WALMART ABUSES FISH

Walmart is the successful grocery store we all love and know. They sell almost everything, from toilet paper to slow cookers. And fish. Many of the local walmarts around you will sell these house pets to keep in your home. But Walmart does not take proper care of these house pets, and should be banned from selling any kind of living creature. Walmart should most definitely stick to toilet paper and slow cookers; the history between walmart and fish is almost disgusting.

Betta fish and many others are kept in small containers, with dirty, cold water, and within the reach of small children who do not know any better. A betta fish is a tropical aquatic creature. They require 3-5 gallons at the very least, they need to be within the temperature of 76-82, much like their very own tropical shores. With proper care they can live up to 3-5 years. A betta fish cannot survive in a bowl, which Walmart likes to keep them in.

PETA, (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 6.5 million members and supporters.) have even once taken fish from Walmart to give them proper treatment. In the article Wal-Mart Gives Homeless Fish to PETA, PETA’s cruelty investigations department received a call from a Walmart customer who overheard from employees that they would no longer sell fish or snails. Which in turn is a very good thing. But how will Walmart get rid of all their current fish is the question. They were to be “dry-bagged”. All the fish would have been placed in dry bags to suffocate then thrown away. Thankfully PETA rescued all the fish and snails which from then on were properly taken care of.

A petition was set up, on Change.org to stop Walmart and this animal abuse. Sadly the petition was closed with only a total of 304 supporters. On the petition the woman explains the mistreatment her newly bought betta fish had undergone. She claims that on April, 14th 2012 she bought the fish and was told by the sales associate that the fish could live in a bowl and did not need any filtration. Although 14 hours later, she decided to take her fish to an aquatic specialist, who told her the truth. The specialist told her the fish should have never been sold in a bowl and was already becoming sick. The fish could only survive if Walmart were to put it back in its natural environment to be treated. She went to speak to the manager to find they currently did not have one, and was then apologized to by an associate and offered a full refund. She asked if the staff was properly trained and wanted to know what was to happen to the fish which needed medical attention. That was when she found out that all fish returned to walmart were destroyed. She then decided not return the fish.

Fish in Walmart are being horribly abused, and all Walmart will do is turn the blind eye. They may not be our usual soft and cuddly pets such as cats and dogs, but that does not change the fact that these are living creatures who do not deserve such treatment whatsoever. Walmart should not be allowed to sell these creatures, they should rightfully be the job of pet stores and shelters alone. The fish in Walmart eat each other, are sick, not given proper food, cold, and live in filthy water. Along with being in reach of harmful children who do not completely understand just how fragile they truly are. We must stop Walmart and do something! I am not like them, I will not turn a blind eye like many others. This is wrong, I know it is, and I will not standby.

Walmart does not properly take care of fish, they are abused, neglected, and disregarded completely. We have brought it to Walmart's attention numerous times that the fish need better treatment, yet they continue to turn the blind eye. If they refuse to take care of the fish they must stop selling them altogether.