Reward of Up to £3,000 Offered After Fish Dumped Behind Garage

Witham, Essex – PETA is offering a reward of up to £3,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for abandoning four tropical fish in Witham. According to reports, a large pleco, an orange parrotfish, and two gouramis were found in a polystyrene tub filled with water behind a garage in a parking area off Virgil Road on 8 September.

“We’re calling on anyone with information about this case to come forward so that whoever abandoned these individuals can be apprehended, before they harm anyone else,” says PETA Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen. “Abandoning an animal is an extraordinary betrayal. These fish deserved care and protection, not to be discarded like rubbish.”

PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” – notes that in nature, tropical fish swim freely in vast seas and forage among brilliantly colored coral reefs. But in the exotic pet trade, many suffer neglect and abuse, and perish from the trauma of being removed from their natural environment and trapped in small tanks. Because guardians are often unprepared or unable to meet the animals’ complex needs, many are at risk of dying prematurely or being abandoned.

The RSPCA is urging anyone with firsthand information about the incident to call its appeals line on 0300 123 8018.

PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” – points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and fear, a fish is a dog is a boy. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk or follow PETA on Facebook, X, TikTok, or Instagram.

Contact:

Lucy Watson +44 (0) 20 7837 6327; [email protected]

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