Thanks Pinterest!

[baron1282]

And TLC and so on. Places like this give this kind of advice saying how awesome it is! Showing bowls of fish and what not. It really makes my job worse!

I was at work a few days ago and someone wanted 150 gold fish (feeders) for wedding centerpieces.

Oh it gets worse! She brought a TEN gallon and a tiny filter to keep them in overnight before going into tall vases.

My job is hard enough trying to keep hundreds of them alive with a Massive filter that any fish enthusiast would want to own! It's massive!

I spent 30mins explaining how horrible of an idea this was. I promised her about half would be dead in the morning and more would die in the vases before they even sat down to eat. Who wants to see dead goldfish while eating? The plan to get rid if them of course was to give them away to children, which means they would have a lot of crying children who didn't get one!

Thankfully company policy would not let me sell them for that use. I can understand using them as feeders, animals have got to eat! I just hate to see these poor fish being abused so much, even by us. We try to keep them alive, but there is so many!

So I told her NO after 30mins of trying to talk her out of the whole Idea. Of course she was upset and couldn't believe I wouldn't sale her cheap fish we use for feeding other fish. I told her, while a lot of fish do go to feeding we get just as much people that come and get some for their ponds. I told her to look at our care guide! Just ONE would require 20 gallons by itself!

I knew taking this job would be hard, because of crap like this, but you would not believe how much fish I sell knowing they are going to a bad home. The best I can do is educate as much as I can and hope for the best. ;-(

I know the majority of you think all big chain pet stores are evil, but I am happy with our company policy. We can refuse any sale (even fish), if we feel it will be a very bad situation, like this wedding idea crap.

You just got to think, is a big fight really worth losing a returning customer over a dollar. That's why we give in mostly and hope for the best.


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[emilygupps]

I can relate. I don't work with fish but I do work in a small animal clinic. I can't tell you how many times I see animals with broken limbs walk out of the clinic because they can't afford treatment. "It's just a dog..."

An other time a 5 month old blue pit got in to a "scuffle in the back yard" it scrotum was torn open and a testicle was dangling. The doctor said the only way to fix it was to neuter the puppy. "Won't that make him less aggressive?" "Yes that's the point..." "Oh no can't have that..." And the puppy (full of kisses and sweetness) walk out of that clinic. I cringe to think what became of him.

Do the best with the animals in your care and keep fighting the battle. You won one for gold fish every where, today.


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[baron1282]

The company I work for made it easy for that win! We won't sale them for carnivals or weddings.

That's not to say we haven't without knowing. I am sure we have, it's just good to know if a person tells us that is what they are for we can refuse to do so.

I might have sold her them, if I knew the survivors would go to a pound or actual good homes. At least some would have a chance than.


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