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Source: Reuters -
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Punters at Hamilton's Agenda Bar do not just drink like fish, they are being encouraged to actually drink fish - live goldfish.
On Tuesday night the bar is putting on a party as part of Waikato University's orientation week and for $10 people can buy a live goldfish shot, which is something animal rights groups are concerned about.
Agenda bar owner Logan Hughes told Breakfast he initially saw the idea overseas. He says it was a popular idea so thought it would be a fun to bring it back to New Zealand.
The bar picked up the 200 goldfish on Tuesday and will keep them in a holding tank until the party. They hope to get rid of all 200, but if not, they will use them for other parties later in the week.
Hughes says they disagree with comments that the event is cruel.
"If I thought it was immoral, I wouldn't do it," he says.
He says it is minimal discomfort for the fish as they will be swallowed whole.
Hughes says they have had a few comments from people who disagree with the idea but on the whole people have taken it well.
He says there has been a lot of interest in the event, with some saying they are going to try the goldfish shots, and a lot saying they will go to watch.
What do you think about drinking a live goldfish? Have your say on the messageboard below.
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentWell said on 2010-03-02 @ 15:43 NZDT: Report abusive post
Goldfish are companions not food. I know someone who has had their goldfish for about 10years now. The owner of this bar should die.
get_justine said on 2010-03-02 @ 13:38 NZDT: Report abusive post
Logan mentioned that this will have minimal discomfort on the fish, wouldnt they be burned to death in peoples stomach acid? I wouldnt say that was a humane way to kill something. They don't have my support
Cailean said on 2010-03-02 @ 13:24 NZDT: Report abusive post
Stop this immediately! So no discomfort....an animal designed to live in freshwater with a pH somewhere in the region of 7 is swallowed whole and alive into a stomach with a pH of 2 - I'd equate that to the organisers stripping off and sitting immersed in a bath of hydrochloric acid. Noew also consider that goldfish need perhaps 5mg of oxygen per litre of water...I doubt there's that in a person stomach - so they are subject to extreme pH stress and hypoxia (suffocation)...how not stressful?
Pacifier said on 2010-03-02 @ 13:17 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think more places should offer goldfish shots. I would order many all at once. Theres nothing like having many goldfish wriggling around in your stomach all at once. Wheres the harm in this? The goldfish will be drunk so won't care. The goldfish will love it. Theres nothing quite like being immersed in alcohol listening to cool beats, dont you think?
MamaBear said on 2010-03-02 @ 13:08 NZDT: Report abusive post
I THINK THAT THIS IS INHUMANE AND CRUEL. HOW DISGUSTING, I AM APPALLED BY THIS AND HOW HUGHES CAN THINK THAT SUCH I THING ISNT IMMORAL. SICKENED. NEVER GOING TO THIS BAR AGAIN. IF THEY THINK THAT SWALLOWING LIVE GOLDFISH IS THE FUN THAT HAMILTON NEEDS THEN THEY ARE SADLY MISTAKEN, THINGS LIKE THIS PUT A BLACK MARK AGAINST HAMILTONS NAME AND REPUTATION IN MY BOOKS AND MOST LIKELY IN MANY OTHERS.