Green Party councillor calls for ban on goldfish in plastic bags at funfairs

Cllr Caroline Russell said it was "cruel" to keep goldfish in bags
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Harriet Pavey31 August 2017

A Green Party councillor has called for a ban on goldfish “cruelly” being handed out in plastic bags as prizes at funfairs.

Caroline Russell, a councillor for Highbury East, said she was “shocked” to see children carrying goldfish in plastic bags after a fair in Islington on Saturday.

“This is just cruel,” she told the Islington Gazette. “A huge number of these fish don’t make it.

“The bags they are handed out in are small. They were selling tanks for £9.99. One family I spoke to were unhappy at the extra expense, but felt like they had to buy them.”

Cllr Russell added: “This isn’t appropriate and doesn’t teach children the right example when it comes to responsible pet ownership.”

The RSPCA says goldfish are “easily stressed”, and that many fairground fish die before their new owners can get them home because of shock, oxygen starvation or water temperature changes.

But under the Animal Welfare Act, giving away goldfish as a prize is legal as long as under 16s are accompanied by an adult. The fair’s operator Billy Davis Funfairs, said it complied with this rule.

Some counties have a clause in place to prevent funfairs from dishing out bagged goldfish. Cllr Russell told the Islington Gazette: “It’s absolutely obvious. West Sussex and Liverpool have these licensing policies in place. Islington should follow.”

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