Today is...

...National Talk Like A Pirate Day! More importantly though, it's also National Puppymill Awareness day. And because of that, Lizzi & Rocco want to give you this message:

"Don't Shop, Adopt! Arrrrg!"

We've fostered a handful of puppymill survivors in the past couple of years, and while I'm happy they escaped those conditions, it breaks my heart to think about how many more animals suffer in puppymills daily. Give those poor animals a voice today - encourage people to really do research on where their dogs come from before they purchase a new puppy. Pet shop puppies may be adorable, but know for every cute face in a pet store, there are more suffering to produce that "inventory" in a cage somewhere.

Check out these great links to learn more about puppymills, and what you can do to stop them:
www.prisonersofgreed.org
www.stoppuppymills.com
www.puppiesarentproducts.com

Hello, hello!

Hi everyone! My name is Jessica, and my husband Kyle and I are the owners of Lizzi & Rocco's Natural Pet Market (opening in October).

We both moved to Columbia in 2000 to attend Mizzou, and promptly fell in love with the community and knew we'd never leave. Over the years we've acquired a small zoo of animals, and wanting to find the best products available for them eventually led us to open Lizzi & Rocco's (which is, by the way, named after two of our dogs).

We will carry a range of holistic and natural foods and treats, along with a great selection of toys, bowls, beds, basic grooming products and other necessities for your dogs or cats. We also want to provide our customers with as much information as possible, and so we'll have an educational are where you can find free information on a variety of pet health and behavioral topics.

For the past two years, Kyle and I have fostered dogs and cats for a variety of local and national rescues, and so we have a huge passion for helping homeless animals. Because of this, Lizzi & Rocco's will have a small adoption center where local groups can feature some of their adoptable animals, and where our customers can come in and meet the next perfect pet for their family.

We aim to bring something unique and special to Columbia, and we promise to be dedicated to providing quality products and superior customer service. We hope to see you soon, and remember that we're pet friendly, so feel free to bring your pet along with you!