It is being very truthful in my opinion. It is often difficult for any person to know the motivations that drive their own behaviors much less anyone else's.
I hope you feel happier today and every day of your life!
My words can be seen as working against the movement to try and get stores to stop keeping fish in bad environments by continuing to pay for sick fish rather than trying to get them for free.
Experience with how people/stores treat their furred and feathered pets tells me that fish may never be treated humanely because not much progress has been made with dogs, cats, birds, etc. Fish are the last pet on the totem pole! I'm very cynical this morning!
I don't want labeling of "rescue" or "sympathy purchase" or whatever new phrase comes along to prevent people from helping or coming here to talk about how they are helping sick fish. I know the labels are coming from a good place but some might be discouraged by them.
Everyone gets in bad moods, the wind is always changing.
There was a little boy walking on the beach at low tide. He went along picking up a beached starfish and tossing them back into the water, the beach was littered with them. But he kept at it, picking one up, and tossing it back, and picking up another.
An older man approached the boy and asked him why he even bothered, there was no way he could save them all. It really didn't matter if he saved a few here and there.
The little boy looked up at the man, with a starfish in his hand, he tossed it back into the ocean and replied "It mattered to that one."
The point here is, we can't change the world in a night, but we can help these fish/cats/dogs/lizards when we come across them and plead with the stores to properly take care of their animals. If you bug them every time they see you (and they see me A LOT) the conditions change. It will not happen over night, but they do change. In the mean time, we do what we can, however we can. It may be with volunteer time, donations, making a huge fuss, making a forum for people to learn from, or buying that $3 betta on the verge of death. To each their own, as long as we are all helping out, things can't help but get better.
My words can be seen as working against the movement to try and get stores to stop keeping fish in bad environments by continuing to pay for sick fish rather than trying to get them for free.
Experience with how people/stores treat their furred and feathered pets tells me that fish may never be treated humanely because not much progress has been made with dogs, cats, birds, etc. Fish are the last pet on the totem pole! I'm very cynical this morning!
I don't want labeling of "rescue" or "sympathy purchase" or whatever new phrase comes along to prevent people from helping or coming here to talk about how they are helping sick fish. I know the labels are coming from a good place but some might be discouraged by them.
Everyone gets in bad moods, the wind is always changing.
Ah, thank you for explaining your perspective so thoroughly.
I think Mahatma Gandhi put it well when he said that a civilization's maturity can be judged by how they treat their animals, not to mention other human beings.
The concept of engendering compassion for other beings interests me a great deal as I work with kids in difficult circumstances, and sometimes their care has led them to a harsh and self-absorbed mindset.
What I have noticed is that more and more people are acting in a very conscious way more publicly with regard to animal rights as well as human rights and that strengthens my faith in the development of human consciousness.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions about things, everyone has their own way of doing things and there is nothing wrong with that! I personally believe that it's not a true rescue if you are putting money in the pockets of the companies that are treating the fish so poorly in the first place, but that's my personal opinion.
To all of the wonderful people out there that buy bettas that are in bad shape just to give them a second chance at life, good for you! And I admire each and every one of you!
It all comes down to the fact that we love these fish and we want to do what we can for them, whether it means taking home one fish and saving it's life, or trying to take on a major chain store, we do this because we care! Big hugs for everyone!!
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
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