Argentine court recognizes two goldfish as sentient beings

The two golden fish, named Fede and Magui, were in the window of a sushi restaurant in a well-known neighborhood in Buenos Aires, exposed to the sun and the noise of the street.

"Anyone who passed by and stopped to look could see that the conditions were not suitable for the fish," said Matías Trufero, lawyer at Jaulas Vacías, quoted by CNN Internacional.

Thus, Jaulas Vacías decided to take legal action, arguing that the conditions in which the fish were found violated Law 14,346, which penalizes animal abuse in Argentina.

The court then decided to transfer the fish to a more suitable location and, according to Trufero, the restaurant did not object. Magui and Fede went from a 40-liter display case to a 2,500-liter aquarium at the home of Carlos José Aga, one of the experts who helped with the rescue.

As the man, who will now be responsible for looking after Fede and Magui, explained, keeping two fish in a glass display case is "practically the same as putting two polar bears in a cage inside a sauna".

"Fish are like astronauts, they travel in their own environment with careful monitoring of all their vital parameters and, when they arrive at the location, these conditions must be reproduced with great precision to avoid imbalances that could lead to a decrease in their immunity", explained Aga.

"Now they are doing very well," he added.

In addition to "removing the fish to a safe and suitable location", the NGO also wanted the animals "to be declared subjects of law" or "sentient beings". In other words, they wanted fish to stop being recognized merely as "objects" before the law and become beings with rights.

"It is not illegal per se to keep a fish in an aquarium. However, it is illegal to keep them in conditions that cause mistreatment or cruelty. For example, inadequate space, insufficient food and other acts punishable by law," Trufero said.

On social media, the NGO Jaulas Vacías released a video of the rescue of Fede and Magui and told "the story of two fish condemned by indifference to remain in such a small space that they were unable to flap their fins without hitting the glass, nor reach the physical development expected for their species".

According to the organization, the fish were "exposed to constant and unprotected sunlight, despite being a species that naturally lives in cold water."

The fish lost "scales due to stress" and were "forced to move vertically, trying not to collide with each other."

However, on April 24, 2026, "the operation that would change their lives was ordered" and, weeks later, on June 12, "the court sentence was handed down, recognizing them as subjects of rights."

"Not only were they saved, but their story also set a new precedent in the fight for the rights of other animals," said the NGO.

A publication shared by NGO Santuario Jaulas Vacías | Animal Rescue Sanctuary (@santuario.jaulas.vacias)

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