Tropical fish lucky to survive after being dumped
RSPCAFour tropical fish were "lucky to survive the night" after they were abandoned in a polystyrene tub filled with water behind garages, the RSPCA has said.
The charity has revealed they were discovered in a parking area off Virgil Road in Witham on 8 September.
Animal rescue officer Joe White said the teams had seen an increase in callouts due to owners struggling financially.
He said: "It can be really dangerous for the animals themselves and puts lots of added pressure on charities like the RSPCA, which are already facing tough times with overflowing rescue centres and more animals needing help than we can get to."
Freshwater tropical fish live in warm climates and need specialist equipment and care.
The RSPCA said its own experts were looking after the large pleco, which was about 30cm-long (1ft), the orange parrot fish and the two gouramis.
The charity said it was checking through CCTV footage. It urged anyone with information or who noticed something suspicious in the area, between midnight and 04:00 BST, to contact it.
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