Step into Pet Kingdom, located at 3191 Sports Arena Blvd. in the Midway District, and you know you’ve stepped into another world. It’s not a zoo, it’s not a jungle, but there are hints of each as you find yourself surrounded by representations of plants, rocks and other natural elements plus cages, bowls and other paraphernalia designed to create a comfortable home or an appropriate environment for the exotic fish, reptiles, amphibians and even small furry animals offered for sale in the specialty shop, which caters to committed hobbyists. One of the first things that strikes a visitor is the immaculate condition of the animal enclosures, whether for guinea pigs, tropical fish or sulcata tortoises, and how friendly, knowledgeable and informative the staff members are, answering questions as they continue to clean and scrub glass cases, aquaria and animal pens. Meesha, a 7-year-old talkative cat who came in once with kittens and stayed to become the store’s resident cat and mascot, pops out from behind a display, informing her staff that it’s now time for dinner.  While you will find for sale a selection of rats, mice, chinchillas, rabbits and even  occasional kittens (all with their first round of shots, feline leukemia testing, flea treatment and a certificate for a free veterinary visit), you will also find a prominently posted statement warning parents about rabbit adoptions. “So your child wants a rabbit? Ask yourself these questions,” reads the posting, which also discourages rabbits as pets for children under age 8.  “Our main focus here in the animals. We want to make sure we’re providing healthy animals,” explains manager Ann Ancibor, who has worked at Pet Kingdom for 18 years and purchases the kittens and small animals only from local, small hobbyist breeders with whom the store has had a relationship for many years. President Bill Bennett, who with his wife Diane has owned the shop since 1981, has twice enlarged the premises to spotlight more freshwater and saltwater fish, reptiles and amphibians. He notes that they’re located between two big box pet stores, but by focusing on their niche market they’ve survived and mostly thrived.  “We carry animals and products that are labor-intensive,” he says, noting that they require specialized knowledge and care. Some of his staff are themselves breeders of rare fish and reptiles that have been bred successfully in captivity nowhere else. “Keeping animals is an art and a science. You have to have people who are interested and knowledgeable about what they’re doing,” he says. When you have about 1,000 animals of so many species, he explains, you have to be cleaning constantly, as well as demonstrating how the animals should be set up and cared for at home. He and his staff also make a point of educating customers about animal care. If a customer wants to buy an animal but is not prepared to learn about it and put it in its correct environment, they have refused to sell the animal. “We want people to have a good experience with animals and stay in the hobby,” Bennett says. They purchase some animals from customers. When people have to give up animals, in some cases they will accept them as donations if they have room for them, especially fish or small snakes. They then provide them to teachers for their classrooms or to breeders for their breeding programs. Pet Kingdom also has a “full disclosure” policy of informing customers that a fish or reptile will grow and will require larger accommodations. They do not sell Burmese pythons because they become too big and difficult to handle. They’ve seen a decline in sales of the number of fish that grow large, Bennett says. One of the most popular fish species now is the African cichlid, a colorful freshwater species that remains small. For a child or parent seeking a friendly pet that’s easy to care for and will happily ride on a child’s shoulder, Bennett recommends a bearded dragon, which is mellow and likes people. Pet Kingdom offers school tours for teachers with groups of up to 25 or 30 students, and will arrange for staff to escort children and explain the animals’ habitat and behavior. For more information, visit their Website at www.petkingdom.com or call (619) 224-2841.