Research a Pet Before you Buy it

Have you ever gotten a goldfish from Walmart and bought it a cute little fish bowl with colored gravel and fake plants? Most of us have and have you noticed that that cute little goldfish happens to be floating upside down within three days.

Many people buy pets such as fish and turtle knowing nothing about the requirements for them. Betta fish that are sold in Walmart are kept in small containers leaving the customer assuming that they can live in a small bowl, but the reality is that they need more than that. 27% of respondents to a survey who are fish owners admitted that they only have a limited knowledge about fish care.

“Always do your research before going into a store to buy an animal.”, says Youtuber Taylor Dean “The number of people who want me to teach them everything before they buy an animal is kinda scary.”

Sadly this is the same situation with pet turtles sold at stores like Petco and Petsmart. Red Eared Slider turtles are often the most neglected pet Reptile that is sold when small and can grow up to 16 inches and then abandoned, causing them to be an invasive species when dumped in lakes and rivers

“…they give you a little container for the turtle to go in and they just send you on your way with the turtle and they tell you nothing about the care that goes into this turtle.”, says Youtuber Taylor Dean.

The problem with this is that all of this pet abuse can be avoided with a simple google search. But most people, especially parents can impulse buy a pet when their kid asks for it.