Live Reptiles -- Prizes at the Fair?

I still cannot comprehend how on earth anyone ever came up with the idea to give away live animals as prizes at fairs. I just can't imagine sending a child away from a game with an iguana or turtle! I've ranted before about cruelty and health issues, and about the odds of someone being prepared for and committed to a pet won at a fair. I shudder to think about what happens to the bulk of these animals -- what sort of life they have, or what happens to all the ones whose new owners decide they can't take care of them after all. Anyway, it is beyond my comprehension how anyone could think this is a good idea. Melissa Kaplan writes a bit about this phenomenon and what can be done about it in "Reptile Give-Aways at Fairs" and "The Carnival Iguana." If you are interested in finding out more and what you can do to help combat this practice, you might want to check out the Carnival Iguana Yahoo Group, a group devoted to fighting the awful and unethical practice of hading out reptiles as prizes. Just this week there have been reports of anoles, iguanas and baby turtles being given away at fairs in PA, where it is actually illegal to do such a thing but apparently the law prohibiting live animal prizes isn't enforced -- or perhaps the associated fine just isn't enough of a deterrent.