I ask the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to strengthen the proposed standards of care for pet shops.  Animals who are bought and sold by pet shops deserve at least the same access to veterinary care and protection from abuse as do animals in public shelters.  I do not approve of having animals bred for profit and would like to stop the whole process but if that is not an option, then pet stores should be held accountable for ignoring a sick puppy, kitten, etc.  They now just sell it anyway, or worse, let it suffer & die.  Pet stores should not get a free ride when it comes to regulation of animal welfare.  Please make it more difficult for unethical pet stores to operate and abuse animals, these animals have no one else to protect them and it is your job to do so.  Make the standards stronger.