aaaaw

The dollar store by my house is now selling bettas :'( I don't care who cares for betta's as long as they are well cared for but this was just awfull. It took every ounce of freewill I had not to purchase any. The water in a couple of them is solid yellow. One betta looked like he could be pretty, but he was grey and drabby and looked like he had a mind case of finrot. Infact a few of them looked like they had finrot. I was going to talk to the salesman but all the workers were asian and barely spoke a word of english. I wish there was someone I could tell about this. Why don't fish have more welfare laws. I know its hard to keep some fish alive but these guys aren't even trying.

 

You could report the store to the SPCA. I don't know actually if they have bylaws for fish but it might be worth a try.

 

I hope they do something this was just sad.

 

their website sucks, I cannot find any contact information. I think I will just try to talk to the guy.
I just don't want to. I have issuses with defending animals because after becoming vegetarian I got nothing but ridicule for it. (a lot from friends and family) I am so tempted to tell him to give them to me and I won't report him (He may not know he isn't really breaking a law) but I am moving out in a week and I just can't do that.

 

I tried to get ahold of the ASPCA a while back for a dog that was being mistreated - this woman had a lab and decided she wanted it to look like a greyhound so she was starving it and shaving it and all to try to make it look like one and she nearly got the job done before the dog was taken away and she was put in jail. It was NOT the ASPCA that did it but the plain old police. The ASPCA gave me all kinds of excuses why they could not become involved. Now if they are not going to get involved with that, I really doubt they will do anything with a store doing what it common treatment for Bettas. As much as we may HATE, HATE, HATE the way they are treated; breeders treat them fairly well because it is their investment and they have a vested interest in keeping them looking well, but retailers consider them a cheap and easily replacable fish. It is to their best interest to sell them sick and in the tiny bowls and to encourage people to buy the tiny betta tanks and bowls where they will not last long. It makes for more business. And if half of them die before they are sold well that is an acceptable trade-off because it costs man hours and all to do the maintenance and to add to the cost of the fish would make them less likely to sell. It makes me furious but the only way to affect a change is to say to these people, "as long as you do not take care of these fish I will not buy from you" and that is something that some find hard to do because it is hard not to want to do a rescue operation. I personally feel terrible that I did not do any more rescues after Azul. I just couldn't support the store doing this.

Rose
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I agree, it is terribly sad that fish are not treated as other animals are, with the same cruelty laws and expectations of care. I get sooooo upset with what I have seen. Take the aquababies. Tiny, tiny container with snail, bettas, or frogs stuffed into one. I complained to a stall owner last time I saw this and was blown off. If only I could take them all home, I would!!!!!

 

It is hard. I avoid looking at them...but the thing is, what else are you going to do? I mean, for my part I have to buy my pet supplies somewhere...I need to buy filter bags at the very least. I know most of us are in the same boat. And I refuse to feel guilty for buying Rusty, I'm so happy he's swimming around in his 10 gallon betta mansion. But I know what you mean. It's a dilemma.