A property developer looking to remove a pond in Northwest D.C. discovered dozens of goldfish from a previous owner.
So they called the Humane Rescue Alliance for help.
It took them about 12 hours over two days to wade through the pond, scooping out 143 goldfish.
“It was a decorative pond and so they were basically like pets, just pets that lived outside in this pond,” said Lauren Crossed, Humane Rescue Alliance’s wildlife program manager.
They used nets to capture the fish while draining the pond, she said, then transferred them into new tanks, carefully checking the temperature of the water along the way to keep them safe.
“They are few and far between these kinds of calls,” Crossed said, but they were happy to help.
“We strive to make sure that every animal is given the same opportunity for a safe and loving home, regardless of their species,” she said.
It was hard to find them, Crossed said, because many of the fish were the same color as the water.
“Every fish was like black and gold, and there were two fish left that were actually like the goldfish-gold color,” she said.
All 143 fish are healthy and ready for new homes.
The organization said that the fish would be a great addition to any family that has a pond or water feature in which they could thrive.
Find more information on how to adopt them on the Humane Rescue Alliance website.
