The reason Petco shouldn't be selling these birds is because there are a huge number of them stuck in cramped underfunded bird shelters, waiting for adoptive homes that will never come for most of them. These large hookbills often to live to age 75, so even if the people who buy young ones (and all the ones sold at Petco were young) keep them for the rest of their lives, the birds often outlive their owners. And of course many people experience changes in their lives over a few decades, that make it impossible for them to keep a pet that they were originally able to care for well.
These birds seem to be quite happy in captivity, as long as they have a home where they're well cared for, and enough room to spread their wings and walk around. Some owners even take them on regular trips to aviaries where they can fly safely.
>>>The reason Petco shouldn't be selling these birds is because there are a huge number of them stuck in cramped underfunded bird shelters, waiting for adoptive homes that will never come for most of them.
That is their excuse for all the 'pet stores'. No one should buy from anywhere but the shelters.
The number of legitimate stories is far smaller than the shelter stocking from PETA's 'mills'.
Besides, you can't tell consumers where to buy their products. There will also be people that go to shelters first. There will also be people that want to choose where to purchase.