A Moral Quandary

2^nd Use From a 'harmless' carney game to a lesson in life responsibility

My family has within our animal menagerie a number of aqua specimens. None were acquired by my wish, but at the time seemingly accidental, and all were adopted through carnival games.

We now have 2 gold fish and a yellow frog.

Our first aquatic ward was Cookie, a goldfish my daughter Maura won at the age of four at my wife’s work place during their ’Family Halloween Party’. I wasn’t concerned when Maura walked up to the carny-like table with flashy colored local grocery store type table cloth with bright colored water-filled glasses, and was handed a determinant number of ping pong balls. I thought the odds were 1/ 1000 she would win the grand prize—a feeder quality goldfish. We won—hurray—now I have a bait fish’s life to try and care for. I was committed to care for this fish by my early learning that every life is precious; I took this new charge very serious.

Maddie and Maura In costume, the day Maura won Cookie. Photo by Michael Fulks.

As dad, I am sage--all knowing of what is right and wrong, or so I was taught growing up.  I do think it is important as a father to be extra vigilant of accountability in my actions. My life actions are an example for my children; my wife taught me that children mimic our actions and to some extent find their life paths through parental actions, not through parental verbal commands or doctrine. She is right, always.

It has now been four years and three aquarium upgrades at about $900 to care for Cookie, and later to come company. I must admit I do feel success when visitors say, "Wow that is a huge goldfish." I feel like I am doing something right in that Cookie is thriving. 

Left to right: Marmalade the frog, Cookie and Scales the goldfish

 

Then my daughter Sarah was gifted a super Wally store frog from my other daughter, Annie. Knowing sisters, I am sure there was a fair amount of begging to get this frog. I rescued it from a teacup in a windowsill; it has been in the aquarium with Cookie for three years. The frog’s name is Marmalade.

They live well together, and are thriving—getting bigger and bigger in a nice 35-gallon set up. Everything was seemingly stable.

I have been watching, while caring for these animals over the years, and I see their consciousness. I started to feel a bit guilty; and questioning, must they live in such a small confined artificial environment? By having possession of these animals, am I sanctioning the practice of keeping these animals in a captive environment? Am I enabling the small vertebrate animal trade? I rationalize through conditioning; many people with limited resources seem to be quite fine and happy. Who am I to say?

It finally came to a head this year when we went to a county fair in Laramie County Colorado—surprise, surprise, surprise; they have a carnival area with rides and games. Madigan, throwing the same dam ping-pong balls, wins another goldfish and quickly names it Scales. You know if you name an animal then you own it and it becomes your responsibility.

Maddie wins Scales as my wife looks over to me in disbelief.

That’s it; no more ping-pong ball games for vertebrate prizes of any species.  I explained to my little girls that these seemingly harmless games are now prohibited for us. This is my new family law and I am putting my foot down. I explained how we would do our best to be responsible for the aqua pets we have in our possession as of now, but we have learned, It just ain’t right and we got to stop.

Photo of a typical tank of feeder goldfish at a pet store.