Buying a Pet

A young boy came into the store today, wanting to buy a pet.
He was probably around 12 years old and there wasn't an adult near him. So I told him that he needed a parent in order to buy a pet.

To which he responded. "I have a debit card!" 

….O.o How does a 12 year old get a debit card?!?! I don't think I got mine until like...I graduated high school. 

*shakes head* It was a moot point though. 
I told him that he needed to be 18 years old or have an adult with him in order to fill out the paperwork to buy a pet.

As we can only sell animals to people who are 18 or older. 
- You know. To prevent angry parents storming into our store demanding to know why we let their child buy a pet. 

He wandered away, and I thought that was the end of it.
Until he came back with the cashier leading him saying "Hey this kid has a question."

And he was like "So I was in here two days ago and I bought a betta fish without a problem so why do I need an adult now?" 

*exhales* 
*shakes head*
Technically I believe people have to be 16 or older to buy fish. 
But often we have children come into the store while their parents wait out in the car to buy fish...which why?? 

How did this boy get away with buying a fish two days ago?
Why was he back in the store wanting to buy a frog now? Did he even have the set up for a frog? Probably not. 

Like...where was the kid's parents now? How had he gotten to our store? Were his parents outside or had he walked here from his house? Who knew.

But I explained to him that while it's okay to buy fish, all the other animals need to have paperwork with them which meant he needed an adult.

That made more sense to him.
I'm not sure what he ended up buying in the end...I saw him looking at betta food and such. All I know is I didn't end up selling him any fish....

-Sarnic Dirchi