there's a difference between a mom-and-pop pet shop, and pet supply stores like PetCo, PetSmart, Pet Land and other giant corporations that profit on the sale of living beings.
PetSmart and PetCo might have a few decent stores — heck mine is one of them: i've been waiting for them to slip up since i joined the hobby but all their babies look great — but there's been way too many news stories, photos and anecdotes spanning YEARS and YEARS that we as a hobby just cannot ignore anymore. these corporations have a systemic issue in that they don't view their animals, specifically reptiles, as living beings, but dollar signs, and time and again it's proven.
this is why we say stop buying their pets: when you buy that sickly looking noodle in hopes of saving it, there's just another one waiting to be put in its place. at what point do we stop contributing to this machine, this cycle of abuse?
just stop spending your money there, because money is the only way to get their attention. any dollar spent at a PetCo or PetSmart is further allowing them to continue with their practices without repercussions, selling sick and under cared for animals.
all this said: i still buy the occasional rat or decor from there.
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