| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Sense Pet Control Laws |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gregory Morris, 12/11/08 10:48:12 am |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Er, well... You should know by now I never blog about common sense laws, because they are so hard to find anymore.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, Beth and I were watching something on the discovery channel that discussed how mice use their whiskers to sense their immediate environment even in the dark. My lovely wife, being the curious type that she is, and never being allowed to have any "interesting" (read: scary to her mom) pets as a child, decided it would be a good idea to have some pet mice. Who am I to disagree? I've had pet mice before, and frankly I think they are good low-maintenance critters that don't cause much trouble. In any event, they'll fit in well with the rest of the critters in the Morris Family Zoo.
So, off to the local pet superstore where we picked out a basic mouse cage setup, complete with food dish, water bottle, and exercise wheel. I grabbed a bag of shaved pine bedding, some overpriced bits of wood for them the chew on, and a bag of super-awesome-all-in-one critter food. Then, we walked up to the mouse cage, and told the mouse-getter (not sure if that was his actual company title) which ones we wanted. After he managed to wrangle them into the critter carrying box, he handed Beth a clipboard.
It was a contract. A pet ownership contract.
I did not know such a thing existed. I was especially taken aback when I found out such a thing was used for MICE. For a purebred dog, I can understand a contract which guarantees quality and whatnot. But MICE?
It turns out that Florida has a Pet Lemon Law. It is a rather wordy one too. It seems that Florida pet shops will often require a similar contract exempting them from most of the requirements and liability contained in this law before buying any pet more expensive than a goldfish. Its just good, old-fashioned Cover Your Ass.
For MICE.
Violation of the law is a first degree misdemeanor, so you can understand why a company would want a contract. Still, we're talking about snake food here. We're talking about an animal that, if it dies, will be unceremoniously tossed in the trash and replaced with one that looks the same so the kids will never know.
Well, at least it isn't a felony like giving away a cat pelt or tripping a horse, because you can forever forfeit your right to vote and own firearms for committing those heinous crimes. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | [Comments are closed after a month.] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| < "Volokh Finds Some Early 1800s PSH" | | "Call Al Gore" > |
|
|
|
|
