I feel like people also need to consider the bigger picture, how these pets are sourced. Even if someone buys captive-bred animals, supporting breeders or industries that aren’t regulated can feed into unethical practices.
Yeah, that’s why I always emphasize captive-bred only and avoiding wild-caught animals. Wild-caught species often suffer stress and high mortality before even reaching the home. Ethical ownership really starts with responsible sourcing.
Mind you having a hobby without wild caught is impossible but there are people who do it properly and WC shouldn't be in the hands of the average person.