Comment by batuhandumani
17 hours ago
I haven't looked into whether this happens in other countries, but in Turkey, when kids ask for a cat or a dog, parents will often buy them a baby chick from a local market instead. Sadly, within a week or so, once the child loses interest, the chick is often gotten rid of somehow by the parents.
Goldfish are what stereotypically served this purpose in the UK and Ireland, though this seems to have got out of fashion as pet shops no longer sell goldfish to be kept in tiny bowls.
Sometime in California of the 1990s, goldfish were superseded by Bettas or "Siamese Fighting Fish". You could find them lounging boredly in those same tiny goldfish bowls, even though they were probably better served with a filter, pump, furniture, and tropical water temperatures.
If you brought together the bowls of two male Bettas, each would viciously attack the glass to get at the other fish. I suppose there were actually people who set up cockfight-like contests, and bet on which fish would survive the fights.
I think I had one of these at some point. They are ornamental, in bright colors and long, flowing fins all over the place. They probably don't live long, no matter what.
Bettas were already very popular by the mid-80s. I was born in '76, grew up in the San Fernando Valley, and remember getting my first around 2nd grade, and continued to own a single or a pair until middle school. I recall many other kids did as well - to the point where it felt like a fad of that era, like Chinese jumprope, Rubik's Magic, and Aerobees. Walk into any fish store in the valley back then and there would be a bunch of betta bowls at the front, sold as a package with some food for like $5.
I heard they do it in Spain, too. Around Easter in particular. Sometimes the chicks are even painted.
so much cruelty to animals is it really surprising people do the same/worse to each other in more advanced ways?
wars lead to millions of orphans, widows, and utter loss.