Another council bans fairgrounds from giving away pets as prizes

A local council has banned goldfish from being given away as prizes at fairgrounds.

Fairs in Dorset will no longer be allowed to give the pets away to lucky winners.

It comes as the RSPCA warned that fish kept in polythene bags were at high risk of oxygen starvation, with many not even surviving the journey home.

In a debate on Thursday, Councillor Toni Coombs said: 'We're not superior to animals. We're blessed to have them in our lives and we should treat them with the kindness and respect they deserve.

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

The motion was opposed by a sole Conservative, Councillor Louie O'Leary.

He said: 'We have to get away from this belief that the state, the council, the government or some quango can dictate and enfroce morality or public decency or even common sense.'

It comes after councils in Wales backed a similar move to ban all live animals as prizes.

One goldfish believed to have been given away at a funfair was found washed up on the Welsh coast in Prestatyn but was miraculously still alive. 

Goldie the goldfish was found by beachgoer Nicola Panayi, 40, who spotted it on the shore as she took for a morning swim at the beach but has no idea where it came from.

She said: 'I think Goldie may have been washed up as the bag was covered in sand and we had just had a high tide, which was receding. I'm so happy it has found a lovely forever home.'