Today, a serious issue has come to my attention. While shopping for a new friend at my local PetSmart, I decided a betta fish would be perfect for me and my family. A betta fish is probably one of the easiest animals to care for and requires little effort. With this in mind I carried my fish with joy and excitement up to the counter. I knew the little guy would feel the same as me when he got to swim in his new big tank instead of his small, dirty cup. As I approached the cashier with a big smile on my face I got ready to tell her not to bag my new pet (since they always think it's okay to put living organisms in a bag). She abruptly interupted all my happiness and told me I would not be able to purchase this homeless animal because I was not old enough. I am 16 but for some reason you must be 18 to buy a betta. At 16 I can drive, get married, and move out but I'm still not able to buy a simple fish. I don't understand how this makes sense. I believe if you can provide a loving home for these aquatic animals you should definitely be able to adopt them. Please support and sign!