OKLAHOMA CITY – Amid efforts to drain and clean the Bricktown Canal in Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation says workers fished dozens of former pets from the urban waterway.
In total, ODWC says 87 goldfish, presumed to be former pets, were recovered as crews dredged the canal.
If you can’t keep your pet, there are options. The canal in downtown Oklahoma City is not one of them.This month, 87 GOLDFISH were removed from the canal. THAT’S A LOT. pic.twitter.com/DVX2MyisIO
— Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (@OKWildlifeDept) February 26, 2026
In a social media post announcing the mass-catching of goldfish, ODWC says releasing pet fish into local waterways is harmful to native species and local ecosystems, and asked residents to find another way to rehome unwanted pets…