Sick vandals use Fairy Liquid to kill autistic boy's pet fish

[AGXStarseed]

(Not written by me)

Scottish SPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said it was "a cruel and reckless act".

Gordon and Jake Cherry beside the ruined tanks


An 11-year-old autistic boy was left heartbroken after twisted louts killed his pet fish.

Jake Cherry, from Dumfries, returned from a family trip on Sunday to find vandals had squeezed washing-up liquid into the tanks.

Dozens of fish were poisoned and around £5,000 of equipment was contaminated.

The St Ninian’s Primary pupil, who has Asperger Syndrome, said: “Why would someone do this? I can’t believe they’d put Fairy Liquid in and kill them all.”

Troublemakers had entered the family’s Lochside home on Saturday night while Jake’s big brother Marc, 18, was hosting a party.

They polluted the tanks with detergent and smashed a TV and mobile phone before making off.

Jake’s mum, Karen Wylie, and her partner, Gordon Marshall, had taken the youngster on a trip to Flamingo Land in Scarborough when trouble broke out in their Ashton Drive home.

Karen, 46, said: “This has been quite a difficult thing for Jake to deal with.

“We’re absolutely devastated. The fish were always very active at night and Jake would enjoy watching them.”

Karen and Gordon had spent the last three years building their fish collection, which included a pufferfish, a snowflake eel and a foxface, and said that Jake found it calming to sit and play in the same room as the tanks.

Gordon said: “A lot of love went into this. It’s just sheer vandalism.”

Scottish SPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said, “This was a cruel and reckless act and our thoughts are with the family, who are understandably devastated. Fish are sentient creatures which means they have the capacity to suffer fear, pain and distress.”

Constable Lyndsey Nicolson said: “This is an awful case of wanton vandalism which has sadly cost the lives of a number of marine fish. We want to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious through the 101 number.”



SOURCE: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/sick-vandals-use-fairy-liquid-6722338

 

[wyverary]

 

[ancusmitis]

Damn, killing someone's pet is pretty serious business. I'd keep an eye on these fellows, don't think this could their first interaction or their last.

Gotta love the Scottish, though. I can't imagine reading the phrase "twisted louts" in an American newspaper.

 

[tree]

Some creeps poured...dish washing soap into a
salt water tank to kill the fish. That sucks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy_(brand)

 

[Flinty]

I doubt that these beings were targeting based on ASD; this is a sort of thing that happens at too many parties these days. It's an excellent argument against parties in general.

 

[ancusmitis]

I doubt that these beings were targeting based on ASD; this is a sort of thing that happens at too many parties these days. It's an excellent argument against parties in general.

I had no idea fish poisonings were common at parties. Although, I remember being an age when "wild party" sounded like an enticement. Nowadays I avoid even milder affairs, especially if there is alcohol.

 

[Flinty]

I had no idea fish poisonings were common at parties. Although, I remember being an age when "wild party" sounded like an enticement. Nowadays I avoid even milder affairs, especially if there is alcohol.

I speak of vandalism in general. There seems to be a lack of respect for property these days.