Rome has banned goldfish bowls and ordered the city's dog owners to take their pets on regular walks.

Under a new bylaw passed by the city council yesterday, spherical fishbowls are now banned and fairgrounds are no longer allowed to give away goldfish or other animals as prizes.

The rules also govern the treatment of Rome's 200,000 dogs. Owners must exercise their pets regularly and must not dock their tails for aesthetic reasons.

The bylaw was proposed by Monica Cirinna, a city councillor who told Il Messaggero, a newspaper in Rome: "It’s good to do whatever we can for our animals who, in exchange for a little love, fill our existence with their attention. The civilisation of a city can also be measured by this."

Signora Cirinna was praised by animal rights groups, who protest that traditional goldfish bowls are bad for fish because they are difficult to clean and do not allow enough oxygen into the water.

"Rome stands out for recognising that fish are interesting individuals who deserve our respect and compassion every bit as much as dogs and cats and other animals," said Karin Robertson, of the Fish Empathy Project, part of the international group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

The Fish Empathy Project honoured Signora Cirinna with its "International Humanitarian Award".

The Roman rules were passed after national legislation in Italy set jail sentences for pet owners who abandon their dogs and cats and other cities have passed similar measures. Under the most draconian regime, in Turin, dog owners can be fined up to 500 euros (£338) if they do not walk their dogs at least three times a day.

Goldfish owners in Britain broadly welcomed Rome's example, especially the city's tough stance on spherical bowls.

"It's all about surface area," said Les Pearce, the chairman of the Federation of British Aquatic Societies and a goldfish owner. "If you fill that bowl up, it's a very small surface area and you're actually asphyxiating the fish."

Mr Pearce was more ambivalent about the decision to ban the giving away of goldfish as prizes - a proposal that was dropped from the draft Animal Welfare Bill, published last October.

"Of course, on the surface it's a bad idea," said Mr Pearce, "there are a lot of fish that don't get lucky when they get won at fairs. A lot of them get badly treated if they get treated at all. But I first got into fishkeeping by winning a goldfish at a fair, so I hope that other people get exposed to fish the same way I did."

Times Recommends

• Violent video games won’t corrupt
• Pope Benedict XVI: Alma Mater
• Chávez should know what’s good for him