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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is so cruel and irresponsible

59 replies

FancyFingers · 15/07/2017 23:26

We took youngest Ds to a fair on our way home as a treat. He only wanted to go on the bouncy castle.

I noticed loads of people either carrying a tiny, plastic fish tank or a small bag with a goldfish in it. Neither had much water in. The prize stalls were handing them out.

Lots of small children were charging about as excited, swinging said bag/tank about. There was no care or thought from parents to take them off their dc.

We left after Ds had a bounce and on our way out noticed a couple of dead goldfish. One thrown at the overfull bin and one out the bag on the pathway.

Surely this is wrong? Why isn't it banned?

OP posts:
sobeyondthehills · 15/07/2017 23:49

We had this last weekend, got given an option to have a goldfish. If it had been down to me, we would of gotten them all and taken them home.

We have 2 cats though, both very good hunters, so the fish wouldn't of lasted much longer with us.

However I did the same sort of research and came to the conclusion that there was very little I could do legally

KoolKoala07 · 15/07/2017 23:50

Doesn't matter how much perception they have. It's a terrible way to treat a living being. Does a patient with dementia have much perception, do they deserve to be treated appallingly?

ShoesHaveSouls · 15/07/2017 23:51

I honestly thought this was banned too - I haven't seen it for years (since I was a child). It's awful.

And yes, fish are much more perceptive than previously thought, they feel fear and distress.

DeleteOrDecay · 15/07/2017 23:55

I thought it was banned too then a friend of mine told me they has won a fish at the fair about a year or two ago. I haven't seen them as prizes myself though, I agree it shouldn't be allowed. Even goldfish require proper care and attention, you can't just stick them in a bowl of water and be done with it.

Eolian · 15/07/2017 23:56

It's not nice, but then again it's perfectly legal to dangle a sharp hook in the water to deliberately pierce the mouth of a fish and then take it out of the water, whack it on the head and eat it, or throw it back in (potentially injured).

Catzpyjamas · 16/07/2017 00:02

@elephantoverthehill, the legislation on the sale of tortoises applies to certain breeds. The <a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=science.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset%3Fasset%3Ddocument%26assetId%3D1232715046737%26mode%3Dprd&ved=0ahUKEwjh5bXpsYzVAhUJB8AKHRH4CQkQFghbMA4&usg=AFQjCNFlK9eDAdhMQjk1P956M4-T-qQENw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">RSPCA leaflet explains it better than I can.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 16/07/2017 00:05

Goldfish are quite involved care wise, though my DS had one (survived longer than his other two tankmates) who was about 6yo or so.
We had to do a treatment when he got a white mark (involoved pump, a special salt water and water treatment)
I had to euthanise him (clove oil)

Tortoises IIRC can't be imported now but can be sold if UK bred. Not ideal in a petshop unless they are specialised and can give advice and 'vet' any buyers

PodgeBod · 16/07/2017 00:12

I hadn't seen this for years until a few months ago when I saw them being won at a stall on Clacton Pier. Children were winning the goldfish but the parents had to buy a (tiny) tank to take them away in.

Guepe · 16/07/2017 00:17

Goldfish require huge thanks too :(

Really saddened to hear this is still going on, hadn't seen it in many years.

Tokelau · 16/07/2017 00:18

What a coincidence OP, I saw this today too. Four girls sitting on a bench with a goldfish in a bag. There was a fairground down the road. The girls were young, only about twelve. They weren't hurting the fish, but it just seemed wrong to me that these fish are given out to anyone. I thought it had been banned years ago.

MoonfaceAndSilky · 16/07/2017 00:23

Oh no that's awful and no way to teach children about respecting all living things. I'd contact the council and the rspca. DisgustingAngry

Original poster
FancyFingers · 16/07/2017 00:33

I'm going to call the council as it's on council land. And inform the RSPCA to see if they can flag up the fair owners, as there were so many children under 16 who looked to be winning them without an adult.

They had a central stall where they were bagging them up ready to be won. It seemed like a big business pull for the fair.

OP posts:
bbpp · 16/07/2017 00:38

I think it's awful. I've had many friends joke over the years how they only live a couple days. Funnily enough, or not, we took a fair goldfish from a friend and it's now over 10 years old in our pond. They die because they're mistreated.

I saw an awful sight once. I had gone to a huge bonfire, with the whole fair ground and waltzers. Someone threw one of the plastic bags with a goldfish in next to the bonfire. We reported it but security weren't able to get close enough to rescue it due to the heat. The poor thing boiled.

Hawkmoth · 16/07/2017 00:51

DS won one at a shite fair at February half term. DH spent forty quid on a tank and filter. Fishy went black, google said it was stress. Bought another fish. Of course they are still going strong. Not black anymore, and the sound of the filter makes me piss all the time.

MrsJoyOdell · 16/07/2017 00:56

We have one that my dickhead DH 'won' at a fair in November. He's still going and is definitely more aware than I ever thought they would be. He likes to bash against the tank every time we go past to try and make us feed him Grin (He is properly fed, he's just greedy).

ellenanora5 · 16/07/2017 01:00

Aww we had a goldfish for years, he used to pop up to the surface and nibble on the flakes when I held them and then swim away, we loved him, someone (biggest dickhead ever) thought it would be funny to pour vodka in the tank Sad I've never forgiven them and they haven't crossed my door since.

Ds2 is disabled and could spend hours watching him, it really calmed him, but he was so distressed when he was gone that I wouldn't get another one and put him through losing one again Sad

ExplodedCloud · 16/07/2017 01:01

We had a couple of goldfish as kids. They lasted quite a few years until my db won a goldfish at the fair. It died and our other goldfish were dead within a fortnight. There has to be more to it than people just not looking after them.

GretchenFranklin · 16/07/2017 01:27

The vodka story Sad Sad

We had goldfish in a tank when I was little, we all loved taking care of them. Funfair goldfish really wrong.

KoalaDownUnder · 16/07/2017 01:55

ShockAngry

That's absolutely disgusting. I can't believe it's legal.

Jux · 16/07/2017 02:20

It sound horrible. I hope the Council close them down.

reuset · 16/07/2017 03:03

Same here bb, our fairground goldfish (when I was a child) lasted some 10 years. Surprised to hear it still goes on, though

blubberball · 16/07/2017 03:27

I'm surprised that this still goes on as well. It belongs in the past, and surely no one wants to see it going on any more. Plenty of crappy prizes to give away, without involving living things ffs.

LauderSyme · 16/07/2017 03:31

I love it that OP and so many of you care about this x x

Namechangetempissue · 16/07/2017 03:46

Horrendous. I actually thought it was banned now. It should be!

noplease · 16/07/2017 08:52

It's awful and definitely should be banned. Poor fish!