Living animals become props, "claw crane" turns into "grasping life"

Left image: Arcade point redemption area, animal environment concerns.

Right image: Multiple fish-catching machines placed inside a Changsha arcade.

Recently, a primary school near Changsha attracted attention for allegedly selling highly toxic Japanese red-bellied newts. On March 25, Sanxiang Metropolitan News reporters visited and found that in some shopping mall arcades, special live animal claw machines had appeared, containing live fish, rabbits, hamsters, and other animals. Some consumers believe that these machines are not suitable for animals to survive long-term. Others have seen animals in such machines showing signs of illness or death, raising concerns about disease transmission.

From ring toss on the street to doll claw machines in shopping malls, live animals are entering more commercial settings under the guise of entertainment, posing risks to animal survival and public health that warrant vigilance.

■Text/Photos/Video: Sanxiang Metropolitan News full media reporter Tong Ruonan

Arcade games can catch live animals, turning life into game props

On March 22, at a mall on Wanjiali Road, inside the fifth-floor arcade Xipintang, two “Fish Run” fish-catching game machines were observed. The machines contained fish tanks about 50 centimeters long and wide, housing around 40 small fish, with mechanical fish scoops beside them. According to staff, the gameplay is similar to claw machines: “By controlling the scoop up and down, you can successfully catch a fish, and if you want to take the fish away, you can ask our front desk staff for a disposable cup to hold it.”

The reporter noticed a fish tank placed separately next to the machines, with a sign stating “Six small fish can be exchanged for one angel fish.” Staff said that all small fish in the tank must be caught out before participating in the exchange, meaning the fish inside the machine need to be repeatedly caught, placed in cups, and then returned.

On the basement level of the mall, in a “Fish Catcher” store specializing in fish catching, nearly 40 similar fish-catching arcade machines were displayed, each containing about 40 fish. Customers can place caught fish into buckets to take home or use the machines at the front desk to score points, exchange for other fish, or purchase live pets such as guinea pigs, rabbits, turtles, and lizards.

At the same time, two hamster grabbing machines were set up, but no hamsters were inside. Staff said, “Right now, only fish; no hamsters have been stocked.” Consumers reported that these machines had previously used grabbing clamps to catch live hamsters.

On that day, the reporter also visited four other arcades in the mall but did not find any machines that awarded live animals.

Dead fish in machines, consumer complaints [Download Black Cat Complaint App] “Weekday Rabbits”

The reporter noticed that in Xipintang, one machine had two small fish floating on the water surface, and another machine’s cup also contained dead fish. After prompting, staff cleaned the dead fish from the machines and explained, “We buy fish from the pet and bird market; some may already be unhealthy. The dead fish in cups are mostly customers who caught them and then abandoned or left behind.”

At the “Fish Catcher” store, most machines had lively fish, but some still had dead ones. Staff said, “We don’t buy fish from the pet market; our supplier provides them through their own channels.” They also stated that the animals in the store currently lack quarantine certificates.

The reporter asked as a consumer how to handle pets that die after bringing them home. The “Fish Catcher” staff replied, “We can’t guarantee that the fish or rabbits customers take away will survive. Fish are best oxygenated; whether they live depends mainly on personal care and luck.” A clerk at Xipintang admitted, “The fish in our tanks are fine, but most can’t survive once taken home, mainly because homes lack continuous oxygen supply.”

In the comments section of the “Fish Catcher” store, some consumers reported that rabbits purchased only three days earlier had died, questioning whether the store’s “Weekday Rabbits” are actually short-lived. Others said that even goldfish oxygenated and taken home still died, to which the store replied that small goldfish are fragile and that they can be exchanged for other fish.

Consumers: Disregard for life, harmful to children’s education

Besides deaths, the condition of animals in these arcades is also worrying. In the “Fish Catcher” store’s points exchange area, cages displayed live animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and lizards, attracting many passing children. The cages were not overly cramped but appeared messy, with rabbit feed scattered and mixed with feces, guinea pig water bowls filled with debris, and an empty squirrel cage with uncleaned feces underneath. It was a busy weekend with high foot traffic and noisy surroundings.

On social media, some Changsha netizens reported seeing fish and turtles in claw machines in other arcades, worried that animals might be stressed or panicked under loud noises and bright lights. One netizen said they had filed a complaint with 12315 and received feedback from Changsha’s Culture, Tourism, Radio, and Television Bureau, which had ordered the involved businesses to remove all live animals.

Some consumers also reported that in the City Hero Yongwang Dream Mall (Xiangjiang New Area), game machines could grab hamsters. The consumer said the hamsters’ water and food had long been exhausted, some corpses had rotted, and the surviving animals’ conditions were concerning. On March 25, the reporter called the store, and staff said the hamster-catching machines had been removed, but the duck-catching machines remained. They added, “The reason for removal is unclear; the duck-catching machines also operate by directly grabbing with machines. If the ducks have issues, we will handle it.”

Some consumers pointed out that using live animals as game props can lead children to view life as just toys. Changsha resident Ms. Wu said, “I can accept buying pets normally, but I can’t accept animals being kept in malls and repeatedly caught and tortured like claw machines. This not only greatly increases animal casualties but also makes children gradually become indifferent to life and lack basic respect for it.”

Lawyer’s opinion

Strengthen regulation, publicize quarantine certificates

On March 25, the reporter contacted the provider of the “Fish Catcher” equipment, Le Hui Blue Elf Fish Catching Machine, claiming to purchase the equipment. Staff said the pet fish used in the store are supplied through their channels and claimed, “Generally, no quarantine certificates are needed; few animals get sick.” When asked if their operation complies with regulations, they responded, “If catching live animals were not allowed, this industry would have disappeared long ago.”

Lawyer Wang Youhua from Hunan Heanda Law Firm pointed out that according to the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law of the People’s Republic of China and related regulations, indoor animal display and interaction venues should publicly display quarantine certificates to ensure animals are sourced legally and are healthy and disease-free. “Without effective regulation, the risk of rabies, parasites, and other zoonotic disease transmission could pose potential threats to minors in contact with these animals.” He believes operators must ensure the legality and health of fish and turtles, and that transportation and business practices meet animal quarantine standards. Additionally, relevant administrative departments have a duty to supervise such activities and should perform their duties according to law.