England’s National Health Service (NHS) will pay an abortion provider over $600 to abort a baby within the first 24 weeks after conception. The only qualification for the taxpayer funded abortion is that the mother must feel disposing of the baby is in her best interest. Mishandle a gold fish in England, however, and the wrath of the government’s righteous indignation will brand, fine, work, and confine the offender.
Pet store owner Mrs. Higgins sold the fish to an undercover 14 year old in a sting operation. Had Higgins carded the boy, she would have discovered he was under 16; which is the legal age to purchase a pet. She was prosecuted at a cost of $25,000 and convicted, fined $1,500, ordered to perform 150 hours of community service, and tagged with an electronic device to enforce her seven week curfew at home from 6pm to 7am each day. Now that the 67 year old woman is under wraps, gold fish can finally feel safe about going out at night.
Iain Veitch, head of public protection (now there’s a misnomer), took pains to make it clear that no scales would be ruffled on his watch. “Let this conviction send out a message that we will not tolerate those who cause unnecessary suffering to animals,”1 Veitch thundered from his throne, with a bundle of “statutory powers” clasped in his hand like lightning bolts ready to strike the next offender. The gold fish? The press reports it “was later adopted by an animal welfare officer and is in good health.”2 If the animal welfare officer is taking suggestions for an inscription on the gold fish bowl, consider this: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psa 9:17).
Notes:
1 – 2. Jaya Narain, “Pet shop owner fined £1,000 and told to wear an electronic tag… for selling a GOLDFISH to a boy aged 14,” Mail Online, Mrch 31, 2010.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1262250/Pet-shop-owner-sold-goldfish-boy-hauled-court-ordered-wear-electronic-tag.html
