Live Fish and Reptiles Sold as Keychains in China

Apr 12, 2011 98 comments

According to a news report on Chinese media, the hottest new fad in China involves selling a live fish, or a Brazilian turtle or a young giant salamander sealed up in airtight plastic bags as key rings. Each packet is about 7 centimeters in length and filled with colored water along with the imprisoned animal. The street vendors claim the water is nutrient rich, but they are not. Without oxygen and food the animals get to live for only a few days, if they are lucky. The most depressing part is that the whole thing is legal.

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Animal cruelty laws are almost non-existent in China. It was only just recently that the country banned animal in circuses where they are made to perform unimaginable tricks. Animal meat are also exotic entrees at zoo restaurants.

The country has a Wild Animal Protection Law which applies only to wild animals. Fishes and  reptiles do not fall under this category and hence the law cannot protect them. Animal rights activists are voicing protests against the sale of these keyrings but without a law to back them there is little that can be done.

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Two gold fish sealed in plastic pouches and sold as keychains are displayed at a roadside stall in Beijing, China on April 12. Each keychain is sold for 10 yuan (USD $1.50).

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Source: Time, Photos: Associated Press

Comments

  1. This cruelty is very disturbing. Even if my country does not have strict Cruelty to Animal Laws such as those in the western First World countries, I do not think that this kind of abomination would be welcomed by rational-minded people. This is simply ghastly!

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    1. As a scientist, I've found that most people are not educated enough to know that the "enhanced water" claims are ridiculous! In fact, you're not intelligent enough to have REASONNED from reading the article that none of these people know the truth and that therefore, had the "people in your country" as you say - including you - weren't told the truth from this article, they'd buy these just the same...

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    2. But even believing in the history of the "enhanced water", I ask myself if people don't think about the small space where the animals are living and the agitation that they will suffer about being in a key ring...

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    3. I'm sorry, but how would a normal thinking human being NOT know, that no animal can be kept in such a small bag? Even IF they would live up to two months in this, it should be clear, that every single animal of these has a much higher lifespan, if kept properly.
      Though I agree, that they might not know whether the people who sell these are lying about the quality of the water, it is just too obvious that this is animal abuse.

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    4. Dear 'scientist', your comment on that post does not make sense. :)
      Among others, the initial post didn't state anything about not knowing the lie about the enhanced water. The op might or might not know. And even without the factor of 'the water' people can, logically so, be able to tell that even the space for the animals ist too small and therefore see it's an 'abomination'.
      Though yes, I do think there are a lot of people in China seeing refusing such treatment of animals. It's just that China is a huge country.

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    5. Cruelty aside, but a young GIANT SALAMANDER? Are they serious or just blowing smoke? Chinese giant salamanders are critically endangered- hell, if that was true (I'm sire it's a more common species), I'd buy these all up and try and start a sanctuary, where are they getting them all from? (clearly they are blowing smoke out their bum). This article doesn't seem reliable on the species, other links show that the turtles seem to be primarilay Red Eared Sliders or Soft Shelled Turtles (commonly sold to make turtle soup)

      And while this is horrible, they used to stick goldfish like that in a similar thing as teething rings for babies and in platform shoes and whatever they could stick them in, this is the first time I've seen reptiles and amphibians though.

      Turtles would drown fairly quickly.

      Ectothermic (cold blooded) animals can live for more than "a few days" without food, but that does not excuse treating any animal like that.

      Anyway, this is clearly horrible but we also have to look in our own back yards and clean up our acts too.

      P.S. I'm a scientist so since I said that it makes what I said more righter even though my speciality might have nothing to do with biology or I might be just saying that I am to obtain some kind of superduperness

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  2. So wrong, on so many different levels.

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  3. This is disgusting, how is it even legal? People should buy these creatures and take them out of the bags and put them in water tanks that will actually keep them alive.

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    1. Finally, some is using their BRAINS! I agree. THE SOLUTION: educate people about the fact that oxygen is gone quickly and no nutrients are present - as indicated by the CLEAR water. Most will stop buying... Then, go after the manufacturers as it will take longer...

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    2. True words,i agree!

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    3. I cant believe that ANYONE can be so cruel... oh wait CHINA and even here in the USA , where people still buy puppies from stores ie mills. Ignorance and cruelty are world wide. Totally agree with previous post, cut their genitals off, but furthermore lex talionis, ey for an eye let them die in a tiny zip lock bag

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    4. I agree, this is horrific and whoever thought of this, is absolutely stupid and needs to be abused like the first person said, but may I suggest also sealing them in a bag so they may slowly suffocate without food or water because these animals are being starved as they slowly suffocate. Turtles NEED oxygen, there's no exeptions. Sure, turtles can hold their breathes for a long time, but without oxygen, they DIE! Whoevers responsible for this is obviously retarded and uneducated.


      I would like to hunt them down and return the favor they did for these poor young animals. Complete idiocy.

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    5. The colored water is also bad for the fishes heath, and I'm assuming the same goes for the turtles and salamanders. Anyone with a brain should be able to tell that this is wrong and no one should have bought them, but sadly I think whoever felt bad would have bought them in attempts to free them, but that only causes them to make more. This is exactly like a puppy mill, they won't stop because they've getting paid to make them most likely due to someones pitty for the animals. And to whomever caused this to be a TREND to have one, is horrible. This isn't a funny or cute thing. This is absolutely horrifying.

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  4. No, people SHOULDN'T buy them just to let them free, that would just fuel the demand and make vendors think it is okay to sell them.

    If people don't buy them, there's no demand, vendors won't sell them. End of story.

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  5. ergh this shouldn't be aloud

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  6. wow...this cruel i could understand if there was some way to feed them but there's not these poor animals are starving to death! if i bought one I would cut it open and save the critter and put it where it belongs as a pet not in a damn key chain the size of a Altoids can!

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    1. dude "i'd understand if there was someway to feed them"????!??!?! are you serious?! i'll let you live your entire life in a sealed bad (with limited oxygen) and plenty of food. nevermind your excrements and boredom... you have food! you should be happy!!! don't buy one, either. you are supporting this market if you buy one. if people buy these, then the manufacturers will say "great! they're selling! let's keep doing this!!!" DO NOT BUY THESE! EVEN IF TO SET THEM FREE. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS MARKET. WE NEED TO SHOW THE MAKERS OF THESE THAT NO ONE IS INTERESTED IN SUCH GHASTLY CRUELTY!

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  7. @samantha, it is now.

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  8. This is disgusting. THIS is what the animal rights groups need to be focusing on instead of attacking nonvegans and pet owners that care for their animals.

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  9. I agree, this is very cruel. This 'fad' is essentially a death sentence for animals.

    But from the moment I read that this is happening in China, I knew this would evoke racist comments. You can't accuse an entire race of animal cruelty or make judgments of their mental capabilities. And like what one of the anonymous comments said, people develop different morals in different regions. Get your head out of your ass.

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  10. I hope the stinky dead animal juice breaks in the purses and pockets of every subhuman who buys these.

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  11. This is turning into a racist thread about Asia. Instead of attacking a whole race, how about attacking the issue of animal cruelty? Not everyone in asia agrees with this, not everyone in Asia is doing this. It mentioned China, which could refer to a small subsection of a whole country.

    I'm not Asian, but as another "non-white", I find the racism here as disgusting as the article's subject matter.

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  12. @Siana, Kawaii is a Japanese word. China is not Japan. For the record, they are 2 different countries.

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  13. Idióták, akik veszik azok is!!!!

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  14. china sux! instead of Japan I hope the earthquake and tsunami hit china less chinese people

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  15. sometimes im just not proud im from asia :(

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    1. Cause your whitewashed don't use it as excuse and stand up for your country...

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    2. What, stand up for the kind of mentality that does this?
      Sometimes I'm not proud of the cruel things British people do, does that mean I'm 'Blackwashed'

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  16. @genericvox

    The chinese government doesn't care about things like this. It is legal, and I doubt they even consider making it illegal. Therefore it is not 'racist' or w/e to name 'China', even if this moght only happen in a small region.

    The whole government doesn't give a shit, and therefore represents China.

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  17. As a foreigner in China, I was pretty mortified when I saw vendors selling these. I asked one of my Chinese friends about it, and she said that it was a little sad in a way, but she doesn't feel bad about it because she doesn't believe animals have souls, and therefore don't have feelings.

    Granted, you could argue against that point all day, but it wont make her (or anyone else) change their mind. I'm not sure if her views reflect the cultural belief at large, or just a small portion of people... but... at least it's an answer to the question of "why".

    (Not trying to advocate the selling of these animals... just offering some insight.)

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  18. WOW, how cruel is this?! whats wrong over there, those are living creatures!! -.-

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  19. In the US, carnivals have booths where they give a goldfish "prize" to somebody who gets a ring around a stick or a ball into a cup or something similar. The fish only cost them a few pennies and can be purchased in a pet store for 10 cents or less, so it's not really winning anything.

    People take these fish home in plastic bags with no air or nutrients. You could make the argument that winners COULD put them in a bowl and they could live for years. But the same argument could be made for the Chinese fish.

    The reality is that most of these carnival fish will be dead within a few days. Some people will try to keep them alive, but the fish will die in the toxic environment created by the limited amount of water. Many will simply be flushed down the toilet by parents. And countless ones that were not claimed as prizes won't be around for the next day's carnival.

    You could argue that it's not the same thing. On a scale of 1-100, China might be on a 2 while the carnivals might be on a 14, with 100 being kind to animals. If you can pontificate about one but ignore the other, you are not only exhibiting cultural bias, you are also kidding yourself if you think that carnival fish are the worst the West has to offer.

    My son brought home one of those carnival goldfish a year or two ago. It now has a nice home with clean filtered water. It has grown to several times its former size. Before you cite that as a success, keep in mind that it brought revenue to somebody who most likely caused more fish to die because of it. Had I been there, that fish never would have been saved. But it would have been a step closer to ending the practice. "Results not typical."

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  20. This why china win ping pong. Have good luck charm

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  21. I would want to buy them all to just cut open the bags and care for them properly. Except the money part incurages sales and such:(

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    1. exactly. no one should buy any of them, regardless of whether they plan on freeing them or not... we can't support this kind of market. SAY NO! DON'T BUY! money/sales= support!

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  22. Sensational journalism at its best.... why would anyone buy a key chain that need to be thrown out in a day or so??? Use your brain, people!!! The key chain part is only a gimmicky way to bag up the fish. It is expected that people will cut it open and put the fish in a fish tank when they get home. Think before you throw stones at someone...

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  23. I have a lovely, huge aquarium here at home with turles and fish that swim and roam freely. Wish I could fly to china take as much of those things as possble, set the person selling hem on fire take them back home and set them free with other turtle, fish, and lizard friends.

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  24. Oh... Since the comments have obviously "gone there" and become about race and culture and animal rights and politics and all that fun stuff, why not... Here it goes:
    Americans have really big egos. Do you think somebody who doesn't make enough money to feed their son or daughter a big fish will care about a little one? Do you think that if your mother was shot in the street for stealing a lighter from the Wal-Mart factory she works for, you would really give two hoots about what American fascists think of you?

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    1. THANK YOU. i cannot believe how many people here chose to have a racism party instead of stay on the topic at hand, which is liberating these abused souls.

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    2. i agree that this is not an issue of race, in the least bit. it is a human matter. i'm so sick right now... i wanted to compassionately point out that if by "liberate" you mean purchase and set free, this is not a good idea. i used to say this about pet shops: "i want to buy all those poor souls in those tiny cages and give them a better life". the problem is, people have turned animal's lives into a market. if we BUY them, we support the market. if we buy a cat in a pet store, another is put in it's place. yes, we saved that one life, but we supported the market that put it there in the first place. if people buy these little critters-in-key-chains, they will only perpetuate this situation, even if they buy them to set them free. the answer is: NO ONE BUY ANY OF THESE KEY CHAINS, EVEN IF TO SET THEM FREE. yes, the poor, beautiful souls that are currently within the key chains will die :( but hopefully the meanies making these things will go "oh... well that was a flop" and stop, FOREVER..... <3 <3 <3 <3

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    3. Here's my answer: if you are bright enough to realize you don't have enough money to live on, you are bright enough to realize you should not breed. That is why the birth rate has dropped in so-called "first world" countries, to the point the populations would be getting lower, if it were not for all the immigrants from "third world" countries.

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    4. We used to be treated as subhumans by business owners as well, here in Canada, in the U.S., and in Britain. People died in factories and different industries, until they rose up and fought back. People died in the struggle to create workers' unions and in the fight for our rights. China needs to do the same thing now. That is why everything is being manufactured there, because life is cheap and there is no protection for the workers or the environment, and they get paid almost nothing. When they finally stand up and fight back, the world will be a better place for everyone. Until they unite and do that, there's no hope for them.

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  25. There is probably a starving kitten in the house right next door to you. If you want to become an animal rights activist, start there. Then the next time you pump your gas, make sure to tell the clerk how many fish her company killed in the last oil spill.

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    1. WTF makes you think that this is the first step towards animal rights activism for ANYONE here?? what makes you think we haven't already adopted starving strays off the road and nursed them back to health and happiness, or switched to bikes or walking to cut down on enviro-pollution?

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    2. Oh yeah, because the clerk at the service station is responsible for oil spills. Jerk. Show some respect for people.

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  26. This is clearly not a short-lived fad - I visited China in April 2009 and I was horrified to see small salamanders imprisoned in hard plastic balls attached to key rings in a street market in Shanghai. I spoke with the street vendor who thankfully understood some english and tried to explain that this was cruel but she just cheerfully tried to sell me something else. Chinese people do not perceive the needs of animals in the same way as many Western nations and therefore their laws do not reflect this either. What horrifies me most is that this 'fad' has persisted from at least April 2009 and shows no sign of being dealt with. Come on PeTA Asia, time to get vocal and get involved!

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  27. Honestly i would just buy all of those to cut the bag and let the fishes out....this is really disturbing..

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    1. buying=supporting. if you give money to the factories/people that make these they go "great! let's make more!" no no no! no buying any of them! even if to save them and set them free. to stop this, boycott it. an end will only come if no one buys any of these, no matter what their reason!

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  28. yea but not just fish, turtles, they are doing this to turtles! It's sick!

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  29. they should try to put themselves into a big plastic bag with "nutrient water" and seal it up:oDD must be a "pleasurous experience really"...

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  30. hm typo, pleasurably...

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  31. I mean, after the scene of the 2 year old ran over twice and left to die on a busy street, do you really think they would care for some "animals" really!

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  32. There should be no need to make this legal, what happened to valuing life?

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  33. I don´t want to live on this planet anymore... Hopefully Karma will be a real bitch to all those people who do this and who buy those things.

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  34. There's a petition against this practice although, what on earth is 'Amusing' about this, I'll never know!
    http://www.earthconsciousorganization.org/apps/blog/show/13052045-stop-the-use-of-living-creatures-in-key-chains

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  35. Honestly it sucks for the first wave of little critters but if the people don't buy then it will soon become a distant memory. Who are we to judge a group of people with different view points? Specially when their actions do not conflict with our life choices.
    I personally would not buy a single one of those key chains, not even to stock a personal aquarium, and definitely not to just let them free as those actions would only be supporting the whole animal in a key chain thing.
    Nothing should be made to die via lack of resources that otherwise would be available to them.

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  36. I had one it was a turtle and I cut it out of the bag and he lived for 3 years he died 5 weeks ago

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    1. You did the right thing by letting the turtle out the bag right away,just don't buy from them anymore.fishes and turtles need to be in fish tanks with lots of space to move around.

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  37. I think I should it could die and maybe you could keep it in the bag for like a week or to

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  38. this is incredibly stupid. do u asian guys ever switch on your brains or what ?! oh , no i forgot , its forbidden by your governments.

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    1. I think your generalization doesn't make you any different

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  39. If somehow the vendors could find a profit in setting them free, they would. It's all-too temping to just rant against them, a lot of vendors all over the world are less than moral people, but it's just venting to do that. Let's think of the possible solutions--stealing the supply, creating cool robotic ones that make these seem old-fashioned and stupid then sell those alongside these, find that which would shame these people who sell them and do that to get them to give it up, send in some kick-ass monks to ruin their business by praying for the animals all day and night until they are turned over to them, etc.

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  40. hardly amusing! A slow death for a few cents profit.

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  41. It is not good sell living things like this. They should be kept in a open airy and with glass covered it. It would be better to sell like this, but the above in pictures is not good.

    Reptile for Sale

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    1. they shouldn't be kept AT ALL. they're not ours to keep, just as we aren't theirs to keep.

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  42. I would buy as many as I could and then cut them out.

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    1. DON"T BUY THEM! it's a market... a sick, sick market... if we support this market, even to free the perfect lil animals, then the makers will just say "great! they're selling! let's make more!!" we can't support this... buying=support, no matter what you do after you buy them... so sadly, we all have to NOT BUY the ones already in bags so the makers can see that no one will support their messed up companies.... DON'T BUY THEM!!!!

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  43. Well. This is ridiculios. I think that the COMPANY who started this should face a fine of 200-5000$ fine per animal in a bag. I agree do not buy them your only supporting the market. There probably making 1.30 per one. Everything now adays is made in china! My Shoes my hat my bed my tb EVERYTHING! THAT'S BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS SO MUCH CHEAPER THERE! There's a lot of tourisim down there. I live in a BIG tourist city ( Niagara Falls Ontario) Ihave NEVER seen one here. I would probably punch the f*cker out who was selling them. I have eight 600 gallon aquariams. And have well over 6000 fish species. I have snakes lizards cats dogs. I own a reptile/ fish species/ animal shelter. I have well over 9000000$ invested into it. I wouldn't trade it for anything!

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    1. The fact that you own all those things made in China means you are part of the problem. Buy local if you truly want to change this.

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  44. it's absolutely disgusting! Don't buy!

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  45. It's absolutely insane! What can we do if the country itself does not act on this?
    Sad to know that these animals can only survive for a month or two if they are well treated...I really can't imagine the pain they have to go through :(

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  46. You can judge the morality of a nation by the way the society treats its animals. -Mahatma Gandhi

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  47. why are you alldisgusted abouth and do nothing about it... buy 100 of them then set them free...

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  48. If i ever go there I would buy all of the animal and let them go in a proper home like a fish tank or something. The people who make those should make a feeding tube so you can feed them and they can get air.The people who made them should be locked in a bag on a ring of keys for the rest of their life. Don't you think so?

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  49. That's f***ing absurd... People just can't stop in inventing new, more and more sophisticated ways to be cruel on animals! Wow. Can't believe it!

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  50. all i have to say, sick bastards.. what in the lords name is wrong with these people, do they not have a soul or anything. Some people are better off death.

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  51. The yuppie lefty pinkos all flock to the aid of little animals abused by the #1 human rights violator of the world, a country where people are picked up for their religion, tortured into giving it up, or if they don't harvested of all their useful organs. these people don't get appeals, they don't get any trial, they get an execution van that doubles as a place for organ extraction. but really, save the small cold blooded critters woo...

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  52. Really China!!!
    Wacthing animals suffer and die then eating them is a great hobby NOT
    Its easy to talk the talk but the walk
    Lets do something

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    Replies
    1. Do something!? Stop buying ANYTHING from places like China where workers are paid next to nothing so we can have cheap products. Buy local. Period.

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  53. I think this would be really cool, like if you took the contures in the last picture and made it where the top could come off for cleaning and feeding. It would be a net thing to have.

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  54. Not all Asian people r like this. There r just some stupid people who do harmful stuff like this

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  55. im gonna buy like twenty and use a knife ad rip those packs! set them free! DIE KEYCHAINS!!!!!!!!!!!

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  56. To anyone saying not to buy them:
    1. You're justifying letting a real animal die for a future, hypothetical animal. Please stop saying you care about animals at this point. Okay, pretty hypocritical right there, but I guess it would work, except...
    2. The animals will likely die in a few days and be replaced anyway. That hypothetical animal you saved? It's actually real, and you didn't save it, and the first one died for nothing. Nice job.

    The best way to stop animal cruelty is social reform: laws, education, and legal action. The best way to save an animal in immediate danger is to actually save it, not walk away feeling self-righteous.

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  57. I'd buy like all the turtles and keep them cause their so cute

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  58. I'll bet you like wearing all the cheap clothes they make though

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  59. They sell fish torture devices here in the USA. see those poor lazy bettas in cups at your local pet store yeah and the tanks if you can even call those little boxes, vases and bowls tanks. Countless fish are killed here in the USA most of all goldfish and bettas due to waist build up in a gold fish or betta bowel with no filter at all. I see fish that need the minimum of a 55 gallon tank be sold to people who have a 10 gallon tank how long you think that fish survives? Not long it usually ends up stunted, poisoned by its own waist build up, sick or just plain stressed to death. Fish in your big box pet stores their goal is to sell you the fish as fast as it can before it shows signs of disease if they are sick and you can see it they let them suffer with it until they die of it and that is how fish are treated here in the USA even with our animal cruelty laws does that sound any better than this? They all end up dead after suffering. Maybe we need to look at our own countries treatment of animals and change our own country first. those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

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  60. All animal abuse is morally deplorable and it exists everywhere but this part of the world seems to have taken it to an art form.

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  61. sickens me. absolutely sickens me that people can be so selfish and sadistic or just plain ignorant to do this.

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