"Who does that?!" Outrage over horrific kerbside pick-up
Fury has erupted in Sydney's inner west after one callous resident left an unusual item in their pile of junk for council's kerbside pick-up.
One a hot summer day, one local was walking past the pile of household items that held a giant "FREE" sign, inviting passersby to sift through the loot to take what they please.
However, the concerned local was shocked to find a fish tank at the bottom of the stack, that still had pet fish living inside.
The fish were swimming around in only a few inches of water in the tank, which had been left in the blazing sun.
Taking to a local Facebook group, the woman posted a photo of the fish pleading for "anybody able to rescue them" from nearby, to which dozens of people responded offering their help.
The post racked up an influx of comments from people condemning the original owner's actions, with one outraged neighbour saying, "Who does that!! They would boil in this heat."
"Thanks for saving! What is wrong with people!!" replied another.
By the end of the day, and after many offers from people willing to take in the two tiny pets, they found a new, loving home with an "experienced" fish owner.
According to the NSW Department of Primary Industries, the welfare of all animals, including fish, is protected by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 and dumping an unwanted pet fish is illegal under Section 11 of the Act.
"Most people accept that dumping a pet cat or dog into the wild is an act of animal cruelty, but did you know that fish are considered under the same animal welfare legislation in NSW?" they state on their website.
Image credits: Facebook