Its not so much about the cup treatment as it is the false information and deadly products they sell. Also, while in the UK I saw firsthand how a pet store CAN treat their bettas in proper tanks. Not to mention, I have seen videos of bettas being properly taken care of in MASS numbers, way more than what any store can hold, in Thailand on betta farms. They have much better conditions and tanks, so I do not see why it would be impossible to stop using cups when other places have.
Again, the cups are not necessarily the issue.
Lately I have seen the return of betta vases, a push for tiny, less than a gallon, tanks being sold, and false information being distributed not inly by employees at the store but on the care section of Petco's website as well. A while back, I saw their betta care fliers stating that the fish should be fed sparingly, about 4-6 pellets a week. It also said they should live in small tanks and water changes should take place about once a month. So I believe that fixing these problems is a first step in resolving poor treatment of these animals.
I would also like to state that I am 100% anti-PETA and 100% anti-ALF. I will NOT condone any acts of sabotage, harassment, or threats against pet stores or pet distributors. Education the way to fixing problems. Peaceful, creative, means work well too. Nobody should take out their frustrations on the employees or members of customer service, especially since they have no power over the betta conditions.
I have to agree here that a lot of pet shops can be very dangerous when distributing false information, I liked it (facebook group), paws for thought (a uk chain) are VERY good at taking care of their fish, they are kept in big, community tanks (with appropriate fish only) and positively spoilt, I wish this was the same for Pets at home (a Very large chain) I see fish in there on a daily basis dying, yes they are in tanks of over 1 gallon, but they still are not revieving the proper care so I will do my best in the UK!
Where in the UK are you? I visited the Preston branch of Pets at Home and was impressed with their care of the bettas. My only complaint is that one was being bullied by tetras and one was dead (he was the only one isolated, so it looks like they were quarantining him).
In our area cup care is really quite bad which is why I suggested that would be a good first step. I don't really like seeing bettas swimming in slimey goo trails with a tablespoon of poo in their cups while they float on their sides.
I agreed that educating people and corporate on the proper care to change their sheets would also be a nice step, it is very possible to do.
Re-writing their care sheets and submitting them in the same format as their current ones maybe? Perhaps publish them to a website for the community, breeders etc could help edit.? Citing scientific research and well known betta people such as research done by well known members of the IBC maybe? If the research can't be backed up it would probably be discarded. Companies want hard facts, and won't change without them.
Convincing corporate to not sell small tanks, less then 1 gallon, would be the hardest of them all. They are money makers due to the misconceptions of the care sheets. Betta CAN survive in tiny bowls after all, and what everyone raising awareness is trying to change.
I guess my obsession with working with corporate offices might be silly? I was just suggesting it as an idea to start at the top and good things would filter down through the system. It's not a bad idea in my opinion anyway. Maybe not something to do on the dedicated DAY but something that can be worked on through the year?
I wasn't really disagreeing with you guys/gals!
I just disagreed with the whole getting them out of cups into big containers in the stores marketing space in stores is limited. A space that could hold, just say, 6 cups would probably only hold 1 gallon. If a store had 24 betta for sale, that would cut down their stock to 4.
(Above is just a kind of lame example, but if anyone has worked in retail you prob know the whole cost of shelf space, + shipping cost, etc. + how many money making items can be jammed into X amount of display space.)
Educating the public both first time, and experienced owners, is super!
I try to talk to other customers about the pets I am experienced with when I am shopping. I also point them to the internet to research their pets. (For Betta this forum usually, since it is easy to remember. Some people just look at me turn up their nose and think they know it all, or figure that I am not an employee so I don't know jack, but I do what I can.)
Those were just my ideas to help raise awareness to the high ups. Doing this would filter down and be a good thing for everyone. Educating the public needs to be done! - Making sure corporate is living up to their standards about how their stores should be taking care of their animals is important all year round!
The last thing is, having worked in retail for years, I found that Customers DON'T READ 99% of the time! Passing information by word of mouth may be better then written words. I bet a lot of people skimmed or didn't bother to read most of what I said in this post just because it's long, which is also a problem with care sheets, or even pointing people to great websites on the internet. (I have had that problem even on this forum!!!) ;)
I know I will probably get a lot of people hating me for saying this, but realistically I doubt the size of their cups will change in the stores to 1 gallon+ containers.... They can be cared for properly in stores in their jars. Pet stores in the UK, where I live, male bettas are kept in half gallon (abouts) filtered and heated tanks! Sometimes they are kept in larger desplay tanks with compatible tank mates such as cory cats and Otos. Females are sold like this as standard. They are well looked after and I find look better than some of the horrible and sickly looking bettas in the cups I see on the net. Also, even though you can buy those tiny bowls I never see anything below 3 gal being sold in our pet stores. 15ltrs is the smallest they stock in my LFS. Bettas are not as popular as community fish like tetras etc but they are still farely well informed about the care.
I think what you guys are doing means your hearts are in the right place but contacting corporate maybe with pictures of filthy conditions of their cups (A picture with the store location, date, etc.) would get corporate to come down on managers/employees to take better care of them might have a good effect? Maybe get them to change their care sheets from 1+quart to 1+gallon and stop the company from buying the small novelty aquariums (less then 1 gallon)- which would in turn force the tank companies to stop making them?? Somehow get permission from corporate to film their managers- backing up the "quality care" of their bettas by asking the store to test the water in the cups for ammonia etc. and post the results on youtube? (Kind of like betta secret shoppers that pop in and ask for random tests?)- For that idea you DO need permission to film, take pictures, and post them. (You would have to do more research on the legal aspects of pictures and film on private property.) Petsmart at least DOES have a aquarium water care guide, and I am sure corporate does take this seriously... (The high school kid who got the job to play with animals may not. <-example!!!!)
- Just ideas anyway.
As soon as just one person turns into an animal terrorist, that one person can ruin any progress made. (I know you stated clearly you don't condone crazy people.) Just like customer service though, if you are nice, state your problem in detail and are calm and in some cases persistent, you can go pretty far. Wouldn't really call us terrorists or even activists. We're just people who beleive in animal welfare and FYI if the UK can do it so can the US and other countries. Jus' sayin'
Better cup care would be a good thing
Good luck
I think what you guys are doing is great. I'd love to help. Maybe by showing examples of UK care in stores? The proper tanks and the lack of "betta bowls".
Where in the UK are you? I visited the Preston branch of Pets at Home and was impressed with their care of the bettas. My only complaint is that one was being bullied by tetras and one was dead (he was the only one isolated, so it looks like they were quarantining him).
We need global awareness! Thanks for the support!
Yorkshire, the thing is some people don't care as long as they make money from it!
Becky our pets at home is currently changing their suppliers and are getting better with their info and care. They have a quarentine tank now which is new. Sometimes I have to point out a dead fish but I guess they can't be there watching all the time. Although, their fish do seem to be stressed when you get them home more than my other LFS and everytime I go there I get a bout of white spot. And their plants are always riddled with snails but the care and info isn't too bad.
This will make an excellent entry in my blog while I finish writing the betta fish care article. And I liked it on facebook. Keep up the good work!
Bomba, maybe you could share your betta pamphlets with this group?
I am honored, thank you! I LOVE your fish blog and have it bookmarked.
Betta pamphlets would be great and helpful for the actual awareness day.
Becky: I spent a lot of time in Yorkshire. Aside from visits with my boyfriend to his mum's and cousin's homes, I spent about a month there around Christmas time. Specifically, I was in Oakworth, Keighly--just a short (uphill) walk to Haworth. Beautiful place. Saw no pet stores though, not that I was looking for them.
Twilight Storm: I feel that your input is very valuable. Have you written any letters of complaint to the store or contacted headquarters? That is a first step to fixing your cup problem. And I agree about getting supporting evidence or else corporations will not listen. What baffles me is my hometown Petco was selling a betta care book by Animal Planet that addresses myths and improper care for bettas, all while IN STORE encouraging people to do those very things! How embarrassing would it be to cite informational books THEY sell as proof of proper care?
I will consider this education for corporations through supported evidence as part of the awareness day. Thank you!
Sheldon I wasn't calling anyone an animal terrorist if ya re-read what you commented on. I was just pointing out the "creative" thinking of some people might just turn into tossing a tank of dead bettas/red paint on someone to prove a point... (or blow up a building) for example... THAT is animal terrorism. :D Some of the larger animal animal activist groups that may or may not have been named earlier in this thread do such things.
I agree with Sheldon on the cups issue. We don't have those here and I was shocked and horrified when I first saw them.
I also think it's awful that department stores like Walmart are allowed to sell living creatures.
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