Stopping to coo at the puppies and kittens for sale in the windows here is one of my guilty…read morepleasures every time I'm at Carindale. Yes, I'd rather see the little furry angels running around peeing on trees in a park than cooped up inside a Westfield as a window display - but I'm consoled by the fact that they seem to all get purchased quickly. So hopefully they end up living happy lives, running around various Brisbane backyards with devoted humans. There are other pets here too. Just follow the squawks and chirrups to the back of the shop, and you'll see the budgies, parakeets and other feathered friends. There's guinea pigs, fish and (bleurgh) rats too. And the accessories are to die for. Whether it's a pink fluffy scatching pole for your lady cat; soft, cosy beds for your furry friends to lay their weary heads down on; special shampoos; squeaky toys - it's all here. Just before Christmas they even had Xmas stockings filled with little toys and treats for your animal companions and even rawhide Xmas candy canes for your dog to get his teeth into (so he doesn't feel left out while you're all chowing down on ham, turkey and Christmas pudding). Awwww.

For all you crazy ass animal yelpers you know that you'll like this place…read more You like looking through the glass aquariums at the fish, the hermit crabs, sometimes even the snakes. You like trying to stick your hand in to pat the puppies or kittens or anything furry really. The little child in you is dancing inside the second you walk inside this pretty big store and you know you'll be able to touch something! See something and maybe even buy something if you can afford it. I have my doubts about the puppies here, rumours on the grapevine tell me they sell a vast range of pups because they do get some from puppy farms... but it could be a rumour. With no truth in it. Having said that, the staff are extremely friendly and helpful so if you did get anything here or need any medicated shampoo like me, they are more than willing to point you to the right direction and even show you how the item works. It's a great place for kids to have fun too, and the dog food isn't too expensive.

I'm embarrassed to admit it but I use to come to Pet City a lot to look at - their fish collection…read more You wouldn't believe the size of their collection. There are African cichlids, American cichlids, garoumis, neons, guppies, clown fishes like Nemo, bright coloured salt water fish that you find in the Barrier Reef - draw breath - even their goldfishes were crazy exotic varieties with celestial eyes, lionheads and bubbly chins. This is the place to go if you're an avid fish collector. Their range is huge given that they are not an exclusive aquarium. Their staff know their stuff too should your $200 discus threaten to float belly up. In my case, usually it was because I wasn't washing the tank out enough but there are all sorts of fish fungal afflictions and water pH issues which the devoted fish collector need to know about. They have a pretty impressive aviary and reptile house as well. My nephew picked up his first pet here; an unusual pair of hermit crabs named Michael and Priscilla. He's from a science-y family so I have no doubt he'll be picking up some stick insects, centipedes and rhinoceros beetles for his collection soon enough. Pet City is not your standard pet store. Even if you're not after a pet or pet supplies, it's an entertaining place to take the kids.

The Pet Pad is total luxury for your pets! We took my sister-in-laws dog there for a Full Clip,…read morewhich is a hydro bath, shampoo, blow dry and brush, cleaning the ears and trimming the nails. Lola (the dog) has been shedding fur like crazy all summer, so we also got her a de-moulting/de-shedding treatment. In total it cost $55 for all of this. The doggy spa is a big room out the back where all the dogs wait for their treatments, and then get spoilt rotten and pampered. Lola was a bit scared when we handed her leash to the girl, but when we returned an hour later, she was totally loving the staff and this place. There were lots of other dogs for her to play with too. The Pet Pad offers other services including Pawdicures (pedicure for the paws!), Pet Day Care (either a half or full day of toys, treats, games, soft beds, in-house movies and loads of snuggles, awwww), Dog walking, Pet sitting and even house calls! The owner Emma is a serious pet lover and offers a luxurious service for your pets. Lola came out smelling so clean and lovely!

Our pampered pooch seems to have trips to the "parlour" more than I do, but hey I'm not a hater…read more He's half poodle and gets a bit scruffy looking. Plus the hair that I think is so adorable falling over his eyes must really be annoying for him. A Google search for "dog groomer brisbane" led me to many a website but none of them quite made me feel comfortable in my decision to let them groom my dog as The Pet Pad. Knowing the suburb it operates in, I knew there'd be no way the pooches of New Farm and surrounds would continue to visit here if they weren't good at what they do. I dropped him off yesterday for a "feet, face and tail" grooming session and after showing the staff member a photo of past grooming disasters to demonstrate what I didn't want, I knew, from her facial expression, we were on the same page. Less than an hour later I was on my way back to pick him up. The grooming a success. He still looked like a dog and not an old man with mutton chops. But like Sun E said in her review, the price is so very reasonable for the service. I would have expected I'd be parting with a lot more for the quality of grooming he received. Plus he bounded out to the car happy as Larry. A win all round. See you in a few months, Pet Pad!

I can't resist going into a pet shop to gaze at all the adorable little puppies, so I was panic…read moremomentarily gripped me when I went inside this one and couldn't find any. Have you ever been into a pet shop that didn't have puppies? Or at least kittens? It's like an ice cream shop with no chocolate, or a sushi place with no salmon. Luckily I soon located them and realised they had simply been hidden behind the Christmassy white spray all over the front windows. This isn't a very big pet shop, but it's adequate. They have a limited range of animals including guinea pigs and fish along with the requisite puppies, pet food and of course accessories. It's not the most exciting of its genre, but it gets the job done.

This is a nice little pet shop located within a very busy shopping mall. It's not very big but it…read morehas plenty to offer. The times I have been here I've seen puppies, little kittens, guinea pigs and an array of beautiful fish. The puppies, kittens and guinea pigs are located towards the front of the shop and the fishies are towards the back wall. The little pups are the front window cannot be seen by passer by's unless you walk into the store. I think this is a good idea as it might be stressful for the little guys to see lots of people coming up to them. However, having a front view of a paper plastered window does not make this store look appealing. They should consider replacing that. All in all though, the pups don't seem to be bothered and look happy and healthy. One thing I noticed here that I didn't approve of, was all the little children poking the pets and the shop minder didn't seem phased by it at all. I know parents have a responsibility over their children, but I should hope the pet shop staff would protect the pets from children who are stressing them out. Still, despite this, it is a nice little pet store with quite a lot on offer. Good range in toys and pet accessories.

Store with a late amout of pet food options. Staff have always been very friendly and helpful…read morewhenever I have visited.

Lots of dog toys, food and bedding. Can take dogs instore. A good place to visit…read more Staff are friendly.

This pet shop is an example of what I think other pet stores should strive to be like. They don't…read moresell puppies or kittens which I think is the most important way of judging a pet store because pet stores that sell puppies and kittens not only support puppy farms and dodgy breeders, but also encourage the impulse purchase of an animal that requires a great deal of commitment. The staff at Petbarn are knowledgeable and helpful, and are all animal lovers with lots of experience in pet care. The range of fish and aquarium products here is excellent and they have staff dedicated specifically to helping you establish and maintain your own aquarium. Another thing I like about Petbarn is that pets on leads are welcome, so if you need to get your dog a new collar for example, you can actually bring them in to see what fits (and you can count on them getting cuddles and treats from the staff as well!). Petbarn has a wide variety of pet products including foods, grooming products, accessories, toys, and treats. They also sell some medications such as worming and flea treatments. The staff here are happy to consult with you about whatever pet advice you need. Many times I've come into Petbarn to seek advice about my fish tank and have had a long, helpful conversation with a staff member and then gone home without needing to buy anything because the staff don't push you to buy things in return for their help. For this reason, whenever I need to buy anything for my dogs or aquarium, I head to Petbarn. They also have a customer loyalty card and lots of information about obedience, puppy pre-school, and other pet activities.

Consensus among historians states that the biblical Garden of Eden was probably somewhere in modern…read moreday Iraq. I think Mappin's on Montague Rd has a legitimate claim to being a contender for God's original garden. Hey, they even have the infamous snake/s there, plus a number of fruit trees (which you are probably forbidden from tasting too, unless you're willing to buy it ;) These guys are water plant specialists, with their massive aqua-filled terracotta pots home to oodles of different aquatic plants, like water lilies and edible water chestnuts. I bought one of the latter once and put it in a water feature in my yard. After a few months we yielded a few delicious chestnuts. They also have an impressive range of cacti and succulents, which are easy to care for, decorative and make a great gift. The innovative decorative pieces designed by local artists are also good present fodder, but be prepared to pay in the hundreds for some (they are after all 'art').

A green thumb I am not but I read a mythical legend that Zanzibar Gems are house plants that are…read moreincredibly hard to kill. They only require watering once a month! And thus begins the journey that led me to the West End wonderland that is Mappin's Nursery. And can I end that train of thought by pointing out that it is a freakin' nursery less than 4kms from the CBD?!?! Okay. Now that I've got that out of the way. Mappin's is a green haven on Montague Road that have a range of plants and not to mention helpful staff willing to answer my silly questions such as, "What make great house plants? Can you show me your suggestions?" and I didn't dare tell my helper that I kind of like plates as saucers when she handed me a plastic saucer for my newly acquired plant saying, "I don't understand kids these days using plates as saucers. I can't let you do that." Did I spray myself with "Psuedo Hipster" this morning? How did she know?!? I'd looked for this particular plant at a household name hardware chain (it rhymes with running), and while I paid a fraction more for the same size plant at Mappin's, the plant itself looks healthier and you bet your bottom dollar I feel better (okay, maybe a little smug) that my money went towards a fantastic local business. Plus I feel like the extra coin went towards the handful of advice I was given about caring for the plant. When I enter the home owner game I'll be back at Mappin's asking them for their green thumb advice on a range of gardening 101. Oh and finally nabbing one of the beautiful Magnolia trees they sell!