Owning a pet can be an expensive business in Hong Kong. One of the biggest costs is taking your pet to the vet. Whether it is for a simple examination, an injection, treatment, or operation, a vet’s fee can be as high as a doctor’s. If your pet cat or dog is your best friend, you may not have any objection to paying as much as is necessary. But, what about your pet goldfish? How much would you be prepared to pay?

Australian Pip Joyce was very concerned when a large lump appeared on the head of her pet goldfish, George. Ten-year-old George was having trouble eating, and the other fish were beginning to bully him. Pip decided to put George into a bucket and take him to Lort Smith Animal Hospital in Melbourne. There, he was examined by vet Dr. Tristan Rich. The news was not very good. The lump on George’s head was a tumour. He could either be operated on, or he would die. The cost of the operation? HK$1,600.

Pip decided to order the operation. Anaesthetic was put into the bucket of water George was swimming in, and he quickly fell asleep. He was placed on the operating table and water from his pond was fed through a tube into his gills so he was able to breathe.

It took Dr. Rich 60 minutes to perform the operation and remove the tumour. When Dr. Rich had finished, George was placed in a bucket of oxygenated water where he soon woke up and started swimming around. The operation had been successful. Dr. Rich said that this was about the tenth time he had performed such an operation on a fish, and George could live another twenty years. George is now back at home with the other fish. His appetite is back and he is no longer bullied.

Pip Joyce said in an interview that George and her other fish were like members of her family. She felt that pet fish should be treated no differently than pet cats or dogs. If they are sick, they should be treated. Do you agree? Would you spend HK$1,600 having your pet fish treated, or would you use that money to replace it with a bigger and better one?

Question:

Watch a news report on George the goldfish:

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