Applecore? Baltimore? Who's your friend? Me!

If you understand my title, we are of one heart. 

One thing that may surprise some of you, is that "yes" Chinese people have pets. In fact, pet ownership is on the rise, and it's not uncommon for me to see people with dogs, which surprised me when I first got here. 

So I thought, hey, let's go to the pet market and see what's the happening.

There are some gorgeous and crazy expensive fish tanks with live plants. There are gorgeous fish (albeit kept in dirty tubs). I've never actually wanted to own fish, until I saw these tanks and feel sad for fish living in fake, plastic worlds. I've seen happy fish, they know the difference.

Generally everything looked dirty, crammed and unhappy, but not underfed or abused. And to be fair, almost every U.S. mall pet store fits that description. There were lots of pet birds, a fair amount of very tiny, oh so cute white bunnies, a smattering of kittens, and a good amount of dogs (Chows and teacup guys being the most abundant). And really surprising, is that two of the most abundantly available pets were Chinchillas and these guys:

Look at the yearning in his eyes. Now, the Chips and Dales kind of upset me. Not just because most of them were freaking out or showing quiet desperation, because they were all adult chippers. Like someone went out and caught them, and was like, "yep, it's a pet now." But...domestication doesn't work that way. MAYBE, were they babies you might have a chance of imprinting on them, but they're wild. There is no way that if I stick my hand in their cage they aren't going to tear a hole through my hand (or hyperventilate to death from fear). I mean, I get it, they're adorable, I'm just wondering how the whole thing goes when you take one home...

Now get your Donald Applecore on!

Comments

[Debbie Yoder]

Somebody rescue Alvin please!

Mom