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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that goldfish shouldn't be funfair prizes?

25 replies

BigWeeHag · 03/06/2010 10:19

There is a stall in my town giving them out as prizes. I was sure I had heard somewhere that it wasn't allowed. It certainly feels very wrong - lots of the people here are caravan people, so not likely to have a spare fish tank or to want to buy one to bring home with them!

I think I will probably ring the USPCA but I am a bit worried they will laugh at me, several people have because they are "only" goldfish.

So, AIBU or is it totally inappropriate to give out living creatures as a prize for "winning" a game?

OP posts:
TheArmadillo · 03/06/2010 10:24

YANBU

I'm sure it was made illegal as well. Phone USPCA - sure they won't mind.

I hate the idea of giving living creatures as a prize as well. They are not toys ffs.

sanielle · 03/06/2010 10:34

I hate it, it is still legal where I am from and find it disgusting

People are horrible. Ifc it feels pain it not "only" anything and shoudn't be given as a "prize" to someone unwilling or unable to look after it.

YANBU report it!

Meglet · 03/06/2010 10:35

yanbu.

cory · 03/06/2010 10:35

You are so NBU!

Sn0wflake · 03/06/2010 10:59

I hate it too. No regard for life, no respect for life.

Tinuviel · 03/06/2010 11:00

YANBU but I remember my brother and I winning 4 goldfish when I was about 9!! My dad was v unimpressed as it meant he had to clean out/repair the pond in the garden (we hadn't been living there that long and the house was a 'renovation project' so pond was not high on his list of priorities!)

I would like to say, however, that Biggles, Ginger, Algie and the other one (whose name I have sadly forgotten) lived very long, happy and fulfilled lives in that pond; we discovered that we had 4 great crested newts and a frog, called Freddy!!

So some fish will go to good homes. I do accept that not all will but even in a pet shop you can't guarantee that all pets will go to good homes.

Tinuviel · 03/06/2010 11:01

I should add that my dad was adamant that we weren't going to have pets so it was a good way for us to actually get some and then say well we won them!

darkandstormy · 03/06/2010 12:09

YANBU poor things.

cory · 03/06/2010 17:22

Tinuviel, I don't think that is a good enough reason. Most people who win goldfish are not going to have ponds. In a decent pet shop you would expect the shopkeeper at least to ask how much you know about goldfish and try to give some advice.

mosschops30 · 03/06/2010 17:24

lol youre all so funny, glad to see the bank holiday madness has extended to the whole week!

RESPECT FOR GOLDFISH!!!!!! Lets make sure they have some rights

cory · 03/06/2010 17:32

Well, I don't actually think it is right to let any creature die a slow lingering death in a bowl full of ammonia, which is what happens if goldfish are given away to people without a clue about fishkeeping. Any animal that needs to be killed should be killed quickly. See nothing funny about this whatsoever. Also do not encourage my children to torture birds or butterflies or any other small creature. Doesn't mean I want to give them the vote, just that I dislike needless suffering.

sanielle · 03/06/2010 17:35

Don't understand which bit is funny? Most of the animals die in transit before actually ever being given away and then arent fed properly and looked after. I try and have some respect for everything and everybody.

mosschops30 · 03/06/2010 17:41

tee-hee what next, can we have some of you talking about slogan t-shirts too, or maybe slogan t-shirts about goldfish then we can kill knock over 2 birds with one stone

southeastastra · 03/06/2010 17:44

my dp's uncle used to give away rabbits to entice children into saturday morning cinema. though that was in the 30s

cory · 03/06/2010 17:49

Mosschops, fyi Italy has banned goldfish bowls. Perhaps not everybody shares your sense of humour.

mamadoc · 03/06/2010 17:53

My friend came back from the funfair last week with one. Dh used to have fish and he pointed out to her that you can't just put it in tap water in a bowl, it needs tablets for the water, at least some pond weed or preferably a pump for oxygen, cleaning out regularly, some shelter.
She didn't want to pay out for any of this stuff and sure enough within few days she was round asking why is the water so murky and the poor fish gasping at the surface. Next day it was dead.
I am not a great lover of pets or animal rights but I still do think its wrong to cause suffering to another living creature. I am happy to eat the trout my dad catches but they get hit on the head and finished off quickly rather than suffocating slowly.

pinksmarties · 03/06/2010 22:25

I totaly agree with you op, IT'S CRUEL and I hate it.

Vallhala · 03/06/2010 22:29

YAdamnwellNBU. Some local councils will not allow the practice I believe but it is not illegal as such.

However, it is illegal to sell a domestic pet to a minor (under 16, UK), without an adult present. "Winning" a goldfish is still selling a goldfish so the RSPCA should definately be called, or better still the council, if this happens.

jellybeans · 03/06/2010 22:29

YANBU it's awful.

Multimummy · 03/06/2010 22:32

I won a goldfish at the fair when I was a student...it lived for 20 years!!! That is a long commitment for a fairground prize.

YANBU - not all prizewon goldfish are as lucky as mine!

MumInBeds · 03/06/2010 22:34

YANBU

We have a tank for our two fish and when one died and we went to replace it the shop wouldn't even sell us one until we told them the tank age, dimensions, how many fish were in it and what filtration system we have.

FlookCrow · 03/06/2010 22:54

I went to buy some fish the other day and was a bit taken aback at the rigamarole one had to surrender to in order to purchase one.... "in my day" it was go in, buy one, leave.

Poshwellies · 03/06/2010 22:57

We had fairground goldfish live for 15yrs + (big bertha RIP)

I do agree that it's cruel but never had any issues buying goldfish for our pond.

lidofabiro · 03/06/2010 23:02

YANBU

RSPCA info on this subject is here

mumeeee · 03/06/2010 23:36

YANBU. It is illegal to give goldfish as prizes now has been for several years,

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