My Piece For @swimonzine - You Can Still Get The Zine And Support The Shark Conservation Here!

My piece for @swimonzine - you can still get the zine and support the shark conservation here!

i don't know who needs to hear this, but guilt, self-hatred and shame are not sustainable sources of growth and healing. you can't hate yourself into feeling better, or being better. you can't repeatedly punish yourself for your flawed humanity and expect wholesome results.

tales from the pet store part i ;

i've been working part time in a pet store for just over a month now and i already have enough stories that i could write a book about misguided people and animals. this wasn't even the story i was going to start this series with but i'm just so flabbergasted by what happened last night that i just HAD to kick it off with this one.

this is a tale in two parts because the week before we had a lady come into the store, and at first it was the typical pet parent stuff, talking about how much rescue she does already ( in response to us asking her if she'd like to make a donation to local shelters ). But she ends up taking it ONE step further. That she even rescues wild animals on her walks on the beach! Why just the other day she saw a baby turtle struggling towards the ocean..... and decided to help it....

by taking it to the POND behind the sand dunes because CLEARLY she could tell it was a baby snapping turtle that was going the wrong way....

fast forward to last night. i'm still not sure if it was the same lady or if it was a different one ( my boss thinks it was a different person ) but my boss, the OTHER person in line, and myself get into a fight with the other customer. a wildlife karen if you will.

because she 'rescued' a 'snapping turtle' and was wondering what sort of food to get it. she did not like that we were telling her to take it to the VERY local wildlife rehab center outside of town. that we couldn't help her because it is very illegal to own any turtles ( without the proper permits ) in my province. while i'm glad my boss is super supportive, she is a bit of a push over and let her buy a small thing of superworms just to get her out of the store because she was starting to get combative not just with us but with the other customer that was with us in this tiny pet store ( because she was really letting the idiot have it - bless that woman's soul - said all the things i wish i could have ).

but god, -- just leave wildlife alone. wildlife aren't just fancy pets. turtles are not an easy pet to keep. and if the animal really does need help then let the experts handle it! don't be an entitled wildlife karen.

I told u idiot 🐈😺

What animals do you enjoy drawing the most? Which ones are easiest to draw and which ones are the hardest? Love your art btw!

Good question! I like drawing even-toed ungulates (esp. deer and goats), my brain kind of 'gets' how their faces/bodies work and their features are easy to exaggerate to neat effect.

The easiest animals to draw are housecats (maybe because I've lived with them my whole life and gazed long into their perfect faces).

For me the toughest animals to draw are canines of all kinds. Dogs, foxes, wolves. I put them in my work frequently because I like them and I need to, but it's really hard, every time. Comically difficult for me.

— ok side note but while answering this ask i have just learned that orcas are even-toed ungulates and it has me very fucked up — i didn't know where to cram this info but i can't be alone with it rn

I’ve noticed a lot of people have been becoming against zoos and aquariums.

(I’m talking about AZA zoos and other accredited zoos)

Zoos breed animals for conservation reasons (restore populations)

They study animals

They raise money for conservation

They provide amazing veterinary care

They provide proper enclosures

They provide enrichment to animals

They provide a proper diets

They educate the public

They contribute to conservation in MANY ways

I know the zoo near me helps local wildlife as well. They take in animals that would otherwise not survive in the wild. Such as bears who have been hit by cars or whose parents were killed by people.

Support accredited zoos! Ideally these animals wouldn’t need to be in zoos but due to human impact they often times have to be.