Goldfish are being banned as prizes are banned from fairgrounds across Wales – and the RSPCA wants rest of Britain to follow.
The fairground ban comes after the RSPCA campaigned for a ban in animals and fish being given as traditional prizes to save them from suffering.
It warned the goldfish are abused – and some are being dumped just minutes after being won on fairground attractions.
The charity said an outright Welsh government ban is needed to prevent the practice happening on private land.
RSPCA Cymru’s Sioned Nikolic said: ‘We know that this is something people care about, with many assuming it is already banned.
Goldfish are being banned as prizes are banned from fairgrounds across Wales – and the RSPCA now wants rest of Britain to follow (Stock image)
‘We would ultimately like to see pets being given away as prizes banned outrightly by the Welsh government.’
All council in Wales have agreed to enforce the ban on live animals as prizes.
It came after one goldfish believed to be from a fun fair was found washed up on the Welsh coast in Prestatyn but was incredibly still alive.
Goldie the goldfish was found by beachgoer Nicola Panayi, 40, who spotted it on the shore as she took for a morning swim at the beach but has no idea where it came from.
She said: ‘I think Goldie may have been washed up as the bag was covered in sand and we had just had a high tide, which was receding. I’m so happy it has found a lovely forever home.’
After she posted on Facebook she was inundated by posts from angry animal lovers shocked at the cruelty by whoever dumped it.
One woman said: ‘This is disgraceful. How was anyone brought up to treat animals like this?’
Another added: ‘This is dreadful, should have been banned long ago.’