A German police officer has shot a catfish in Lake Brombach in the Franconian Lake District of Bavaria, after the 2m-long fish started attacking swimmers – and now animal-rights activists are up in arms.
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Germany says it plans to bring a criminal complaint over the killing.
The fish had been hanging around near the surface beside a bathing platform in the lake and was said to have been aggressive, having bitten several swimmers. Because of the number of visitors attending a music festival in the area, the police considered that its continued presence constituted an “acute safety risk”.
The 90kg wels catfish was only wounded after being shot, but was then recovered and dispatched by anglers.
“We are shocked by the actions of the police and the anglers, who are clearly responsible for the extremely painful, slow and above all unnecessary and unlawful death of the catfish,” said PETA expert Jana Hoger.
“The catfish most likely wanted to defend its nest and thus its offspring, and exhibited behaviour that is absolutely typical of its species. Killing it so that the countless guests can continue to swim undisturbed in the lake constitutes a violation of the Animal Welfare Act.”
PETA has demanded an investigation into the incident and has appealed to the authorities and emergency services to find animal-friendly solutions when such situations arise.
“In this case, this would have involved deploying security forces to prevent revellers from accessing the bathing platform at night. Wild animals are not troublemakers but part of our important ecosystem. They deserve respect and protection – even when they encounter us humans unexpectedly.
“Our criminal complaint is intended to help ensure that the clearly unlawful nature of the act from an animal welfare perspective is also examined and punished at the legal level.”
Wels catfish are Europe’s biggest freshwater fish. In 2003 “Cat Eats Dog” headlines ensued after one specimen in Mönchengladbach dubbed Kuno the Killer was alleged to have swallowed a dachshund puppy.
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