Happy days

[SailfinGirl]

Apparantly, according to a tabloid newspaper, the Government are now banning the giving of goldfish at fairs as prizes!

Also, it will become law that children under 16 cannot buy animals or fish unless accompanied by an adult! Happy days?!

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Yes very happy days. Its fun to win fish if you have a tank, but i bet 90% of the kids who win goldfish will put them in a little bowl where they will die within weeks.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Um, I totally agree with the goldfish at the fair thing (even though that's where I got my first goldfish all those years ago.... and they lived forever) but not selling to people under 16? That seems unfair, to all those kids who can't get their parents to come with to buy something they KNOW how to take care of. I can understand not selling something like a python or oscar to a kid that's six but come on.... 16?? So if they have busy parents that can't come with them, or parents that think they're just wasting their time with those 'stupid fish' or don't respect their animal keeping, this is going to suck for them. And me, I'm eighteen but most people think I'm anywhere from 12 to 15 at the most... and I don't have photo id, so I'm gonna be screwed. Perfect.

 

[plecoperson]

The shop where I work already implements this policy but I am SO glad that this is to become law!

We have many kids who come in and try to buy fish because they think it would be funny - and dont say that they dont becuase I have heard them saying "Oh, lets buy this goldfish and see if it likes beer!" is one example. I get the manager to chuck those lot out.

But if the parent agrees to the child having a pet, they will have no problem with taking their kid to the pet shop to buy one.

If a child is unaccompanied and wants an animal (and yes I class 15 year olds as children) and they take it home. Parent says "What the h*ll is that thing doing in my house" and then what happens to the animal? anything could happen to it, my point is this

If the parent agrees to the child having a pet then they are in 99.9% of cases are willing to drive their kid to the pet store. If they won't drive their kid, then they obviously dont give their consent.


and if you are 18 then get a photocard such as a driving license. JK

 

[Pleco-Heaven]

I sad, me 11

 

[appleblossom]

I think maybe they could implement some kind of voluntary pet care course that would allow under 16's to prove their ability to care for an animal, and gain a certificate entitling them to buy animals without a parent. This could be open for say anyone 10 or over.

at 16 you can gamble, smoke, marry and have sex and children...seems far too old for a law like this to apply...

 

[plecoperson]

Only gambling you can do at 16 is the Lotto

Or the child could say "Daddy/Mummy, I want a fish, can we buy one?"

Daddy/Mummy: "Yes dear, of course!"

Problem solved. Thats all the LPS wants. Proof that the pet will be looked after by the child and that an adult is happy to be responsible for the animal. Is it so much to ask?

 

[SimonA]

Well I think that is quite good I dont mind i am 14 and whenever we go to the lfs my mum always comes.

 

[Rusty_S]

I'm 19 and I still get asked for ID for things I'm old enough to buy, like alcohol That's why I have photo ID because I expect it to happen once in a while, I can't drive but I have a provisional licence just to show my age.

I think it's good when you think about any irresponsible kids who try and buy animals who don't know what they're doing, and no disrespect to the kids on the forum you've already shown responsibility by being here to get help with the fish you have. I'm talking about the ones who go "Ooh that's a pretty fish I'll put it in my tank with all my neons etc," only to find out that it's a jewel cichlid and it's eaten all their precious babies (that was me BTW ) Of course though, it won't save all fish or all pets because in a lot of instances the parents won't know what to do with the animals either As long as their child is the one responsible for cleaning it feeding it etc.

A prime example of this is the terrapin craze, parents say "Yes love as long as you look after it," only to see it grows 10 times bigger than it was as a baby and they release it into the wild. They are still breeding in lakes in Britain today and goodness knows how this will affect the environment in the long run.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Kid- 'daddy, I want that fish'
fsp- 'how big is your tank'
dad- 'I'm not sure, It's about as big as that one (points to ten gallon) but that fish doesn't look too big for it. We'll take it'
and then you watch in horror as a baby common plec, or oscar, or irri. shark gets put in a bag.

Why don't they spend the money to train the employees so that they know what they are talking about, and this sort of thing doesn't happen anymore?

Yeah, there may be some kids who are like that, but take Godricpuffers little problem of those what, 17, 18? teenagers who bought those bettas. Age doesn't matter in this, knowledge and common sense does. We've all seen stupid adults, and we've seen kids who know a lot more about the subject than some people. And I personally know that there are kids out there who have parents who don't care if they get a pet and they;ll let them keep it, but they're damned sure not going to help them get it. You don't see any age limits on the 'free pets' ads, do you? We don't freak out when a ten year old says 'mom, I found a stray kitten, can I keep it?' We don't tell that kid 'uh, no, now put that thing back in the drainage ditch you found it in, you're too young' do we?

Where should they draw they line anyways? You need to be 16 to buy anything for an aquarium because we don't know if you are responsible with it? How about these stores who sell stuff for your dog/cat to play with that can and are harmful to your pet? I don't see anyone getting on their case.

And I don't know from experience but I'm pretty sure you can buy condoms and pregnancy test and stuff like that without parents or photo id, which makes me wonder exactly why this is? *smacks head* Oh wait, yes, it's much more correct to let kids go have sex then let them get a fishtank, because they can't handle the responsibility of handling fish or other animals. Cause sex won't get you into any sort of situation you can't handle. Yeah, right. An eight year old could go and buy a metal bat, then go smash the #### out people cars, but you don't see age restrictions on them do you?

And yeah, the little photo card incident, you don't know my situation, so don't be condescending, I didn't really appreciate it. I'm not trying to buy porn, or ciggs, or beer, I just want a frickin fish for my tank.

 

[plecoperson]

Did you not see the smilie or the JK next to that comment? It means JUST KIDDING calm down. so you think an 8 year old should be allowed to go into a shop and buy a fish? Oh, why did I not see that?

 

[KribFreak]

My mum hates the idea that I have an aquarium in my room, my dad's in our basement, a cat, and a undersized weimaraner. Hey I understand that in the U.K. you can buy long haired weimaraners. Can you put up a pic? All we have here in South Dakota is short haired weimaraners. But anyways, I have a friend who's 13 and looks like he's about 14. But I on the other hand am 12 and look like I'm about 13. At our LFS I could probably get in and buy a dog if I wanted. Cause they don't give a s*%&. If they're willing to sell dyed fish, I don't think they'll care if a 12 year old just runs in and buys a fish or two.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Sorry to rage Pleco, it's just a raw subject with me because I don't really have a reason for id, but then something like this comes up and it's annoying. It's also extremely annoying when everyone thinks your twelve and your not. I've been at a persons house and asked if I could have a soda, they told me to ask my mom because they weren't sure I was allowed. It's embarrassing and makes me angry. I'm constantly having to defend myself on it. No one takes me seriously because of it either. I'm just saying that I don't think they should make it a law, or at least, lower the age limit. I just don't understand how they think kids are the ones that are irresponsible with pets when it can be anyone. I mean, maybe they should just stop selling the fish that have special needs, get to be huge, or something unless you can prove you have the space and resources for them, because I don't know many kids that have a 300 gallon tank. I will agree to disagree, as long as someone has a valid point, but this is one of those subjects you could go round and round on....

 

[Rusty_S]

And yeah, the little photo card incident, you don't know my situation, so don't be condescending, I didn't really appreciate it.

I didn't see anyone being condescending, we were just trying to be helpful.

Sorry if we offended you

And as far as the government sees it, and I'm not saying I agree with this, kids will have underage sex whether they can get contraception or not, so if they're being responsible enough to get it then it can only do good. All the government is interested in on the subject of sex is the country's ratings on underage and teen pregnancies.

 

[Max]

same laws here... but i buy fish anyways i know the manager and every one who works there and the lady at the desk knows my phone number i go in so much, so they sell me fish anyways