So cruel
A cute little cartoon fish is one of the mascots for the Beijing Olympics.
But this sick tourist trinket shows a shocking contempt for the creatures – with a live goldfish stuffed into a tiny plastic bag on a keyring. [>
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The bag is sealed so there is only enough oxygen to last for a few hours at the most. Then the goldfish will simply suffocate. [>
We can’t understand why anyone would want to buy such a thing
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In the last miserable hours of its life it has just about enough room to turn around. [>
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Its flimsy plastic home offers the goldfish no protection as it is carried through bustling streets, and can easily be pierced. [>
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The keyrings – aimed predominantly at children – are already selling fast in markets in Qingdao, the city that will host the sailing events for this summer’s Games. [>
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The figure on the front is of the five Olympics mascots. [>
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It is “good luck” doll, or fuwa, and this one is the child-friendly symbol of a fish, with the name Beibei. A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said yesterday: “We are shocked and appalled. It is a gimmick and shows no respect for the animals at all. [>
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“The fish would survive just a few hours, and would be lucky to make it from the manufacturers to the point of sale. [>
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“We can’t understand why anyone would want to buy such a thing.” [>
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Animal rights campaigners are urging sports’ fans to boycott China’s controversial Olympics. [>
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Hundreds of thousands of people are already expected to ignore this summer’s games in protest at the nation’s treatment of human beings in Tibet. [>
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The keyrings are just the latest animal abuse scandal in China. [>
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Last month a Daily Express reporter revealed that dogs are routinely eaten after being beaten over the head with iron bars. [>
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Many are still alive when they are thrust into boiling water. The Chinese eat 75 million cats and dogs every year. [>