PetStock supply stores will provide an adoption service for abandoned and unwanted animals as an alternative to shops selling kittens and puppies.

Vickie Davy, from the umbrella animal rescue organisation Petrescue, said it had teamed with PetStock to increase awareness about puppy farms which she said are like battery-chicken farms but for dogs and are prevalent nationwide.

``Pet stores that have kittens and puppies are encouraging poor welfare for animals,'' she said.

``We decided to take a different tack and start having adoption centres in stores.

``It's like a dating service for unwanted animals; this way you get permanent homes.''

Master Dog Breeders and Associates CEO, Julie Nelson, said it was vital to match owners and animals.

``The majority of dogs dumped are because people don't know what they are taking home,'' she said. ``A good breeder will be there to help a person if something goes wrong and will take the dog back if the person can't care for it anymore.''

Ms Nelson said the problem with buying from a shop was that people had no way of knowing whether the dog had come from a breeder or a puppy farm.

A Pet Industry Association spokeswoman said it supported any initiative that resulted in responsible pet ownership.

However, she said puppy farming was virtually non-existent in Australia due to strict animal-welfare laws and she denied that pet shops sold ``farmed'' puppies.

She said animal activists were perpetuating this myth to ``try to stop good owners buying and loving pets''and that shops were regulated in all states and sold pets bred by reputable breeders. Jenny Leitch, of Hurstville Grove, has adopted two dogs and fosters two others.

Her adopted shih tzu Penny was rescued from a puppy farm.

``She was kept in a rabbit hutch and had three litters by the time she was 18 months old,'' Ms Leitch said.

``When Penny came home she was huddled in the corner for seven weeks because she wasn't used to love and affection.

``She is still timid now but she has come a long way.''

To adopt or foster an abandoned pet visit www.petrescue.com.au