Fish pedicures are cruel and unnecessary (From Worcester News)

Fish pedicures are cruel and unnecessary

3:44pm Monday 17th October 2011 in Read

SIR – I was surprised to see the Worcester News running a competition to win a fish pedicure (October 4).

The poor Garra Rufa fish are kept in small barren tanks. Many of the fish have been caught from the wild.

In many parts of Turkey where the Garra Rufa come from they are becoming endangered because of the fish pedicure trade.

I can’t find any information on the internet of the claim that Garra Rufa’s saliva contains the enzyme dithranol.

It only says that it is a man-made substance. The gimmick of the fish pedicures is cruel and unnecessary.

How awful that many of these fish were swimming free in a river and are now trapped in small tanks.

Maxine Burgess
Malvern