When Manx came to us, his tail had been ripped off down to the bone and left untreated. Spartan, Clarence, Noriko, Nanahara, and Warsaw had all been fought for entertainment and betting; Warsaw is permanently disabled from his wounds. Jersey, Nugget and many others were found on the brink of death from starvation. Murphy was abandoned on a front porch in the middle of winter, sick and underweight. Mia was unwanted because a genetic defect resulting from coloration selected for show animals had caused her to go blind. Leucothea, Rail, and two others were neglected by a hoarder. Boudica and Thatcher were abandoned because they didn't reproduce. Mahalo and many others were found dying of severe, untreated infections that could have been prevented with proper husbandry, while Chuck was so infested with parasites that it nearly killed him. Some, like Mouse, lost their homes because they were just "too ugly" to be wanted. And others, many others, died before help ever reached them.
Animal lovers would hear these stories and ask where they can sign up to welcome these tragic dogs and cats into their homes. They would demand legal repercussions for abusers, or hold walks to raise funds for medical care. These poor lost souls would want for nothing in the loving care of dedicated volunteers. The problem is, none of the animals above were dogs or cats. They were all fish, and many more have suffered and died silently, with no advocates.
I've met self-professed animal lovers keep bettas in a vase on their desk or goldfish in a bowl in their kitchen. Others tout the importance of research before buying yet have overstocked, under-stimulated, incompatible nightmares for home fish tanks. The same people who go to leaflett against puppy milling or wild caught parrots buy their fish from pet stores without a second thought. For all of the condemnation of the exotics trade, few I've met bat an eye at the fish in a store front aquarium.
Fish in most pet stores are mass (mill) bred, production bred on fish farms, or taken directly from the wild. They are subjected to extreme shipping stress with no laws protecting them on their voyage. In stores, they are kept in over-crowded aquariums with species they may be incompatible with, and seldom receive any sort of veterinary intervention for the (extremely prevalent) infections, parasites, and injuries that plague them. Untold numbers - thousands, perhaps even millions - die before ever leaving the store from preventable health conditions, and it is common to see sick, dead, and dying fish on display even in stores that pride themselves on animal care (ie. Petco/Petsmart).
Those who survive long enough to make it to their new homes do so with no adoption screening and often no age limit (some without even so much as a guarantee that the animal will survive more than a day!). The result is often prolonged suffering in undersized, unclean, unsuitable living conditions, perhaps alongside aggressive tankmates, before dying of a shortened lifespan (knowledgeable, responsible, and perhaps equally importantly humane fishkeepers, even among those devoted enough to the hobby post on web forums, seem a rare phenomenon). Those that lose their owners' interest due to upkeep, overbreeding, prohibitive size, or any other reason may find themselves released into non-native habitats, returned to pet stores, dumped on shelter staff ignorant of their care needs, killed through gruesome home methods, or shuffled through to the next owner with only a shadow of hope that they will not suffer the same fate again.
If we consider the dismal state of the fish industry, it is readily apparent even from surface examination that these animals are suffering and dying on a massive scale that trumps perhaps every other species championed by shelters and humane groups. They have little to no legal protection, a low standing in our culture, and perhaps the greatest (and only preventable) crime of all, virtually no advocates (PETA anthropomorphising bettas as social butterflies does not count). Humane outreach programs, legal funds, and even grassroots protests ignore the issue of fish in pet stores for more handsome quarry like ending dog fighting, stopping puppy mills, or reducing rabbit homelessness. Rescues for fish are few and far between (and often, in my experience, fraudulent), with sanctuaries virtually non-existant. Thus, no one speaks out to prevent the suffering of fish in the pet trade, and no one is there to pick up the pieces when the inevitable happens.
Here at ACS, fish ARE a major concern. At one time, they made up the bulk of our residents. These animals have experienced all the horrors (and then some) ever experienced by rescued dogs and cats, but their suffering occurred legally, unpunished, and often unquestioned, right in the public eye. They are constant reminders of the progress that needs to be made in bringing the animal welfare community around to the plight of all animals, not just the cute, furry ones that are visually appealing and great for fund raising. They need impassioned advocates unafraid to draw the comparison between the worst abuses of mammals and birds and the commonplace suffering of fish.Until that day comes, ACS would like to suggest the following:
1. If you wouldn't buy from a store that sells milled puppies or wild caught exotics, don't buy from a store that sells fish! Fish in chain stores tend to come from a small handfull of massive production breeders or are wild caught depending on the species. Likewise, if you normally oppose purchasing animals from pet stores, carry that philosophy over to fish!
2. Look to your classifieds, craigslist, petfinder, shelter listings, etc. if you think you'd like to adopt a fish. Most major cities will have postings every day for fish who are no longer wanted for a wide range of reasons. If you simply must buy, support a responsible, humane breeder with good credentials - though remember that ideally, living beings should never be reduced to products.
3. Carefully research before you adopt or purchase any fish. Flipping through a book published in the 80's, going to Yahoo! answers, or reading one web page does not suffice. Go to the websites of serious enthusiasts, talk to other keepers on forums for experience, read up on the species habitat and diet in the wild - misinformation is common, but outright ignorance is simply inexcusable.
4. When you see ailing fish in pet stores, speak up. Stores need to know that it is not acceptable for any animal in their care to be suffering or denied basic care needs. Consider how you would react if it was a dog, cat, or rabbit, and act accordingly. Be polite, firm, and if possible public so that other shoppers become aware of the problem as well.
5. Try to avoid the "sympathy purchase"- you are putting money in the hands of abusers. Many stores will relinquish ailing fish free of charge if asked, particularly if you display a level of expertise. Just remember to never bring home an animal you do not have the time, funding, and knowledge to help.
6. Educate whenever you see a fish being mistreated, be it in stores, private homes, or places of business. Ignorance is massive and pervasive when it comes to proper fish husbandry; even stores are often happy to learn the proper care of a given species. Just as you would try to educate a friend letting her unspayed cat breed willy-nilly, do not remain silent on behalf of fish. This is complicity with cruelty.
7. Above all, be an advocate! Whatever your talent may be - humane law, rescue, fostering, education, protest, letter writing - use it to help fish in addition to any other causes you champion. If you live in a state where fish have legal protection, DO report abuses. If you have space in your home, money in your wallet, time on your hands, and knowledge in your head, consider fostering or adopting fish needing homes. Got a talent for education? Write caresheets, post on web forums, or just talk to people about issues pertaining to fish in the pet trade. And always feel free to be your local fish store watch dog, making sure management keeps an eye on the conditions of animals in the store.
