Fury over appalling find in kerbside pick-up left on Aussie street
The pet fish were left to 'boil' in the hot Monday sun, until one local resident realised.
Aussies have been left horrified after a good Samaritan stumbled across live pet fish dumped in their half-empty tank on the side of a road in the hot sun on Monday.
A local was walking along a street in Sydney's Inner West when she saw the tank, along with a box of other miscellaneous goods seemingly left for the council's kerbside pick-up, or for fellow residents to simply help themselves to. But, as she peered past the giant "FREE" sign taped to an unplugged fish tank, she saw there were still live fish inside — swimming in the small amount of water that had been left for them.
"Is anyone able to rescue them?" the woman pleaded in a local Facebook group that morning, with a photo of the abandoned animals as well as other equipment in a box on top of the tank.
Locals appalled after pets dumped
After sharing the discovery, people from the area immediately jumped in to offer help and to condemn the act by the original owner. "Who does that!! They would boil in this heat," one concerned person said.
"Thanks for saving! What is wrong with people!!" replied another.
By the end of the day, and after many offers from people willing to take in the two tiny pets, they found a new, loving home with an "experienced" fish owner.
Do you have a story about something you've found in your area? Contact reporter Laura Koefoed at laura.koefoed@yahooinc.com
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The law against the illegal dumping of pets
According to the NSW Department of Primary Industries, the welfare of all animals, including fish, is protected by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 and dumping an unwanted pet fish is illegal under Section 11 of the Act.
"Most people accept that dumping a pet cat or dog into the wild is an act of animal cruelty, but did you know that fish are considered under the same animal welfare legislation in NSW?" they state on their website.
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