Dorset Council bans fairs from offering goldfish as prizes | UK News

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

Dorset Council has agreed to ban the offering of goldfish as prizes in a bag after a motion was agreed almost unanimously at a council meeting.

Verwood councilor Toni Combs tabled 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 end animal cruelty. Giving a goldfish in a plastic bag to someone who is not expecting a new pet can cause the fish to suffer from shock, lack of oxygen, or changes in water temperature.

Only one councilor opposed the motion, Conservative councilor Louie O’Leary saying: ‘We have to move away from the belief that the state, the council, the government or some quango can dictate and impose the morality of public decency or even good sense.’

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

However, Dorset Council is not the first to impose such a ban, as councils across Wales have also banned pets as prizes at fun parties and events.

A goldfish believed to have been donated at a fair was found on a north Wales beach but was somehow still alive.

The measure in Wales came as part of the RSPCA’s No Fun At The Fair campaign, which calls for the regulation of events that historically offer animals as prizes.

The charity last year called for a national ban on the practice by the Welsh Government.

The RSPCA’s Cymru public relations officer told the BBC: “We know this is something people care about, and many assume it is already banned.

‘Goldfish are misunderstood pets as they can make great companions but can actually be difficult to care for. New owners should do research before purchasing the fish, not after.

‘Before taking a fish home, it’s important to prepare the aquarium at least two weeks in advance to make sure everything is working properly, and this is simply not possible for anyone who has received a fish without being prepared for it.’

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