Your Thoughts on Impulse Buying

[Lyndsay]

*Ducks before I even speak*
My first two guinea pigs, were not totally impulse buys, but actually one was, my mom had a crazy idea to get two because they were cute. This was way before I knew that they needed companionship. The laws in town here at the local Super Pet (which is closing on July 4th) is that you have to be 18 to purchase any living animal, may it be a fish even. After coming and being educated here, you slowly get to look at a view from above almost, because people who know whats going on seem to be able to pull themselves away and realise just how serious it is. Pet stores are impulse buying heaven in a sence, because coming out of most pet stores, with a pet means you have no clue what you just did, and no clue about the years ahead of you with the new pet.

 

[DaisyGP]

*Ducks before I even speak*
is that you have to be 18 to purchase any living animal, may it be a fish even.

A store near me does that also. I can understand why they would do it for rats, guinea pigs, bunnies, cats, dogs, etc..but not really fish. Don't get me wrong, I think fish are important and need to be treated right but 18? So you can drive a car at 16 and put other people lives at risk on the road. And you can get a job at a pet store at 16 but you can't buy a goldfish if you work there? That just doesn't make sense. I think 16 and up is fine to buy a fish. But people younger than that should really be with their parents first. Personally I know some 30 year olds who aren't meant to have fish and some 12 year olds that take excellent care of their pets. It just all depends, but overall 16 would be better than 18.

Just my opinion.

 

[Lyndsay]

Yeah 16 would seem better for fish, but I fully understand 18 for the rest, they don't have a dog selling thing there, but since they are closing, and I believe re-opening they are probably adding that too. Sad, totally but I mean there isn't much we can do, cause just like the rest of the pet store buying people, it's just that much more convenient in the short run to get a shop piggy.

 

[PiggieMom]

I understand 18 for fish also. Fish are, in my opinion, harder to keep than any live animal. You control their whole environment, not just their food. There are countless people who drop a gold fish in a bowl and are proud that the live for a couple month. That just sickens me. Gold fish need at least a 55 gal (really it should be more, they're such messy fish). They can life up to thirty years and get over a foot long. I can't count how many times I've seen kids go into a local petstore or Meijer and bought a single neon. Neons are schooling fish, they should be kept in groups of at least six. Bleh. I could go on and on.

EDIT: I just read my post over and started laughing at the "live animal" thing. What other kind of animals do people keep as pets? Undead animals? "Would you like to come over to my house and play with my zombie puppy?"

 

[janetangel]

Piggiemom, I want to play with your Zombie puppy. When can I come over and play?
Woe, I am becoming more warped than I was yesterday. Would that be warper?

 

[C&K]

I agree with 18 for fish too. I don't even entirely agree that 16-17 year olds should be allowed to drive. Why do we put someone who under most circumstances cannot be held responsible under the law in charge of a powerful machine that weighs a couple of tons? It just does not make sense.

The problem with kids buying pets, is that their environments can be very unstable, and then what happens to the animals when they go off to school or mom and dad need to move or the family has an extended vacation planned soon that the teen is just not being realistic about? Who is covering all the expenses? A 12 year old surely cannot most of the time.

I know one girl on the board here, she wanted to get another pig a few months back, very responsible, very good candidate for an adoption. But, she could not get parental permission, they said the two they had was "enough". She was upset with their final decision, but just PM'ed me actually yesterday in regards to this pig in question, saying she understands now why her parents said no! They are very busy! Imagine that! Mom and dad actually knew what was best!

Sure, there are some very responsible 16 year olds out there, and the vast majority of them live at home. If the parents are willing to have fish in their home, and have the teen care for them, then they can get their butts down to the store and help with the purchase! The rest can then be left up to the teen!

However, how many teens would buy a fish and not ultimately be responsible with it? Requiring a parent just makes sense to stop these sorts of impulse purchases! And for parents don't want fish themselves, and the child is not taking care of them, and the parent 'knew" they would not take care of them, well, it saves everyone a lot of trouble in the first place!

I remember I had a 17 year old boyfriend who tried to adopt a Husky from the Toronto Humane without his mother. He was refused (no brainer) and told he needed his mother. Well, she hit the roof, I believe he may have been capable of taking care of the dog, vet expenses and everything, but she did not want the dog in her house. As the homeowner, that is her right! I think it stands to reason the same goes for fish too!

But I guess this is a matter of how you feel, are fish a less important then a dog? Therefore they don't require the same consideration?

 

[DaisyGP]

I agree with 18 for fish too. I don't even entirely agree that 16-17 year olds should be allowed to drive. Why do we put someone who under most circumstances cannot be held responsible under the law in charge of a powerful machine that weighs a couple of tons? It just does not make sense.

I don't think 16 year olds should be able to drive and 21 year olds shouldn't be able to drink. But that's just my opinion.

 

[DaisyGP]

However, how many teens would buy a fish and not ultimately be responsible with it? Requiring a parent just makes sense to stop these sorts of impulse purchases!

I know just as many adults who don't take care of their fish as teens. The problem is that people, of any age, just don't care about fish as much as other animals. That is the real problem. Kids are just the only ones you can get away with putting restrictions on.

 

[C&K]

I know just as many adults who don't take care of their fish as teens. The problem is that people, of any age, just don't care about fish as much as other animals. That is the real problem. Kids are just the only ones you can get away with putting restrictions on.

agreed, some people never grow up, and some grow up really early, just that most have not by 16, and you have to at least hope most do at least to the extent of responsible pet ownership by 21... maybe that should be the age to own a pet without parental consent!

 

[janetangel]

I can say I can be one of those people who never grew up, but as far as my pets and responsibilities, I have not ever known anything different. That is exactly how I choose to raise my boys too. Animals are a HUGE part of my life and sanity. I will always have a few in my household.
As long as my boys live in my house, they require permission before bringing an animal home.

 

[Susan9608]

Why do we put someone who under most circumstances cannot be held responsible under the law in charge of a powerful machine that weighs a couple of tons?

I don't know - here in the US we've had many cases of teen-agers being tried as an adult in court.

I do think that driving, military eligibility, drinking, and all other adult 'privileges' should come at the same age, though.

 

[Lyndsay]

I've had my guinea pigs since I was 16. The only differeance I can tell you guys that makes me different from most teenagers (I'll be a little bit stereotypical here) is that I never had a life, I was an introvert and still am, so all I really had was my pets. I rarely ever left my house except to go to school, I never participated in outdoor activities, no extra cirricular stuff, just home all the time. With a little help from the forum I transformed my animals lives into something more bearable for them, more spacious, and more realisiticly able to house them with space for the rest of their lives. Some 16 year olds have to be exceptions to the rule. As far as pet stores, shelters, and adoption sites, you should be at least 18 to recieve a pet, because even now at my age I don't consider myself totally able to handle more than 3 pets at a time. Realistically people should have to be at least 21 to sign to be able to own a pet.

 

[janetangel]

Lyndsay, I am so glad you are a responsible young animal owner. I hope you can make a difference with others your age.
My boys are only 8 and 11 yrs old and both have responsibilities to their pets, dogs, cat, piggies and geckos, but my husband and I assume the bulk of the responsibility for them. We all have to agree as a family before an animal can be added to our home and it is discussed before hand who will take care of what before they come into our home. Some details change as life goes on, but everyone still has a responsibilty with each of our pets.
It is nice to see you be so responsible and grow up with a good head on your shoulders. Your parents and you must work well together.

 

[Dr Doughnut]

wow, such a hot topic this! I doubted i made this.


BAck on topic: I feel impulse buys are bad if the owner doesnt give a care to research

 

[Susan9608]

I feel impulse buys are bad if the owner doesnt give a care to research

I think *buying* of any kind - impulse or planned - is bad, no matter how much research a person has done before hand.

 

[janetangel]

Well buying is bad if it refers to animals.
But it is kinda hard to adopt clothes and groceries. Impulse buying is much easier to do with them.

 

[Lyndsay]

Your parents and you must work well together.

Hehe... well not really, I just do my own thing, the cavy cage I built for my one pig at the time was totally against my mom's will. I kinda smuggled them in the van from half way accross Canada. My mom was furious, she screamed at me in the middle of the parking lot when she realised they were in the back of the van. I stood there staring at her, while she flipped out. She hated it right up to me building it in my room, right up to me going out and buying the coroplast, and right up to me putting Smudgee in there for the first time, and teaching him to use the ramp with lettuce. But I silently let her sort out her beef with my amasing cage, I was so happy for my guinea pig and he loved it. I waited a few months before I broke down crying telling my parents that Smudgee needed a friend, as they had previously said no. I ended up getting my way, and thats how I had recieved XZander, he turned from a $15 USD guinea pig to a $500 USD piggy for me, as we had him piggy trained from Baraboo to Dultuh, where we travelled down to pick him up. Staying overnight, eating, and the gas to get him was the most expensive part, but I'll never regret saving him, and meeting some great people along with way. It just goes to show that even if you don't have parents with the motive to have a guinea pig, building a C&C cage can be done, albit I was old enough to make my own decisions, and tell my parents that I didn't much care for what they thought, and that I was going to do what was best for Smudgee so that he could live a long happy life. I was but 17 when this decision was made, so all the people who think that they have strict parents that refuse to have anything to do with their animals, remember that I had the same problem, my mom only really interacts with my rabbit; my guinea pigs, and every other aspect of care for my animals are done by me, and supported for by me. I work 3 jobs, 46-56 hours a week on top of high school. If I can pull it off anyone can.

 

[janetangel]

Lyndsay...you go girl!!! You handle your mom well and I am glad you are very responsible in taking care of your animals so well.
I am a grown adult with my own family and my dad still yells at me like you described your mom yelling in the parking lot. He does the same to my boys, but he always makes up with them and gives them a hug after he is all done. He still thinks like he was raised...I should listen and think about what he says and not talk back. I really get yelled at when I do talk back or say what I think. I can talk to my step-mom and reason with her after the fact, but not him. On the other hand I can count on my dad for just about any help I need at anytime. Parents can be funny. And now I am a parent. I must be weird to my boys at times too. I do let them have animals and since they are still young, I take on most of the care. As they get older, they will take on more and more responsibility. I will always over see what they do while they are in my house, (like my dad). I am thankful to come from a pro rescue family for animals and raise my boys and my husband the same way.