Woman Convicted of Killing Guppies

(Copenhagen, Denmark) A Danish television journalist for public channel DR1, Lisbeth Koelster, was accused of a deliberate act of cruelty to animals, causing fear, suffering and the deaths of 12 guppies.

The guppies were in an aquarium and Koelster was doing a televised report on the toxic nature of a shampoo. She added the shampoo to the aquarium and the fish died. The alleged violation of animal protection laws occurred in 2004.

At Koelster's trial yesterday, she was convicted of violating animal protection laws and sentenced to nothing. Judge Thomas Lohse said no sentence would be imposed because four and one-half years had transpired between the date of the complaint and the trial.

I suggest that the whole episode was a waste of time. Even so, the animal lover who filed the complaint is probably disappointed.