Each year when the end of spring semester rolls around once again, students pack their bags away and bus, drive, or fly back to their homes to enjoy the summer before returning to Pullman once again. But, do the Pullman pets get to travel home too? Many aren’t that lucky.
Fish are the number one most abandoned pet when students leave Washington State.
Most frequently, students dump their pet fish into the natural waters of the area, without knowing the consequences.
Goldfish are not a part of the ecosystem in local rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds, and are quickly eaten but other animals higher on the food chain.
For this story I plan to elaborate on the consequences of placing pet fish in unnatural habitats out of convenience for the owner.
I will begin my research by talking to Dr. Nicky Finch and Dr. Marcie Logsdon from the Exotics Ward at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. I also plan to talk to someone from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Whitman County Shelter.
Photo credit: Fish Illustration, CoxinhaFoto, CC0,
A Class Portfolio 