[LynnieS]

Originally Posted by FateAnomaly

Kids can buy them when accompanied by an adult though which doesn't make much difference to the end result of the said pet.

The idea is probably so that the parent would have some say into the pet's care.

In the end, the animal will still die if not taken care of, but hopefully, even if the kid does not handle his responsibility, his parents will. If the parents don't even know, then they might not find out till the animal is dead and rotting... There is also the chance the pet will not be dumped out, still alive, into the wild; if it dies, you risk spreading disease (unlikely but still can happen) when it is eaten, and if it lives, the animal might push out other animals native to the area.

The punishment is still pretty extreme, however, esp. for someone of that age with that many ties in the community.