Public Places

It's so interesting how people's logic....fails. Especially during this pandemic.

I mean if they're not panic buying random things....they're out in public acting like most of the country and the world isn't under a stay at home order.

*exhales* It's days like this where I wish my county or even my entire state would just go under a stay at home order so we could prevent people from coming into the store just to browse. 

People just...don't get the concept of 'stay home' 

Or even more, they don't get the concept of a 'public place.' 

I suppose though...if you're home with the kids all day long for multiple days in a row....it would make sense that you'd throw logic out the window and try to get the kids out to some place different.

I mean, in normal circumstances we have parents bring in their kids to look at the animals all the time. You know. Free entertainment.

But these aren't normal circumstances.
No these are circumstances where people are encouraged to stay home and only go out in public only if they absolutely need to.

Apparently there are people who think Pet Stores are safe havens from the troubles of the world.
Which is odd. 
Like we're a public place. There are people constantly coming in and out. Sooo like...we're not immune to the same troubles every other place is.

Just because we're the only place open for like four blocks doesn't mean that we're safe to come visit. We're only open because we're considered 'essential' because we sell food that feeds animals. 

Basically you should only be coming to the pet store because you need something for the pet you already have. Go in. Grab the thing. Get out. In and out. 

But we had a family (multiple families really) come into the store to look at the animals.

And when asked if they needed help with anything the family was like "No, we're just here because the zoo is closed." 

Yah. We all got a bit -_- at that and told the customers that they would need to leave. 
Because you know WHY the zoo is closed?
Because it's a PUBLIC place that has PEOPLE in it. And you're supposed to be social distancing. 
Guess what a pet store is?
A Public. Place. With. People. In. It.

Aka. Also a place you should also be social distancing from. 

I don't get why people don't get it. 

*exhales*
We ended up creating a sign and putting it outside that basically says "If you're not here to buy essentials, then we ask you to reconsider your visit here." Because like seriously. We're not a safe haven. We're only open because we have to be. My coworkers and I would rather be home and not risking our health by serving customers who may or may not potentially expose us to the virus and get us sick.
We don't want to get sick.
We just don't have the option to stay home because we're essential. 

So please. Don't go out to public places (and yes pet stores are public places) unless you need to buy something essential. 
Because us workers are running on emotional fumes having to deal with the stress of this virus day in and day out and we don't want to risk ourselves any more than we have to.

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi