Man accused of abandoning pet fish is off the hook for animal cruelty, DA says

[Elderberry]

ABA Journal By Debra Cassens Weiss 4/11/2019

Prosecutors have dropped misdemeanor animal cruelty and abandonment charges against a North Carolina man accused of abandoning his pet fish when he was evicted from his Wilmington home.

Charges were dropped because fish aren’t protected under the state’s animal cruelty law, according to New Hanover County District Attorney Ben David. The Washington Post, the StarNews Online, the Port City Daily, the State and the Associated Press have coverage.

More: http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/man-accused-of-abandoning-his-fish-is-off-the-hook-for-animal-cruelty-da-says

[Elderberry]

I had a 20 gal tank when I was in the Navy. One time when I came home, I didn't see my Leporinus anywhere in the tank. I always felt he was the boss fish in the tank, so I knew he wasn't eaten. I looked all over and found him stuck to the wall behind and below the tank. I peeled him off the wall and plopped him back in the tank. He was fine. I rigged up the top so he couldn't jump out again. Sometimes he'd hit the side of the tank so hard I thought he'd break the glass. I only had about 5 fish in the tank. Whenever I added any more they were immediately eaten.

[Gefn]

Fish are either bad pets or wonderful.

I had a goldfish I got in 7th grade. It died my sophomore year in college, weirdly a day before my grandma passed


I got two goldfish at the same time from a county fair. I named them Paul and John, after the Beatles. John died about two weeks in. Paul survived.