Pets are often released into the environment because their owners no longer want them or may be struggling to care for them. This can be extremely harmful to both the pet and the environment. Aquatic animals that have been kept as pets usually lack necessary survival skills such as the ability to find food or to adjust to environmental conditions including temperature extremes. When they do survive, they sometimes thrive at the expense of native species.

Fortunately, individuals who own aquatic pets have alternatives to release.