Stevenage: Council bans live animal giveaways on its land

Goldfish were handed out as prizes at Stevenage's Charter Fair

Live animals will be banned from being handed out as prizes on land owned by one council.

Stevenage Borough Council brought in the rule after private traders gave out goldfish at the Hertfordshire town's Charter Fair in September.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said councillors had criticised the act of goldfish being handed out at the event, but had been unable to stop it.

The rule was brought in at a council meeting on 13 October.

Labour's Loraine Rossati said: "Pets should only be added to a home or family after examining the care they'll need, not just given away as a fairground prize."

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the only offence in relation to the giving of live animals as rewards is if the recipient is under 16 and not accompanied by an adult.

• Fairgrounds banned from giving goldfish as prizes

• Time to say goodbye to fairground fish?

• Thousands of goldfish removed from pond

Ms Rossati said: "The cruelty inherent in this practice cannot be understated.

"Animals ask only to live, and far too often animals used as prizes or gifts at public events are given to people who don't have the equipment, experience or wherewithal, to look after them properly."

The original motion, submitted by the council's Liberal Democrat group, had called for stronger measures, including a study into the feasibility of banning live animal giveaways on private property within the borough.

Liberal Democrat councillor Robin Parker said the Labour motion had "too many loopholes, [and] too many unanswered questions".

He said he hoped the council's solicitors would be able to answer his questions on whether the authority had other options open to it.