Virginia Salon's Medieval Beauty Gimmick Reportedly Kills 7,000 Fish

Yvonne Hair and Nails Salon in Alexandria, Virginia, is dumping thousands of tiny fish in a tub resembling a kiddy pool—which is filled with water heated to 94°F—for a bizarre skin treatment called the "Doctor Fish" massage. Clients are instructed to dangle their feet in the tub so that these little animals can munch away the dead skin. The Doctor Fish massage is touted as a relaxing and unique experience during which "people can realize the harmony between human and nature."

Confining thousands of fish to a tiled pool in a beauty salon—in 94°F water—is anything but harmony with nature! In fact, it's exceptionally cruel. These severely crowded fish have no environmental enrichment, and they're fed the calluses and corns of customers who care more about foot beauty than about animals' lives and welfare. Furthermore, these fish's lives are very much at risk. In fact, 7,000 of these helpless animals were reportedly cooked to death recently after an Yvonne Salon staff member left the heat on in the animals' tub. Not to be dissuaded by this tragic setback, salon spokespeople have informed PETA that the store has already ordered "replacement fish."

Please ask the management at Yvonne Hair and Nails Salon to do the right thing and get rid of the Doctor Fish massage. Remind the salon that fish aren't just merchandise that it can damage and reorder but rather sentient beings capable of suffering. Let the salon know that there are plenty of ways to pamper their clients without harming animals, and ask the salon to adopt animal-free products and tried and true exfoliating treatments.

Please send polite comments to:

Yvonne Hair and Nails Salon

8643 Richmond Hwy.
Alexandria, VA 22309
703-799-3708

703-783-0477 (fax)