Goldfish and other animals will no longer be able to be given as prizes on council land in Huntingdonshire following a unanimous vote from councillors.

Cllr Simon Bywater presented a motion calling for the ban at a full Huntingdonshire District Council meeting on October 12, raising concerns over animal welfare.

The authority will also call on the Government to create an outright ban on giving live animals as prizes on both public and private land.

Cllr Bywater said he had been contacted by a number of people in the district concerned that awarding live animals as prizes was still not outlawed.

Cllr Bywater said: “Giving of such prizes seemed to me to be an outdated practice and if there are two things I personally don’t like in life is bullying and animal cruelty, so I decided to look into this in more detail with the RSPCA.”

He explained that in 2021 the RSPCA had called for local authorities to ban the giving of live animals as prizes on their land and that to date 27 councils in England had passed similar motions.

Cllr Bywater said 120 cases had been reported to the RSPCA between 2015 and 2020, but highlighted that many cases went unreported.

He explained that often these animals were goldfish, but added that there were cases of other animals being given as prizes as well.

He said: “It is also important to note that animals given as prizes do not have their welfare needs met, they are often kept and transported in conditions that do not meet their needs and many die before they even get home.

“I’m sure the older members in the chamber this evening will remember coming home from fairgrounds and finding an ice cream tub randomly and quickly to put a goldfish in, and quite clearly that is not acceptable in the modern day.

“Animal ownership is a big responsibility and is often costly and we are all aware of the pressures on family income.

“Prospective owners should have a clear understanding of their responsibilities involved in animal ownership, they should carefully consider whether they have the necessary facilities, time, financial means and level of interest to care for these animals. This is often not the case when an animal is suddenly thrust into your hand as a prize.

“We as a local authority have an ideal opportunity with this motion to ban the giving of live animals as prizes on all [district council] owned land.

“By issuing an outright ban of such activities on council-owned or operated land, or their properties, the council will send a clear message of its commitment to ensure the welfare of animals and help reinforce the message that these practices are no longer desirable in our community, these small changes could make a big difference.”

Other councillors at the meeting spoke up in support of the ban, with one highlighting that the Scottish Government had already issued a national ban, and said the UK Government should create a “similar ban as soon as possible”.

When put to a vote councillors unanimously voted to support the motion.