“Not a toy”: Woman calls out PetSmart for refusing to sell her a bearded dragon without a large tank—the internet sides with PetSmart

A TikToker is going viral after claiming PetSmart employees refused to sell her a juvenile bearded dragon because she didn’t have a large enough tank at home.

While Allyssa (@allyssamullins) framed the interaction as unfair, viewers for the most part, were quick to flip the narrative, many of them arguing the store was prioritizing animal welfare over what they called an impulse purchase.

The initial clip of her interaction with the PetSmart employee reached 7.2 million views and drew more than 31,000 comments.

Why PetSmart employees refused the sale

According to the TikToker, store employees told her they could deny the sale at their discretion. They explained that the in-store enclosure exceeded what she planned to use at home.

Although she said her setup would be temporary, staff said it failed to meet their standards for the welfare of the animal.

During the exchange, employees stressed that their policies allowed flexibility. Therefore, they could refuse a sale if they believed an animal might suffer.

Allyssa described feeling blindsided by the refusal and claimed that she planned to buy a properly sized tank later. That detail quickly became the center of the online backlash on her videos.

Viewers noted that the explanation was logical for basic animal welfare. The staff wanted proof of a suitable habitat before selling an exotic animal, not that they wanted her to buy a tank from PetSmart specifically. Instead, they wanted assurance that the bearded dragon would have adequate space to thrive.

TikTok commenters accused her of impulse buying

In follow-up videos, Allyssa said the small tank would only be used briefly. First, she claimed it would be two weeks. Later, she shortened that timeline to a day and a half.

Because of that shift, commenters on both TikTok and X questioned her intentions.

Many accused her of trying to impulse buy an exotic pet. She also complained that the larger tank didn't look aesthetically pleasing to her, and claimed that commenters wanted her to put a tank on the floor of her house.

Reptile owners were annoyed at her focus on aesthetics and argued that looks mattered less than proper care of a living creature.

Several people broke down the costs. One commenter wrote, "Hi! Bearded dragon owner 🙋🏼‍♀️sooo that tank is cheaper than the food you will constantly have to buy each week." They added, "Baby, leave that beardy there."

Another warned, "Bearded dragons cost minimum 700$ to set up proper. 150$ just for lighting. 100 for food monthly."

Others echoed that logic. "If you can’t afford the proper tank for the animal then you [can't] afford the animal," one person wrote.

On one of her complaining videos, a reptile owner wrote, "Always best to do research before hand to ensure they have the best life possible from the beginning, not eventually when you can get the things it needs to have a thriving environment."

PetSmart and @allyssamullins did not respond immediately to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via email and TikTok DM, respectively.