Interesting article

[SirMinion]

Read this article from Sky News' website


.

 

[Fawke]

WOW!

about time too. lets hope the idea catches on. thanks for sharing that info SirMinion, it made me smile

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

Good for them, I can only hope in my wildest dreams that this would catch on in the U.S. I'm glad they also made it illegal to give animals away at a fair too.
Thanks for posting that SirMinion

 

[Phantom Thief]

It's certainly a start! I hope it continues to spread. I wonder how they'd enforce it though...

P.T.

 

[clutterydrawer]

marvellous. I hope they introduce it here. and whie they're at it, I hope they make some kind of rules about the illustrations on the front of tanks, those ones that always show the tanks vastly overstocked.

 

[Kitt_81]

I Have To Have A Rant!!!

Hmm... interesting I have to agree with that article.

I had goldfish myself when I was about 5/6yr old but came to wonder why they all died after I'd brought them home from a show bar a black boggle eyed fish (think it was a black moor - my brains rusty) and a goldfish that lived for years afterwards i.e the survivors. Of course at that age I hadn't a clue about goldfish and thier requirements. They were kept in a plastic bowl that I used to keep my mouse in obviously I'd cleaned it but other than feeding them once a day and changing the water once a week that was as far as it went. Pretty ignorant when I think about it but most children would be the same. It's a good thing this law's been passed shame it's not like that elsewhere, at least this way children won't have the opportunity to purchase a fashion accessory that they'll get bored with sooner or later and when they are able to get them hopefully by then they'll be old enough to understand the commitments that come with keeping pets.

I've had agruments with friends who keep their childrens fish in a small round bowl as they say well they're only fish and have a 3second memory span so they're not bothered....
I'm currently doing couress that will aid me in joining the SSPCA (Scottish Society For Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals) as an Inspector so personally the way I see it is if we're going to take/keep fish of ANY kind out of thier natural enviroment then we have a responsibility to try to ensure to the best of our ability that they're happy. There's some rules that I think should be applied whenever keeping pets/livestock of any type called the 'Five Freedoms'

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst
2. Freedom from Discomfort
3. Freedom from Pain, Injury and Disease
4. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour
5. Freedom from Fear and Distress

Ok I'll shut up now!

 

[Mr B]

I like the fact the main reason is that goldfish get a distorted view of reality!!!
and secondary reason is filteration, etc

 

[Kitt_81]

I like the fact the main reason is that goldfish get a distorted view of reality!!!
and secondary reason is filteration, etc

I know ridiculous isn't it! They should try getting other countries to follow suit!

 

[FishDan]

I like the fact the main reason is that goldfish get a distorted view of reality!!!

Yeah. That is an interesting note.

However, as beneficial to the fish this law might seem, I am not totally sure I agree with it. IMHO this will not have a great effect on anything, even if the law does spread. This type of law does almost nothing to educate. Children will still keep goldfish in bowls (either because they don't know about the law, or out of all the previous information that said it was "okay"). This law is almost unenforcable. Will there be a FishBowl Police that checks every home for "illegal" fish housing? Furthermore, I don't believe that in and of itelsf a law can educate. All it can do is make criminals out of people. Smoking under a certain age is "illegal". That doesn't stop the vast numbers of teenage smokers. And drinking. And let's not even go into drugs, which for the most part are entirely illegal and still widely used. The key is to educate, not criminalize. Instead of making little 5 year old children and their parents criminals, educate them with positive and beneficial methods. Not prosecution. Just my opinion. I am glad to see a group that is at least attempting to do right by fish, but I am also aware this will have little effect. Both at the global level, and even at their local level.

\Dan