Canary in a coal mine

The lead story on the early morning local news was about an overnight fire in a pet shop in Queens. Stories of how the caged puppies, kittens, guinea pigs, etc. were rescued. I am glad that they managed to save so many, but what ran through my mind most is, "Do pet stores really still sell puppies and kittens?" I find that sad. There are so many homeless pets in shelters desperate for a loving owner - I can't imagine who would go buy one in a store. As for purebreds, do any well-respected breeders sell their animals in storefronts? I doubt it. Cages in pet stores bring to mind puppy mills and inbreeding. I didn't realize that was still going on, but I guess I'm naive.

I think they said that the birds didn't survive the fire. Their tiny little lungs and hearts can't take the smoke. I understand that; when I was six, my pet parakeet died when my father fell asleep on the couch while boiling eggs for the next day's egg salad sandwich lunch. Nobody else was harmed; the smell of burning and smoke woke us up. I never liked egg salad as a kid - maybe that's why.