Where do you put your money?

[stealthq]

Originally Posted by W.Oliver

The bird market was significant prior to the 80's and since has dwindled year after year to almost non-existent to what it was 25 years ago. Yes smuggling exists, but today in very high-end species...$20k-$40k per specimen of say....any black cockatoo. Today, this isn't really a retail issue. When smuggling nestlings was in vogue, most ended up in the trash....survival rates were abysmal.

The last big bust I remember was in the early 2000's. I wouldn't have known about it except it was a large ring with members in multiple states (mine included) and made the local news. Haven't really heard much about it or looked into it since. I was curious, so I did a quick Google search - really just looked at the first couple pages of results. All the recent busts (ignoring poultry) I saw were finches, parakeets, and the like from Asia. All birds that sell for a couple hundred dollars here, but cost about 1/10th as much in Asia. Don't know if this is frequent, unusual, or what.

[Chicagocanine]

Originally Posted by dazedtrucker

The ONLY pet store in this town sells puppies. I HAVE to go there to buy crickets for my Gecko. (next nearest crickets are 4 hours away, and I had this Gecko when I moved here) It makes my stomach turn. They are idiots about thier fish too...they were selling TATOOED mollies. TATOOED fish. With I love u happy birthday...etc...
Stupid people

I saw "tattooed" fish like that (with patterns, not words) when I was at a farmer's market on vacation in St Louis... I was shocked! The farmer's market was a permanent building that was partially indoor and partially open air, and in the center was this tiny cramped pet store. I should never have gone in, it was really depressing. They also sold puppies and they had a bunch of kittens they were selling for $10 or something... I don't think they were from a mill or breeder but more likely "accidental litter" someone gave them or something like that. Now I normally do not buy anything from stores that sell puppies/kittens let alone a live animal but I was SO tempted to buy those kittens, get them fixed/vaccinated and find them good homes because who knows what will happen to them/who will buy them for $10 I didn't do it, but I felt really bad for those kittens.


Oh I took a photo of the fish when I saw them because I just couldn't believe it:

[dazedtrucker]

Originally Posted by Chicagocanine

I saw "tattooed" fish like that (with patterns, not words) when I was at a farmer's market on vacation in St Louis... I was shocked!.


Oh I took a photo of the fish when I saw them because I just couldn't believe it:

It's hard to stomach...whats next, tattooed hairless rats or guinea (skinny)pigs? Yeah, a living breathing greeting card?? Why not?

[Chicagocanine]

Yeah it is pretty awful...I don't know who thought tattooing fish was a good idea (not to mention the trauma of the process itself.)

[dazedtrucker]

Originally Posted by Chicagocanine

Yeah it is pretty awful...I don't know who thought tattooing fish was a good idea (not to mention the trauma of the process itself.)

My horrified self looked it up...they are generally done in Singapore, and shipped in. I read they sell well.......... Can you imagine? I raise fish and sell them, and that is just the most horrible thing i can imagine you could do to a fish. It creeped me out so bad when I saw that.

[Wolfie907]

Originally Posted by WarrantsWifey

I ticked "I will not buy puppies or kittens at pet stores, but may buy other items or services." because I shop at Petsmart and they have cats for adoption and they have doggy adoption days. I don't know of that counts as a pet store. ???

+1 on that. Petsmart is one of Wolfie's favorite places, and nearly everyone who works there knows her by name. First thing through the door she's at the register saying 'hi'.

I wouldn't ever buy a dog/cat from a pet store, but I think it's great that Petsmart offers adoption services for the cats, and they frequently allow local shelters and rescue groups to come in and hae adoption days.

For those reasons I try to shop there when I can. Petland, Petco and another (can't recall the name) aren't around here anymore, which is fine as they sold pups/kittens from within the aquarium like kennels...yikes.