Redcar council to ban goldfish prizes at fairgrounds

Goldfish as prizes are set to be banned across Redcar and Cleveland

A council has agreed a motion proposing to ban live goldfish giveaways at local fairgrounds.

Redcar and Cleveland councillors said the ban would "send a clear message that commodification of live beings is not acceptable".

Giving live animals as prizes has been outlawed in Scotland, but in the rest of the UK it is up to local councils.

Animal welfare charity the RSPCA is calling on local authorities to stop the "outdated practice".

Justin Thompson, Skelton East's Conservative councillor, had urged peers across all parties to support the motion which he called "a step forward in protecting the welfare of animals".

The RSPCA says the practice is "outdated" and should be banned by local authorities

"For the most part, it means putting a stop to goldfish handed out in plastic bags which will probably die within a day or two of being brought home."

"Other councils have done this, it's about time we did too."

Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Simon Clarke said the motion was "something I think we can all agree on".

"I can't see why anybody would argue against this," he said.

Once a ban comes into force, fairground operators found violating the rules would face severe penalties from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Fish cannot be given away as prizes in England and Wales to a person aged under 16 who is unaccompanied by an adult.

Some councils in England have banned it altogether

RSPCA public affairs manager Lee Gingell said people were often shocked to hear that giving goldfish as fairground prizes was not already outlawed.

A spokesperson from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it was an offence to cause an animal any unnecessary suffering with councils having powers to investigate such matters.