Council bans live animals being presented as prizes on its land

Goldfish and other animals can no longer be given as prizes on council land in Cheshire West and Chester, or at events supported or sponsored by the Council.

The decision was taken following complaints received by the Council about events organised by third parties on Council land, and some councillors also received comments from residents asking for a ban on this practice.

The decision also supports the RSPCA’s ‘Pets as Prizes’ campaign, which urges local authorities to ban outright the giving of live animals as prizes on their land.

Unlike animals sold by a pet shop, animals that are given as prizes are currently not protected by animal welfare legislation, which means that welfare standards do not apply to them.

Evidence shows that minimum welfare standards cannot be met in such circumstances and the practice should therefore be prohibited by general legislation, as is already the case in Scotland.

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “Animal ownership is a significant responsibility that requires due consideration and animals should not be acquired as the result of a spur-of-the-moment game.  New owners should do their research and plan before, not after, acquiring any animal, to ensure they can meet its welfare needs.

“For example, the RSPCA advises that, when bringing a fish home for the first time, it is important to set the tank up at least two weeks in advance to make sure it is running properly.  It is not possible for someone who has just won a fish to be adequately prepared.”

Statistics from the RSPCA website show that since 2015 there have been 147 cases reported to the animal welfare charity of live animals being given as prizes in England, with the highest number of reports (33) in 2017, and a marked reduction during the two year period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.rspca.org.uk/-/news-goldfish-still-given-as-prizes

It is feared, however, many more cases go unreported due to a lack of awareness of animal welfare and existing legislation.

This follows other similar decisions the Council has taken in relation to trail hunting (2021), the use of wild animals in circuses (2016) and the release of sky lanterns (2016) on Council land.