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Adoption....

2K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  Laki 
#1 ·
Okay, I feel some people may get offended by this post. I would like to assure you that if you have, plan to, or be all for saving a poor fish, then that is totally fine! It means you have a HUGE heart and you saved a precious life.

The reason I am posting this is because I would like your opinion.
If we are constantly saving the fish, we are still buying them. Thus making the stores run out of stock so they must restock. Are we still supporting them?

I believe instead of supporting these stores, We should even take a picture and write a letter to the company every time we see one needing saved.

I haven't ever saved one but only because I do not have the setup nor the knowledge to save these little guys.

If you plan on saving them, Please join me in taking a stand against them replacing those rescue fish with even more!
 
#2 ·
Hey there,

I can definitely see your point of view and totally agree....... buying a sick betta is a very good hearted thing to do but it also means that you are supporting the store that is neglecting the fish so I think taking photos and writing letters is definitely the right approach to take because it stands to make the best welfare improvements in the long run for not just one sick fish but all of the bettas being neglected in that store.

In saying that I have rescued bettas in the past, though, the bettas that I rescued were usually from stores that generally did clean their betta tanks it was just the odd sick fish that turned up that I felt I needed to help. It sort of depends on the situation as to what approach is best.

In my opinion if the sore in general keeps their bettas in poor neglectful conditions then I definitely would not support the store by giving them money for one fish just so they can go and replace it with another that they will neglect. Take photo's write letters and report them for neglect!!!!! On the other hand if you are lucky enough to have a pet/fish shop in town that does actually take care of their bettas but through bad luck the odd sick fish turns up then I would say go for it and rescue the betta!!!!

In my opinion the above actions are the best for betta welfare as a whole. It is important that shops that neglect bettas do not gain our support, take your business elsewhere but don't turn a blind eye, notify the right people and who knows you might make a real difference to a lot of bettas lives without lining the pockets of those who treat them so badly. Would love to hear other peoples opinion on this matter. :)
 
#5 ·
I see it both ways, but there is always asking the manager to make the sick fish free. ;-) That's why it's better to go to a good LFS or from a breeder.
 
#6 ·
I have seen betta rescuers write about getting a sick fish for free but then they still buy supplies from the same store. IMO, if you are truly wanting to make a difference you will boycott that store altogether and not buy a single thing from them until they improve conditions for the fish.

Otherwise go ahead and do what you want and call it what you want, a rescue a "sympathy purchase" whatever, it's all the same unless you take that extra step and BOYCOTT completely.
 
#7 ·
YES I agree on the boycotting because we dont know how all the other animals are treated and theu dont deserve business then. I am lucky to be in a smaller town where they only get in so many bettas at a time so staff can manage the number easier. Complainimg and boycotting should do the trick especially if its a small store that needs business. On one note, sometimes its noone"s fault if the store gets a fresh shipment and there are sick ones. It.means those endured too much stress and just couldnt travel. Every animal is different.
 
#8 ·
I have saved a couple.
My point of view on saving them is that regaurdless of weather or not we betta lovers save sick ones, the stores will still re-stock because they are so cheap for the companies selling them to replace. Also, because there are many many people out there that are clueless to betta care and think that those .25 gallon bowls are okay because they say "betta" on them. They dont take the time to look them up and since that's the cheapest set up they can find they will more than likely buy that, and listen to whatever the pet store says on care, which generally is "oh, clean their bowls once in a while, feed them once in a while, they dont need a heater, and that .25 gallon bowl is plenty of room!"
 
#9 ·
I think it is a very valuable point made about buying medications and supplies from the stores that neglect the fish. If you can get the fish for free by all means rescue the betta but don't then go and buy meds and equipment from the same store, buy from a store that provides adequate care for their fish and other animals for sale otherwise free betta or not it is sort of defeating the purpose because the store is still gaining a customer and support.

If none of your local stores really take care of their fish buying supplies online is a great way to get the things that you need, most online stores that sell pet supplies don't actually sell animals so you will have peace of mind knowing that you will not be supporting someone who is also neglecting their animals, also in some occasions buying online cuts out the 'middle man' and means that you may get the needed products for a fraction of the price that you would pay from your LFS.
 
#10 ·
I got my dog from a local pet store far before I had known anything about puppymills, inbreeding, etc.

I can't say I regret buying him because I don't. I love him. Since GOOD BREEDERS screen the homes of potential buyers and will take ANY DOG that they have bred back AT ANY TIME for ANY REASON, there is much less worry about dogs hailed from good breeders. However, my dog could have ended up on the streets. He could have ended up in a horrible home. He could have died a long time ago and produced lots and lots of unwanted puppies. But no, instead, we got him. Purchasing from pet stores is such a curious subject...in ethics and just in general. You could look at it as... 'we saved our dog' from potentially going to a neglectful home...or--"she just supported a puppymill, a pet store, a bad breeder, etc with $xxxx!"
It's a difficult thing for me to distinguish...
We care about these animals, yet we do not care for their providers, the people that see them as money...? We do not care for the potentially neglectful homes either, yet in -not supporting those animals=money businesses-, we may have indirectly sacrificed the well being of an animal? :(
Where does it ever end....
Oh, if I live to see that day....
 
#11 ·
It's hard to decide on one thing and stick to it. I mean, humans are creatures of habit and when money is involved there is much more "habit" lol
See, large chains like PetSmart, PetCo, PJ's Pets etc... can sell their bettas for 2.99 because they can get them for pennies from their own supplier. The bettas are worthless to them, which is why they can also afford to give the sick ones away for free. I think instead of campaigning to boycott them (because, let's face it, they sometmes have fantastic hard-to-resist sales on other pet products, which goes back to the money and habit thing) we should be campaigning for them to raise the prices on the bettas so less stupid people buy them. That would be the only way to stop the turnover in the betta sales.

Honestly, the community of members on this site is so spread out and small that us boycotting our local stores will not be noticed. They won't, and stores will continue on as normal.

The change will happen in the store. The store will continue on whether you buy from it or not, the masses are not passionate enough to boycott a store because of a "fish".. Bettas are worthless little things to the masses, let's face it.

SO, yes, leafletting and letter writing to the corporation and to individual managers MIGHT make a change but it's up to them to make the change.

Do I think we should still buy them from stores? IF you get the fish for free, yes. The more sales they make in supplies outdoes the sales they are making in sick animals so eventually something might change. I think if the prices went up on bettas from 2.99 (females) to like 5.99 for females and then like 8.99 or something for males (my lps sells VTs and females for 9.99) then less people will buy them as impulse. Kids with allowance looking for a cheap thrill won't buy them for that price! and if they are higher in price, people might consider them to be more than "just a betta" and actually look into proper care for them like they would when buying cichlids or oscars.
 
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