Wokingham Borough Council backs motion to ban animals as prizes

Goldfish have traditionally been given as prizes at funfairs but are now banned in Wokingham

Giving pets as prizes at funfairs has been banned by a local council amidst concerns for welfare.

Wokingham Borough Council has backed a motion to scrap animal prizes under advice from the RSPCA.

The authority said the issue predominantly concerned goldfish, traditionally put in a bag and given as a prize.

Councillor Gary Cowan said giving livestock animals as prizes in any form was "abhorrent".

The ban means fairgrounds will not be allowed to give out live animals as prizes on Wokingham Borough Council land.

The authority has also agreed to write to the government "urging an outright ban on the giving of live animals as prizes on both public and private land".

Putting forward the motion, Cllr Cowan told the council the century-old tradition of animals as funfair prizes was "not how society in the 21st Century should work".

The RSPCA say goldfish are easily stressed and those kept in a bag can suffer from shock

The authority is the latest council to back a motion preventing pets being given as prizes via fairgrounds, social media and other channels.

It comes after the RSPCA launched a campaign to scrap animals as prizes across England and Wales, with Scotland already making it illegal.

The animal welfare charity confirmed 22 local authorities in England have already implemented bans.

Lee Gingell, from the RSPCA said: "Animal ownership is a big responsibility - and while goldfish can make great companions, they shouldn't be acquired via a spur-of-the-moment game.

"They're misunderstood pets - as they can make great companions, but can actually be challenging to look after and new owners must do their research before they acquire the fish, not afterwards."