Lately I've noticed that people and parents of kids treat pet stores, like Petsmart or Petco, like free zoos where they can take there kids and let them see animals. Personally, unless you are buying a pet, looking to adopt, or buying pet supplies, don't go into a pet store. It is not a free zoo. Yes, zoo passes are not cheap, there are reasons for that: housing for the animals, food, land costs, and medical bills for the animals are just some examples. Here are some reasons why you should go to the zoo instead of the nearest pet store next time you feel like just seeing some animals.
1. The employees
Pet store employees are there to help actual costumers with their questions about products. They can't control what the animals that live/stay at the store do; complaining to them over something an animal does is ineffective and pointless. What do you expect the employees at a pet store to do? They can only tell the animal "Bad kitty! Don't do that! No no no! Bad!" Which may or may not work. Some animals do not understand discipline, like birds. So if you don't want to have to explain the birds and the bees to your kid at a young age, don't take them to pet stores or zoos! Honestly, it is a fact of life! Yelling at an employee won't change the facts of life.
2. Hands on experience with animals
Some zoos have programs where you can have hands on experience with an animals: petting zoos, aquariums, and aviaries. The zoos are equipped with enough employees that are trained on how to handle the animals; if something goes wrong, they can handle it. Zoo employees train for hours with these animals, and they understand the animals on a whole different level than pet store employees.
In fact, zookeepers need a bachelor's degree in biology, zoology, zoo technology, or some field related to animal management. Another option for them is a specialized two year zookeeper degree from a community college. You don't need any of that to work at a pet store; you just need to have graduated high school and have had some experience with animals. There are similarities between the two, that's for sure, but pet store employees are mostly trained in handling animals for brief moments. Yes, some pet stores will get animals out of cages and let you pet them, but that's only so they can get you to buy the animal. For some people, once they've pet an animal they are looking at, they have fallen for the animal and want to take that animal home.
3. Variety and exercise
Zoos have a variety of interesting animals for kids to learn about! There are even some animals they wouldn't normal be able to see in daily life, like elephants, penguins, tigers, etc. Another great thing about zoos are how big they are and all the exercise you get from walking around! You can't get either of those things at your local pet shop!
Thanks for reading! And please understand that I am not saying it's bad to just walk to pet stores without a real intention; just remember that getting any kind of pet is a big responsibility and shouldn't be done on an impulse! Always do research beforehand into whatever animal you are thinking about getting!
