught his misalignment. He would not have had to suffer the way he had. Instead, they probably just took a cursory glance at him and thought he was just small. Which is what happens with corporations. If it's sellable, it will be put up for sale. Especially if the problem won't turn up during their ridiculous two week guarantee.

That being said, we the undersigned plead that the following changes be considered: 

1. All pet shops must receive their animals from local breeders. No animal should have to undergo a long stressful journey, to a place that is already stressful.
2. Breeders must submit demonstrate strong knowledge of the genetics of the species they are breeding. This knowledge would help to prevent certain genetic defects i.e lethal whites born to a roan x roan guinea pig pairing.
3. Breeders must be inspected regularly to ensure that conditions comply with the Animal Welfare Act
4. Breeders must be required to keep records of all breedings which includes pedigrees in order to prevent inbreeding and the health issues that would result. 
5. In addition to a 1-month health guarantee, pet shops must issue a lifetime guarantee that the animal is free of genetic defects. Should the animal be diagnosed with a genetic disease after the purchase, the the pet shop from which the animal was purchased should be responsible for the veterinary bills of that animal where the disease is concerned.  
6. With regards to the health guarantee, pet stores must allow the pet's owner to keep their ill pet and choose the veterinarian who will treat their pet. The pet store will then responsible for the bill or replacing the value of the pet if it has passed away. No one should ever have to give up the animal they bonded with, especially when the current police does not guarantee that the animal won't be resold to someone else.
7. Pet stores will keep their animals in proper containment for the species (i.e mammals shall not be kept in tanks. Fish will not be overcrowded, bettas will not be kept in small plastic containers and allowed to rot, birds will be given proper ventilation etc,).
8. Pet stores will not sell cage/enclosures that do not meet the recommended size requirement as set by American Veterinary Association.
9. In the same spirit as number 8; toys, accessories, and food will not be advertised for the wrong animal (i.e exercise balls or wheels for guinea pigs).
10. Pet store animals must be kept until sold. They cannot be dumped in a shelter, released, or euthanized (without a legitimate health reason).

I honestly don't think that this is too much to ask. These pet stores that claim to be about the animals should have no problem complying with these regulations. If they do have a problem, than one must wonder why.