RSPCA Appeal for Information

The RSPCA are asking for information after 4 fish were abandoned in a polystrene box behind garages in Witham Essex.

RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Joe White and trainee Rik Moran went to collect the fish after they were discovered by neighbours in a parking area off Virgil Road.

Joe said: “The fish were left in a polystyrene tub behind a garage building overnight on 8 September. “We believe they were left sometime between midnight and 4am, and we’re now checking CCTV in the local area. “But we’d appeal to the public to help us find out where the fish came from. Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area at the time or who knows who these fish belong to can contact our appeal line on 0300 123 8018, quoting reference 1900213.”

The fish, a common plec, Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps, about 30cm long, two gold gourami probably Trichogaster trichopterus (gold form), and a Blood Parrot Cichlid, survived being left overnight without a filter or heater, and are now in the care of the RSPCA.

Do you know anything about who might have abandoned these fish? Have you seen these fish being offered on any of the free fish groups from the Essex area? If so please contact the RSPCA on the above number.

Fish are sentient and don’t deserve to be left like rubbish to die in a box.