Ianthe

http://www.zootoo.com/

I saw a link to this site on another forum, it's doing a contest for animal shelter makeovers. That's all cool and all. The site seems to have an interesting idea here too, where people can review pet services and products and news.

But check out the collage on the frontpage. All these lovely shots of people with their dogs and cats, and then one of a woman with a betta in a little vase, with the quote, "I have become a better pet owner in many ways." I'm... surprised (though why should I be?), that even when a site is trying to show care and information-spreading for pets, this is all they can come up with? I don't think they are selling that vase or anything. It seems to me a good cause, and they are so badly misinformed. It is good of them to represent this fish as a pet, alongside his furrier comrades, and yet they still confine him like a mere decoration.

I know this kind of thing is all over the place, but it hit me like a cold brick in my stomach just now when I saw it. Do I contact the site and try to give a short and simple, yet polite, rebuke? Or a longer and more detailed one? Does a long email cause their eyes to glaze over?

Perhaps some of you know how to do this sort of thing and would like to give it a shot. I think I will try to work something out. (Perhaps this is my penance for not saying anything to the woman in front of me in line at petsmart the other week, when she was buying a betta and a half-bowl not much larger than the cup he was already in. I was too busy trying not to punch her in the face. No matter, I'm a coward.)

Blub

Butterfly

Maybe a short informative email would be good. Quickly explaining that its a common misconception that Bettas can be kept in small containers but in all actuality Bettas need more room. Link to our article http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/be...d-puddles.html
and say how upset you were that they were encouraging Bettas being kept in such small containers.
Then praise them for their other efforts.
Carol

sirdarksol

I sent a relatively short message myself, saying that I loved the site but was sad about the way that betta lived. Included a little bit of information on how bettas lived with the link if they wanted to read more.

COBettaCouple

You'd think they'd know better.