AN animal friendly charter that would have condemned the sale of fur, foie gras and veal in St Neots has been turned down by councillors. The Animal Aid s Compassionate Charter asks town councils to adopt eight steps aimed at helping animals, people and

AN animal friendly charter that would have condemned the sale of fur, foie gras and veal in St Neots has been turned down by councillors.

The Animal Aid's Compassionate Charter asks town councils to adopt eight steps aimed at 'helping animals, people and the planet'.

One of the pledges calls for a ban on giving away goldfish as prizes at fairgrounds - an element which has been adopted in Colchester.

The charter says: "In reality, someone taking fish home on a whim is likely to put them into a bowl of water and leave them. Many others are simply flushed down the toilet.

"At Animal Aid, we hear regular complaints of children who have won fish simply emptying the water-filled pouches onto the ground, leaving the fish to suffocate.

"We would urge all councils to formulate a policy that will save such unnecessary suffering."

In addition the charter asks for fur on mayoral robes to be replaced with fake fur and for the banning of animal circuses and the sale of veal in council premises.

It also asks councils to make towns plastic-bag free zones.

Although councillors said they felt sympathy towards the charter they decided it was not in their jurisdiction to adopt it.

At St Neots Town Council meeting last Wednesday (April 8), Councillor Paul Ursell said: "Obviously I support anything that helps bunnies and other animals, but I do not think we should ban the sale of foie gras and veal in the town."

Cllr Gordon Thorpe added: "I can't help thinking that if we adopted it, what difference would it actually make in the town? Not a lot.