Brisbane woman pays $500 (~$375 USD) to save her $12 (~$9 USD) goldfish
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You bond with a dog or cat to the point where they become a member of the family. I've never heard on bonding with a fish. They're just kind of there, unless there an expensive exotic fish then people boast about them.
I might not understand why someone would bond to a fish like that, but I'd never dismiss it because I don't care about fish. Some people say the same thing about birds, say they have no personalities, assuming they're only there sitting in their cages to match the decor. As the owner of several beloved birds to whom we are bonded ( part of their flock), I can attest to how attached people can get to animals other than dogs and cats.
So I can't label someone who would spend $500 on a $2 fish as dumb.....
The only limit any given person is allowed to draw is at his/her own wallet/family budget.
I don't own fish because I don't care for fish, but I'd spend good money to keep my three cats alive (which is also why I have pet insurance, so that I don't actually have to spend said good money). I've spent $600 to clean the teeth of my first cat because his gums were swollen and bothering him. I've spent $1K just recently on his bowel and hip issues. How much they cost me when I adopted them is irrelevant. It's my money and I'll spend it the way I think is prudent; it's also a lot of money which requires a budget rejigger, but I knew that going in. I didn't adopt a stuffed toy, but a member of the family and I knew full well what I was signing up for when I did (in fact, most adoption agencies will put this kind of scenario in the contract and won't let you adopt if you answer the question wrong). Fish aren't my thing, like I said, but I can see how someone would feel the same affinity for one that I do for my furballs.
Last edited by highlanderfil; 09-15-2016 at 08:55 AM..
First of all, why are you so fixated on the picture? Yes, clearly there is a fish bowl and a young woman in the picture. What exactly are you trying to say? You want to make comments and "roll your eyes" at everyone, but you're the one who isn't being clear. If you have something that you want to say about the young lady in the picture, I think you should just say it.
He considers her to be unattractive, so of course she'd spend $500 to save any creature that would be around her because she doesn't have a man (or a woman) in her life. He's just being quasi-demure about it so that we don't call him out on it outright, but it's fairly obvious. It's also idiotic, but there you go.
I'd say a large number of birds are higher up than dogs and cats. Ever seen anyone with a pet parrot of any kind? (Parakeet, ringneck, cockatoo, cockatiel, mackaw, etc.) They act more like people than any four-legged animal out there.
I grew up with birds. My grandmother loved birds so much. We had a macaw named Fred who would scream his head off whenever anyone was on the phone. He hated not being the center of attention. He'd have temper tantrums and scream my grandma's name. My sister has a pet bird who calls those of us she recognizes as part of her flock, "sweethearts."
When I was a kid, my parents set up a whole chicken farming operation. We had a nice coop and about 50 chickens. I fed them every day, I talked with them... and then I came home one day to find them being wrapped in butcher paper and put in the freezer! I screamed, "What is happening?!" And my dad said, "Why did you think we had all these chickens? For your pets?" I insisted that they had "trusted me" and had I known they were to be butchered, I would have set them all free. My dad laughed and said, "I hate to tell you this, but the chickens in the grocery store look just like the chickens in our yard." I refused to eat any of the "trusting chickens." I just couldn't do it. It felt like it would be the same as eating our pet dog. My mom insisted that one rooster, Fred, not be butchered. He had learned how to open the screen door to the house and just walk in. There were many times I found Rooster Fred just standing in the middle of our living room, looking around like he owned the place. He was pretty smart... knew that he had to be charming in order to stay alive.
I get it. Money can be replaced and the fish couldn't.
I never had fish but my aunt had a regular goldfish that started out little and grew really big. It was a classroom fish and she was the teacher. That was a special fish. It eventually died and I don't know the cause. It was sad. Had it been healthy and swallowed a pebble I am sure she would have done something about it.
My daughter had a pet rat and it had a tumor. We took it to the vet and got surgery. It cost a lot for me at the time but she loved her pet. What is more important? Love or money? I wanted to teach her that love was more important.
Last year, my mom spent over $4 grand on our dog to have kidney surgery and it didnt work out. 2 weeks later she paid another $350 to have the dog put to sleep.
When u love a pet....u love a pet...
What's a couple hundred dollars anyway? If it brings the owner joy and the owner has the cash... i say go for it.
I had a clownfish I named Charlie in my salt water tank ( think finding Nemo ). He used to feed the anenome that he lived in. He was also friendly. Whenever I came to the tank, he would swim his fat little self over there to greet me. I think his two thoughts were " what is it, and can I eat it?"
I cried like a baby when he got the Ick.
I don't keep aquariums anymore. If I want to see the fishies, I have to pony up and go snorkeling, which I love.
But I understand that people love their pets. Even a fish. RIP, Charlie.
And if that lady has the money to spend on her goldfish, and that's what she wants to do, good for her.
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