Officials warn against flushing pets as 'Giant Goldfish' multiply
Courtesy Alberta Provincial Government
CALGARY, Alberta -- The final flush no longer.
Government officials are warning Alberta residents against flushing their beloved pet goldfish down the toilet, as the goldfish are surviving, multiplying and growing at an alarming rate.
According to the CBC, goldfish that survive a toilet flushing often end up in stormwater ponds. Now, officials have found that the goldfish are surviving and multiplying in the ponds, and often growing to the size of dinner plates.
In one case, the CBC reports, a local municipality has pulled at least 40 domestic fish species from a stormwater pond.
"That's really scary because it means they're reproducing in the wild," the aquatic species coordinator at Alberta Environment and Parks, Kate Wilson, said. Wilson said the non-native species destroy the habitat of native fish.
To combat the issue, the government has unveiled a "Don't Let it Loose" campaign, educating Albertans about the potential dangers of flushing domestic fish. The campaign is targeting pet stores and markets that sell live fish.