Tell Coach House Gifts to Stop Selling Frogs Inside Tiny Plastic Boxes

Coach House Gifts—one of the largest gift chains in the nation—is known for selling unique gifts and home décor, but now the specialty store is peddling live animals as desk decorations. PETA has received multiple complaints that Coach House Gifts is currently selling live frogs inside tiny plastic boxes, despite knowing that subjecting frogs to life in a plastic prison—fated to swim in endless circles—is cruel.

Biologists and wildlife specialists attest that these products are inhumane and inadequate enclosures for frogs. Todd Steiner, a herpetologist and president of Turtle Island Restoration Network, has said that living fish or amphibians could not survive in small enclosures of similar products. He further stated that those who buy these inexpensive setups do not understand these animals' basic needs. Mark Berman, co-director of Earth Island Institute's International Monitoring Program, has called these sorts of cruel aquariums unsustainable.

In addition to the cruelty of relegating live animals to tiny plastic boxes, frogs can transmit salmonella bacteria, as well as sparganosis and psittacosis. Humans, including children, who are more susceptible to zoonotic diseases, can contract these pathogens by handling the frogs or even the containers in which they are displayed.

After receiving a windfall of complaints from concerned consumers about the inherent cruelty of similar miniature aquariums, Target, Rite Aid, Eckerd, Walgreens, J.C. Penney and Albertsons pulled tiny tanks for fish and frogs from their shelves.

PETA told Coach House Gifts about the inherent cruelty of selling frogs trapped in tiny boxes, yet the company has refused to end its sale of the product.

These tiny frogs need your help now. Please politely write to Coach House Gifts and demand that it pull the frog aquariums from its shelves immediately.

Please send a message to Coach House Gifts' customer service center and urge the company to end its sale of live frogs inside tiny plastic boxes immediately. Please also encourage it to prohibit the sale of any live animals in its stores. Tell Coach House Gifts that by selling these products, it is supporting cruelty to animals.

Please send polite comments to:

Craig J. Walker
President
Coach House Gifts
420 E. 58th Ave., Ste. 200
Denver, CO 80216-1400
303-292-5537
303-296-1528 (fax)
http://www.coachhousegifts.com/shop/help.php?section=contactus&mode=update (online form)

You can use the below text to help draft your letter if you'd like.

I am distressed to hear that Coach House Gifts is selling live frogs trapped inside tiny plastic aquariums. Confining these animals to small boxes is cruel and deprives the frogs of their natural environment. Trapped inside these tiny tanks, frogs have no choice but to swim in endless circles. They are robbed of the most basic necessities and cut off from the world around them by a plastic wall.

In addition to supporting cruelty to animals, these aquariums have the potential for catastrophic effects on local ecosystems around the U.S., as well-intentioned consumers may release aquarium inhabitants into local woods, fields, and backyards.

These aquariums are also dangerous for humans. Frogs can transmit salmonella bacteria, and humans can contract these pathogens by handling the frogs or even the containers in which they are displayed.

Please end Coach House Gifts' sale of live frogs immediately, and please adopt a company policy against selling any live animals. Frogs and other animals are not trinkets—or décor—to be bought and sold.