Council bans fairgrounds from giving away goldfish as prizes

A local council have this week banned pets from being offered as prizes at fairgrounds.

Dorset Council agreed to ban goldfish being offered as prizes in a bag after a motion was almost unanimously agreed at a council meeting.

Verwood councillor Toni Combs put forward the motion, saying: ‘We are not superior to animals.

‘We are blessed to have them in our lives and we should treat them with the kindness and respect they deserve.

‘We need to bring cruelty to animals to an end. Giving a goldfish in a plastic bag to someone who is not expecting a new pet leads to suffering for the fish from shock, oxygen starvation or changes in water temperature.’

Only one councillor opposed the motion, Tory councillor Louie O’Leary saying: ‘We have to get away from the belief that the state, the council, the government or some quango can dictate and enforce morality of public decency or even common sense.’

The ban comes as the RSPCA issued a warning that fish kept in bags were at a great risk of oxygen starvation and may not even survive the journey home.

Dorset Council are not the first to impose such a ban, however, as councils across Wales too banned pets as prizes at funfayres and events.

A goldfish which was believed to have been given away at a fayre was found washed up on a north Wales beach, but was somehow still alive.

The move in Wales came as part of RSPCA’s No Fun At The Fair campaign, calling for regulation on events which have historically offered animals as prizes.

The charity last year called for a Welsh government nationwide ban on the practice.

RSPCA’s Cymru public affairs officer told the BBC: ‘We know that this is something people care about, with many assuming it is already banned.

‘Goldfish are misunderstood pets as they can make for great companions but can actually be challenging to look after. New owners must do their research before they acquire the fish, not afterwards.

‘Before bringing a fish home, it’s important to set the tank up at least two weeks in advance to make sure it’s all running smoothly, and this just isn’t possible for someone who’s won a fish without being prepared for it.’

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