Cheshire West and Cheshire council becomes first in North West to ban pets as prizes

Cheshire West and Chester has become the latest local authority to ban pets as prizes.

It is the first local authority in the North West to take part in the ban, alongside 30 others in England and 12 in Wales.

This follows an RSPCA campaign, #NoFunAtTheFair Pets as Prizes campaign.

The initiative has been backed by more than 8,000 supporters and urges local authorities to take a stand in their communities.

Lee Gingell, RSPCA’s public affairs manager for local government in England, said: “We are delighted to see Cheshire West and Chester take this important step for animal welfare in their community.

“It really does prove there is a strength of feeling about this issue and it is great to see local authorities doing their bit to raise awareness and prevent this practice from happening on their land.”

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Karen Shore said: "The council is pleased to be one of a growing number of local authorities that have acted in support of the RSPCA’s Pets as Prizes campaign. 

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

It is normally goldfish that are given out as prizes with many assuming they are not a big responsibility but Mr Gingell thinks otherwise. 

"While goldfish can make great companions, they shouldn't be acquired via a spur-of-the-moment game.

"Goldfish are easily stressed and very often fish that are won as prizes suffer miserably from shock, oxygen starvation or die from changes in water temperature, and many may die before their new owners can get them home.

“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. 

"When bringing a fish home for the first time, it’s important to set the tank up at least two weeks in advance to make sure it’s all running smoothly, and this just isn’t possible for someone who’s won a fish without being prepared for it," said Mr Gingell. 

The RSPCA is calling on both the UK Government and Welsh Government to ban pets being given away as prizes and for national legislation in both countries to be a requirement. 

Individual council bans across England and Wales currently only relates to their own land, meaning pets as prizes could still be given out on private land.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...