I have been into many small privately owned pet stores and they are no better than the Corporate stores. A couple months ago we went into a privately owned store and there was a Ferret in a cage and of course I had to pick him up and to my suprise his front paws were declawed. I was soooo upset, I got home made a phone call to someone and called the pet store and asked them to surrender the ferret and explained to them that him being declawed was mutilating and very painful, which they had no idea that it was. A lady had brought him in and said she didn't want him anymore, so they took him to sell, to make money, of course. This is all new to me. I got my first baby a year and a half ago and now we have 5. There is another privately owned pet store that I refuse to go in, I come out crying, but I don't know where to begin to even report them. I honestly try not to go in many pet stores, I am too sensitive to see how they are cared for. I did get an update about the declawed guy, he went to a home that cares for "Special Needs Ferrets", I believe in Fort Wayne, Ind. and I hear the parents are wonderful people. Any help would be appreciated on how to report these stores. Lisa [Posted in FML issue 4815]