Home***TARGET STOPPED SELLING THESE -- YAY!!!***
Target Stores have been selling a product called "AquaBabies," which are live fish and frogs housed in a small plastic cube and sold as a novelty item, packaged like a toy. Please write to the CEO of Target, as well as the general manager of your local Target store, and tell them that you will not allow this exploitation of animals to continue. You can find your local store and also send a general email at the Target web site: www.target.com. ***Please see the sample letter below!
Write to:
R.J. Ulrich
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Target Corporation
777 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55402-2055
Fax: 612-370-5502
July 18, 2000
R.J. Ulrich
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Target Corporation
777 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55402-2055
Fax: 612-370-5502
Re: "AquaBabies" product
Dear Mr. Ulrich:
I was very upset to see that the Target store where I shop (on Bellflower Blvd. in Long Beach, CA) carries an item called "AquaBabies". These are miniature aquariums containing live fish and frogs! This is a dreadful example of animal exploitation and abuse. First, the aquariums in which these poor creatures live are painfully small -- just a few square inches. But most importantly, it is a completely inappropriate venue for selling live animals! Undoubtedly many children will want and buy these creatures as a novelty, as if they were toys. There is no mention on the product or the display of responsibility or regard for the fact that these are living, feeling beings. They are marketed as if they were inanimate objects, like picture frames or plants. But they are not -- these animals will live, suffer and die within the small confines of a plastic box.
Animals should only be sold or offered for adoption by licensed, responsible parties, such as breeders, shelters and pet stores. To sell such a "product" in a Target store, where an animal will be bought as an afterthought by an inquisitive child or an apathetic parent, is a disgrace. Surely many, if not most, of the fish and frogs will die shortly after being purchased because of a lack of care or concern on the part of the owner, and whatever existence they do have will be miserable. Without being sold in the context of a pet store etc., there is no consideration given to the needs and interests of the animal. I am horrified that Target would support this type of exploitation and disregard for the value of life.
I will not patronize Target stores until this product is pulled from the shelves permanently. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.
Sincerely,
Christina J. Johnson
cc: Kim Nykanen
General Manager
Target Store
2270 N. Bellflower Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90815
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