Tonight a Google alert came through about a new pet store opening in Roanoke, Virginia. It is called the Pet Galaxy, and they are going to give away goldfish and hermies to children under 12. This is how the alert read:
A New Roanoke VA Pet Store Opening
BigNews.biz
As a promotional offer Pet Galaxy will be giving away free Hermit Crabs or Goldfish to kids 12 and under. The giveaway will last for the remainder of the ...
I have already written to the store asking that they also provide care information that the hermies need to live while in captivity. They are living creatures and like dogs, cats, reptiles, etc. do have needs that must to be met while living in captivity: humidity to breath, warm and cool temp to regulate their body heat, proper diet, etc.
Please feel free to see the site and e-mail them too:
You're giving away free Hermit Crabs to children 12 and under? Do you understand how much care had to go into an exotic animal such as that? Humidity and temperature monitoring, ample substrate, a large cage, a large community (as they live in groups of over 100 in the wild) and not to mention the large diet they need, proper molting space and countless other environmental needs that a 12 year old just can't give!
Would you give a 12 year old child a Macaw? Or an Bearded Dragon? Of course not! Exotic pets need proper love, attention and specialized care.
Your website says you don't support puppy mills, but clearly you do support these tiny creatures being ripped out of the wild to inevitably die in the hands of young children? Hermit crabs are not bred in captivity! They are snatched up out of their homes in the wild! The fact that you would give them away so recklessly is disgusting. I will never shop at your store, and I will tell everyone I know not to either.
Shame on you!
