LOCKPORT, N.Y. -- They took to Pets Plus on West Avenue in Lockport with signs that read "Don't Support Abuse" and "Adopt Don't Shop." The goal? Call attention to buying and selling dogs that come from mills and commercial breeders.

"Reputable breeders do not sell puppies to pet stores. They come from the mills," said Jeanette Dickinson of NYS Citizens Against Puppy Mills.

While they protested pet stores that engage in these transactions, a focus on Pets Plus gained steam after a Change.org petition claimed the store had "unsanitary conditions" and that one of its dogs was "not being taken care of."

Owner Fred Kick says the store sells dogs and cats from licensed breeders in New York, and says it does so following all state laws.

"We have to supply the state with a license number where we get the dogs, we have to sell licensed dogs," Kick said. "They all come with a record, they all come with their shots. Our vet gives them a clean bill of health, and they're off to a new home."

The petition also calls for the SPCA of Niagara to shut down Pets Plus. A Facebook post by the SPCA states while it has investigated the store in the past, Pets Plus passes inspections and meets state standards.

"We've never had a problem with the Niagara County SPCA, they've been in my store numerous times because that's their job," said Kick. "We have a good relationship with them."

In 2014 Governor Cuomo signed legislation to give municipalities the green light to enact stricter laws to regulate pet dealers. The SPCA supports these efforts and encourages folks to write to lawmakers and the State Department of Agriculture and Markets for a solution.

Dickinson said she doesn't think pet stores would lose money if they stopped selling dogs.

"Pet Supplies Plus, PetSmart, Petco, all work with rescues. When they hold rescue events and people adopt dogs they go through the store and buy everything they need. I just had a foster adopted a week ago and those people went to PetSmart and I know they spent hundreds of dollars," said Dickinson.

And while some people choose to adopt from a shelter, Kick maintains that everyone has a right to choose where their pet comes from.

"Someone who wants to own man's best friend, they should have every right to do so," Kick said. "Some people want to raise it from a puppy, want to see it through its growth, want to make sure it's trained properly. There's two different ways of looking at it."