A heartbreaking TikTok went viral recently, showing an entire box of live beta fish in the dumpster outside of a local Petsmart. The woman explained that it was her first-time dumpster diving, and they found these poor live fish left for dead. Other users in the comment section said that they had heard of pet shops dumping live animals in the dumpster like this before.
@k8thegr8_32 Found this in the dumpster at my local Petsmart. #dumpsterdiving
In a follow-up video, Kate explained that they didn’t know what to do once they found the fish. Beta fish can’t be put together, so that wasn’t an option, and even if she could have topped them all off with water, it wouldn’t have helped because they need to have special water. They called management, and the team told her that it was a mistake. One of the workers told the fish home and brought them back to work the next day.
Some users on TikTok explained that they used to work at Petsmart, and this was one of the reasons they left. Although the team at this store was kind and assured Kate that it was an accident, others weren’t so quick to believe that. The box was extremely heavy so it seems unlikely it was an accident, and others said that this happens all the time at pet stores like this. Other videos on TikTok show users across the US finding live animals in dumpsters outside of these stores.
@megslowkeyphoto Bad Petsmart!! #dumpsterdivingfinds #dumpsterdiver #dumpsterdiving #finderskeepers #livefish
Others have found birds dumped at the stores.
https://www.tiktok.com/@thetrashwalker/video/6915487251535334661?q=petsmart%20dumpster%20diving&t=1684439971232
Please do not Support these pet shops that only care about making a profit off of the animals. We encourage everyone thinking of getting a pet to only adopt instead of shopping. Read more resources about adopting animals on One Green Planet, including 7 Reasons to Adopt Your Next Furry Best Friend, 5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Adopt a Pet, and These Heartwarming Before and After Pictures of Adopted Rescue Animals Will Make Your Day! Read tips for pet adoptions and what to consider before adopting an animal. We recommend using these apps to find shelter dogs near you!
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Just saw this – I’m cancelling my auto ship and am awaiting a phone call from management. This is why pet stores need to stop selling animals – animals are not merchandise – this is disgusting. I feel sick knowing I paid money to a company that would do this.