Adoption....

[Laki]

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.