Rescue efforts launched to save pet shop’s fish following Storm Claudia

A pet shop in Monmouth affected by flooding during Storm Claudia has appealed to the local community for assistance rehoming their fish.

The post from Paws Pet Supplies and Grooming Salon was uploaded late at night on Saturday 15 November, following a major incident declaration and the River Monnow reaching record water levels, according to Natural Resources Wales.

In addition to images of their waterlogged store, the Paws Pet Supplies team requested help rehoming their fish, writing: “We have no power still in the shop and the fish (cold water & tropical) are still there in our tanks and will most likely pass away if they are not relocated.

“We are asking if anyone has any space in their existing tanks or a spare tank, if they would like to come and get some fish, then to pop down.”

The shop made it clear that they did not require any payment for the animals, as they could not “guarantee [the fish] will survive or potentially cause any issues in your current tank.”

The post continued: “We will say that the water does not look to be contaminated with the muddy water (it’s still clear as it was before), as the power switched off our sumps and then stopped anything being pumped into the individual fish tanks.

“We will be at the shop from 10am on Sunday if anyone does want to pop along, but please for safety stay outside the door and shout for us because it is very slippery inside with lots of stock.”

The shop also confirmed that, thankfully, all the rabbits, mice, and turtles made it out safely, although the rescue team were only able to save one of their resident guinea pigs.

Over a hundred members of the local community quickly took to the comments to offer their support, despite many saying they could not house tropical fish as the power was still out with only cold water available.

Commenters also shared tips to ensure the fish had the best possible chances of survival in their new homes, including cycling the water to ensure the fish had “good bacteria”, and asking if the shop had a gofundme they could donate to.

The most recent update from the shop on Sunday morning thanked the community for coming to the rescue, saying: “Please bear with us as we have been inundated with kind messages. We have people at the shop currently catching the fish to relocate them and we have had a huge response “

They added that they would update their page when all the fish had been safely rehomed.

In a statement on Saturday morning, the Mayor of Monmouth said: “Monmouthshire County Council teams are on the ground now, assessing damage and offering practical help.

“If you need urgent assistance or have had to leave your home, please contact MCC so they can coordinate welfare checks and immediate support. Please check Monmouthshire County Council’s Website and Facebook pages for updates.

“Monmouth is a resilient and caring community. We will support one another through this.”