GOLDFISH BOWLS BANNED

[Callatya]

GoldFish Bowls BANNED

So what do you think of this?

I'm of 2 minds.

Does it include the BiOrb setups?

Is it only for goldfish?

Is there a capacity minimum or simply round bowls?

The new laws look interesting, but I don't know, I'm feeling threatened.

I'm concerned that perhaps the rules are a bit too narrow in somare areas and too broad in others.

Does anyone have nore info on this??

[Jess]

I found this on news.com.au today.

I am not sure about what sort of bowls. Perhaps they mean a standard bowl?

Rome bans goldfish bowls

From correspondents in Rome

26-10-2005

From: Reuters

ROME has banned goldfish bowls, which animal rights activists said are cruel, and has made regular dog walking mandatory, the city council said.

Under a new by-law, round fish bowls were banned along with fish and other creatures being given away for fairground prizes.

The moves came after a national law was passed to allow jail sentences for people who abandon cats or dogs.

"It's good to do whatever we can for our animals who in exchange for a little love fill our existence with their attention," said Monica Cirinna, the councillor behind the by-law.

"The civilisation of a city can also be measured by this," she told Rome's Il Messaggero newspaper.

The newspaper reported round bowls caused fish to go blind. No one at Rome council was available to confirm this was why they were banned however, many experts said round bowls provided insufficient oxygen for fish.

In July 2004, parliament passed a law setting big fines and jail terms for people who abandoned pets.

Since then local governments have added their own animal welfare rules, many of which will be difficult to police.

The northern city of Turin passed a law in April to fine pet owners up to 500 euro ($821.69) if they did not walk their dogs at least three times a week.

The new Rome by-law required owners to regularly exercise their dogs and banned them from docking their pets' tails for aesthetic reasons.

It also provided legal recognition for cat lovers who provided food for the colonies of strays which lived everywhere from the city's ancient Roman ruins to modern office car parks.

Animal rights groups estimated about 150,000 pet dogs and 200,000 cats were abandoned in Italy every year.

Source: News.com.au

[fuzzy_dragonfly]

I don't think that's a good idea. As much as I hate goldfish in bowls this might encourage people to keep them in smaller vases and jars. Although I'm glad that fish are finally being concidered in animal rights issues. Geeze the second part leaves me in a bit of a predicament, we've won 3 of our pets in raffles and contests. So long as they're going to a good home with people who know how to look after them it's OK, plus when I won Gyongy the tiel they gave me the option of taking a $70 Holy Statue instead.

[Robbies Betta]

I like the dog bit

don't know about the bowls

encourage people to keep them in smaller vases and jars

I'm pretty sure they'd include any small sort of container for goldies. I don't think it includes bettas and other labarynthe fish tho :P

[Betta_Di]

Klara, the problem is that most people who win animals as "prizes" at Fetes or similar place even less value on the life of the animal than those who impulse buy at pet shops. I think any critter would love to come and live as part of Klara's household Gotta say I'd love to see how they police the "must walk your dog at least 3 times a week" rule :P

[fuzzy_dragonfly]

Klara, the problem is that most people who win animals as "prizes" at Fetes or similar place even less value on the life of the animal than those who impulse buy at pet shops.  I think any critter would love to come and live as part of Klara's household

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

With the goldfish paticularly I would have to agree, they should come with a free fish starter kit too and care sheet, most people that win goldfish don't have the facilities to keep them. Or offer an alternative prize, it was a school fundraiser and I don't think they'll knock back any donation.

Can't say the same is true for Matthew my little bro though, he's very attached and protective of his prize fish .

I fully agree with the rest of rules and consequences, the way people treat animals reflects the way people treat people.

[edie]

once u have so much rules, ppl will have strong tendency NOT to have them on the first place...go figure where they will go when no one wants them no more sometimes, small kids would get acquainted with animal through those prizes or gift etc. Having all those rules, the parents would be scared to death to own any animals thinking "we're working class ppl, having a dog means spending lots of time walking it or be penalized when we forgot, but little Fanny wants it so much...." Anyway, that's their rule now, so we just have to see how they go

[fuzzy_dragonfly]

Pets are a commitment, I think what this is trying to bring through is simply responsible pet ownership. I can see where they're comming from in all accounts but there are things to concider. For instance should a little old lady who has owned her pet dog for 8 years be forced to surrender it just because her body cannot fullfill these new rules? Or what about handicapped pets, how are you supposed to walk a dog with arthritis or hip issues that often? What if a pet runs away, is that still abandonment? What if the goldfish bowl holds 20L and is fully filtered and aerated with one or two small (4-5cm) goldfish is that still insufficient? I have never ever heard of a goldfish going blind from being in a round bowl. I've heard of bubble eyed fish going blind as a result of their intentional deformity, isn't that cruelty? What if the fairground prize animal is raffled at an animal show e.g rabbit society raffling a rabbit at a rabbit show amongst rabbit hobbyists to raise money for the club, the rabbit is guaranteed to be won by a capable owner is it not? Although I agree with the principal and many of those rules are great in an ideal world, what I would like to know is are they going to be flexible, go on a case to case basis. I also find it interesting that birds in minicages are not mentioned and they are encoraging people to feed stray cats. One would think that it would only make the problem worse.

[Em]

I heard (and don't know if it's correct or not) that it's because with the round bowls they sometimes swim against the glass and rub the sides of their bodies and therefore their eyes get irritated by the rubbing against glass. Seems like a pretty stupid reason though.

[fuzzy_dragonfly]

I heard (and don't know if it's correct or not) that it's because with the round bowls they sometimes swim against the glass and rub the sides of their bodies and therefore their eyes get irritated by the rubbing against glass. Seems like a pretty stupid reason though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But fish rub up against cube shaped tanks too as well as swim into the glass when frightened, the round bowl may distort images on the other side of the bowl but I doubt that causes blindness. It's more cruel not keeping up with water changes then arguing about the shape of the bowl.