What I seen at Wal Mart...Pretty Sad!

[Duskdog]

Originally Posted by Feral

You're right of course, it was a spur of the moment act while infuriated. Still, if it prompts someone to keep a better eye on that section I'm not apologetic about it. I've got to believe they've got 'eyes in the skies' all over that place. Maybe I'll find out that I'm in trouble next time I go in there

I agree that they ought to have someone keep a better eye on the fish. Really I wish Wal-Mart wouldn't sell live animals at all unless they're prepared to devote to training proper animal care specialists AND setting aside enough payroll hours to give them time to take care of the animals. Even just one full-timer to work the pet department (and only the pet department) would help a lot.

I was actually surprised to find that my closest local Wal-Mart sold bettas at all, as it's a very old store that doesn't sell any other fish. They just sit in their cups on a shelf in the middle of one of the two small pet aisles, where people won't even notice they're there unless they're either specifically looking for them or just happen to stumble down that aisle while searching for bird seed. Their cups were actually pretty clean, but still -- they had to be depressed little fish.

[Kitty Whiskers]

I remember when Kmart used to sell fish. They used to also sell Hamsters, birds, Hermit Crabs, Gerbils etc. Glad that stoped too cause the cages were nasty all the time.

[Mingxia]

Originally Posted by Feral

Truly sad, and really irresponsible, even for an outfit that only sees the critters as a boost to their bottom line, BUT- I'll go you one worse

Last time I was in there, I was (natch) checking out the new arrivals and noticed an empty container. Hmm I thought, a casualty but why leave the crumby little container? Well, I got the scoop a couple minutes later...

Some JERK had decided to stage an impromptu fish fight right there on the shelf in that lousy little container so even should one decide to flee, it couldn't. Man, I was so angry, I ripped open one of their new net packages and switched one fish back to the empty bowl then threw the net on the floor. I would hope this wasn't a bored employee, and luckily, the physical damage was not yet too severe, but uggh, the trauma. If I see this kind of thing again, I'm going to make it a personal cause to see that Wallyworld never sells another Betta again, anywhere. Bad enough they get treated like a roll of toilet paper, but this is inexcuseable.

That is indeed inexcuseable. How horrid it is to force a fish to its own death. I once had to clean out one of the containers in Wal-mart and get another fish out of there. I was very angry. I got in trouble for messing with their stuff but I told them how it was and they decided that they were going to leave me be after scolding me. Wal-mart better watch out because if I see another thing like that happen I swear I will cause some massive damage. I will make sure they never sell another fish.

[Jayy]

The last time I went to Wal-mart they had the bettas in a inch of water. I wanted to add more water, but there was a bunch of Wal-mart workers hanging around near the fish so I got scared and didn't.

[Jayy]

Originally Posted by Kitty Whiskers

I remember when Kmart used to sell fish. They used to also sell Hamsters, birds, Hermit Crabs, Gerbils etc. Glad that stoped too cause the cages were nasty all the time.

I got my first betta at Kmart. They kept them at the font of the store.

[carpenter547]

i just have one question for every one who is just complaining about walmart.


have any of you schedualed an appointment with the manager to talk about volunteering your time to go down and personally change and maintain thier bettas?

i would just about guarentee that if you used the words "volunteer" and "more profit / money" in the same sentance they would be aminable to it. already most of yu are buying your bettas in those cups any way so you are supporting the system you are complaining about. might as well keep the cups clean and feed as proper as you could so that your next purchase will be better than your last.

just explain that bettas are living creatures and will get sick and look sick faster and thus sell less and have to be cared for longer than healthy well maintained animals. if that doesn't work get some local betta enthusiasts to send mass letters to said manager with a letter writing campain to improve his bettas. just remeber to them it is all money so no matter how much you bug them you need to make a case for the bottom line. either in better faster sales or in less die offs.

if all else fails you and all betta lovers in your area just stop shopping at that walmart.

[dramaqueen]

They probably wouldn't allow people to come in and volunteering to help take care of fish. I asked at my Petsmart and they told me they don't allow that.

[carpenter547]

well then by all means allow a probability to create a certainty. i notice that this is very prevailant with betta people. oh well last post on this i promise.

funny thing though every time some thing has been bad enough for me to say "some one should do some thing i have volunteered to be that some one and darn near every time it has worked out"

this was not directed at you mrs. queen since you actually took the step to try and fix a broken situation. it was more directed at every one else who just says "some one should"