betta-cat

Hi all,
I'm not sure if this is the right place but I needed to ask others if I'm out of line. I attended an event yesterday which was very nice, delightful, beautifully organized and so on. What appalled me and several other people was the centrepieces at the tables. They were rose jars with goldfish inside in about 1-2 cups of water. Apparently, the EmCee was supposed to tell people that they could take these home if they had a star under their chair but didn't because she didn't like the idea either. Considering most of these people were senior citizens and unwell, and others never kept goldfish or had a place for them, I found this cruel and inhumane. I spoke to onthe EmCee who shifted me onto the person who had decided on this. I (unfortunately but this was an emotional event to begin with) got annoyed with her wide-eyed innocent look and gave her a lecture on the inhumane treatment of these fish and how their fate rested on whether the people taking them home would bother moving them into better quarters. Now I've got the guilts because I let this supercede the benefits of the function. I will talk to this person and apologize, but I wanted to know if others agreed with me objecting to this. The people at my and neighbouring tables cheered me on; between the small group of us, we took a lot of these little guys home.

Sorry if this is the wrong place. I should add that one of the local chain department stores doesn't like me much hanging around their fish/hermit crab section either.

Amanda

I completely agree with you, and I'm not the type to apologize. But that's just me.

Chrisson

I remember going somewhere where they had a neon tetra in a tiny container that isn't more then a cup of water. The water didn't have any surface movement either so I knew what there fate was...

Lucy

IMO, It sounds like you did the right thing for these fish.
Unwell senior citizens probably cannot afford a 20g set up let alone the maintance that goes along with it.
Think cycling with fish and daily water changes.

Ugh, I wish people would stop giving fish as door prizes.

buchan2009

sod that you did the right think, i was in a pet shop and called the owner everything for having a crazy amount of guppies squeezed into a tiny tank that the fish had no room to move " good on you "

gremlin

I commend you for caring about the fate of these fishies. It would have been easy to just walk away and not say anything, but you didn't. The person who chose to bring goldfish (or any fish) to the function as a 'door prize' needed to be educated on the proper care of the fish.

joy1125

it really upsets me how humans seem to think that everything that moves on the face of the earth, is at their disposal, to use and abuse however they see fit.

As a whole, we lack respect for most living creatures, not to mention respect for the globe itself, mother earth. We factory produce livestock for our consumption, in deplorable inhumane conditions; genetically experiment on animals and inject them with hormones, to make them appear bigger & fatter--- for corporate monetary greed; we use animals to 'entertain' us in circuses and television, at their expense, which is a horrible existence; we dispose of pets when we tire of them.... the list goes on and on and it's all so overwhelming.

I've come to the conclusion that humans are not the superior beings that we like to perceive ourselves as. I think we're probably darn near at the lowest. Unlike animals who are driven by instinct to survive, we have the gift of consciousness and intellect; we are capable of doing great things and showing compassion. Yet it's our own selfish and distorted perception of what we actually "need" and want, that causes us to turn a blind ignorant eye to the realities of life.

I'm speaking in generalities here... I don't hate people...lol....
I'm just getting less and less tolerant of this type of careless ignorance and indifference, I'm frustrated beccause I see it happening way too often.

I applaud you for speaking your mind betta-cat, and like Amanda, I wouldn't apologize.
You did the right thing.

mckcomplex

Betta-cat, I wouldn't have apologized! If you'd tried to gloss it over, she/he might not have realized the importance of the situation.

I think you showed that you're a person who cares, and that's wonderful!

betta-cat

Thanks, everyone, you have no idea how much better you make me feel. I guess the word has spread (I'm in a small community) and my name bandied about, we'll see what happens next. One lady, a senior, took 4 home and spent $100 the next day on equipment set up. Another one, my age not-yet-senior, took 2 home and went out and bought a tank. It just infuriates and saddens me that these little things aren't considered to feel fear or pain or that they only want to live a life.

Thanks again for the support! I haven't called the one responsible yet and probably won't now.

betta-cat

I should have added, the other two ladies and I account for 9 fish, we care. I'm hoping the other 30 or so also found good homes. Then think about the cost of the fish (low), the rose bowls, the coloured glass pebbles, the ribbons, the time ... and this was a charity function? Okay, that's it, I'm going to finish my morning coffee.

pepetj

The ends (charity, altruism) do not justify the means (abused fish).

Glad you stood up for them! I would apologize for the way, if improper, but not for the content.

I would offer her some basic fish care literature since her intentions more likely were good, she just made a mistake we consider horrible because we know better. We are not better as human beings than her. Most likely the lady is a great person. We are just fortunate to be fishlorians, able to learn as we go.

Pepe
Santo Domingo