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Posted By: venice Fairground fish - 20th May 2013 5:50pm
Someone is asking on the local Freegle site , for a bowl for the goldfish they have just won at the fair. Anyone know which fair?
Why oh why do the fairgrounds have to use live prizes. In the past Ive seen fish in coloured dyes, fish in bags being taken on rides, fish being left on a wall in their bag when the teenagers went home, and fish being swung along carelessly as folk get money out, eat hotdogs or move from ride to ride passing the poor thing about to mates. Even ones hanging on the stalls are subject to horrendous levels of bright lights and noise, and I hate to think what happens to the left over ones.

I suspect this fair must be on private land as I think Chester and cheshire west and Wirral have banned it on theirs.

Please may I ask that if you go to the fair, dont support sideshows that offer fish.
This is off the RSPCA website.

"Goldfish are often offered as prizes, but are easily stressed. They may suffer from shock, oxygen starvation or even die from changes in water temperature. Many fairground fish die before their new owners can get them home - or soon afterwards.
Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence to enter into an arrangement with a person reasonably believed to be under 16, who is not accompanied by an adult, whereby an animal is to be won as a prize.
Help stop the trade - don't support it!!
Contact your local authority or the event organiser and ask them to adopt a policy of not allowing animals to be given as prizes at any fundraising activities held in their buildings or on their land."



Posted By: loubbie89 Re: Fairground fish - 20th May 2013 7:24pm
Fish were a prize at the Tranmere fair over the weekend, they were selling bowls and food with the fish but it was £5 extra on top of the £2.50 to have a go at winning a fish.
Not saying its right or wrong to give animals away as prizes but maybe the person asking for a free tank should of payed the extra or picked another prize smile
Posted By: ASE71 Re: Fairground fish - 20th May 2013 10:08pm
My kids Won 3 Angel Fin Goldfish from a fair in 2003. One of them died 2 months ago of Swim Bladder Disease but the other 2 are still with us and are massive. Its not cruel to give them away, its cruel not to look after them.
Posted By: dave2745 Re: Fairground fish - 21st May 2013 5:48am
To be honest, I thought this practice of giving goldfish as prizes at fairgrounds had long been outlawed. I agree, it is cruel and if it isn't already banned nationally, then it should be. In fact, I know of one particular aquatics shop that won't even sell you a goldfish until they've tested a sample of the water from your fish tank at home, so how these fairgrounds can get away handing them out willy nilly is beyond me.

Posted By: TheDr Re: Fairground fish - 21st May 2013 11:00am
It's still legal, there was an amendment to the Animal Welfare Bill to ban it, but it was dropped.

They are covered by the same laws as Pet Shops though, and the "prize" of a goldfish can't be given/sold to anyone under 16 (unless they have someone over 16 with them at the time).

I think there's an e-petition that has been set up to ban it, but that might be out of time now.

Local Authorities can, and many have, ban this practise, so if enough people start ringing Wirral Borough Council I'm sure someone there will happily set up a committee to investigate it smile
Posted By: venice Re: Fairground fish - 21st May 2013 1:43pm
Not everyone is as responsible as you ASE71- Good people taking care of the ones THEY win, doesnt come close to making up for the suffering of the many , especially when its SO unnecessary -
Its not , or it shouldnt be a difficult welfare problem to eradicate , its not like people even have to give up anything . Doesnt stop them fish keeping.
Posted By: dave2745 Re: Fairground fish - 21st May 2013 2:36pm
Apparently there is an e-petition currently running:-

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49512


Just signed it, hope many others will add their signatures too.

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