False Advertising?! Ahahaha... (long, language)

[PetStoreKate]

There are a lot of suicidal fish out there, that's why the big fishtanks come with lids. My mother had this angelfish that she grew from about the size of a quarter to about the size of a salad plate (lone fish in a 75 gal tank), and she figured the best way to get my ma out of bed in the morning was to jump out of the tank and flop around on the floor. Most mornings that worked, until my mom went out of town on a business trip, and my dad sleeps like the dead.

!!!!!

cry!

[PhotoChick]

My ex and I had piranhas. We started out with six? tiny ones and they cannibalized each other until there was only 3. Two were much bigger than the third, so when he disappeared we thought they had eaten him. About a month ago my ex called to say when he pulled out the lower tank to wash and put the sting ray in he found the missing piranha wedged between the wall and the tank.

[BaristaGirl]

I just got a beta a few days ago, actually. But Henry Fishface (his name) is still stressed from the move and hasn't learned to associate me with food yet, so he hates me for now. ;.;

My friend's fish jumped out of the tank once! They have three dinner-plate-sized leopard-print fish (I forget the species name) and once of them jumped out of the tank and behind it. XD They saved him, he is alive to this day, though at the time C didn't realize the fish had gotten out. From the noises, she thought the cats had gotten into the dishwasher!

[Becks]

Too bad no one ran out and got her license plate number.

If I were in a store when something like that happened, I think I'd be in a state of shock and unable to think clearly enough to write down the plate info.

Of course, she could be one of those people who don't have license plates on her car.

[XCashier]

There are a lot of suicidal fish out there, that's why the big fishtanks come with lids.

Yep. Had a swordtail that leaped out of the tank as we lifted the lid to feed the fish. That little bugger jumped and flopped all over the place, evading capture for several minutes (kept leaping out of our hands and the fish net). Finally we managed to get the idiot back in the tank. Stupid thing was still alive and well when we gave the tank to our friends a year later. Guess he was too dumb to die.

[allniter]

Yup!! Mine begs ALL the time It's adorable, but he's getting pretty fat!

The woman walked out as a supervisor was dialing 911, but as she didn't remain in the store there wasn't a whole lot that we could do. As for the bags - this wasn't directly witnessed, but she was the only customer that I had in a three hour period, and during those three hours the bags were ripped. We're doing our best to keep her out of the store, but we don't have security cameras so we don't have a picture of her! I've been going with an oral description, and so far so good!! Hopefully she won't be back!

I'd key her car with a nice big "THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS"

please try and stand up for yourself more by breaking the law, it's ever so fun to turn the tables on a lawbreaker themselves. Sure it's stooping to their level, but I'd rather be a criminal than a sucky old goodie-two-shoes

[Marxfan]

That woman should be arrested for assault. Throwing a glass bowl towards an infant??? WTF?

Still, you handled the situation well, though if I were you, I should have had her banned from the store...

[napoleana]

Awe, if I'd been there, I'd've bought poor Simon to ensure that nothing so horrible would ever happen to him again. (Bonus points for having the same name as my old rabbit.)

Actually, I always wanted a Beta because they were beautiful, but I'd heard they were hard to take care of and the little bowls they're sold in aren't good for them.


Fish Abuse: And yeah, only dogs and cats are taken seriously as cases of animal abuse. Some larger mammals might be accepted as cases of abuse if the case is extreme, they were privately owned as a pet, or they are particularly cute. Other than that, if 90% of American's eat it, than it's a commodity and the cops are just gonna stare at you like your crazy. It is a very sad world we live in...

[Saydrah]

Nice to see another pet industry person around here!

...Oh and chances are the product she slashed was the product I represent

[Kittish]

Glad you were able to save the fish.

One small consolation (admittedly very small) is that DW probably had to listen to her brat whine for days about wanting the fish. Of course, it's possible that mommy dear considered this good practice for her spawn....

What I don't get is how ANYONE with even a single brain cell thinks that using a price tag FROM ANOTHER STORE would get them anywhere. That just transcends stupid.

As far as banning her, here's an idea. If any of the managers or employees has a camera, digital, poleroid or otherwise, try to snag a photo of DW next time she tries to come into the store. That way you'll have a pic to post with the notice "Banned from store."