That time of year coming up - let's be proactive in reducing the number of dumped ducklings

Last year several of us looked with dread upon the upcoming dump-a-thon that we knew would be following Easter. So we encouraged each other to write letters to the editor and otherwise publish information explaining how cruel it is to dump animals.

I'd like to bring this up again, along with the same confession I made last year - I have made impulse purchases. I have made many mistakes in my life. So I am not pretending to be on higher moral ground than anyone. At the same time, it rips my heart to see so many abandoned former pets unable to fend for themselves, injured, sick, dying, fearful.

I don't want this thought lost: those of you who want to add to your flock or start one, might seriously consider rescues. Have a quarantine pen if you are adding, and get them checked for parasites and disease before incorporating them. But I doubt many will have anything that cannot be treated fairly easily.

So.

Here is the text of a letter to the editor I intend to send out this week. Feel free to use it, edit it to make it your own, improve it and send it out.


Spring is coming! Chicks, kits (baby rabbits), and ducklings may be a tempting purchase.

Please do not get any of these little animals if you plan to release them to fields, ponds or forests when you feel they are too big or too messy or too much trouble or no longer cute and cuddly.

To leave a pet in a pond, woods, or by the side of the road is cruel.

Domestic animals cannot protect or feed themselves. They may die quickly, eaten by predators, or they may starve or freeze to death. Some die in agony from infections or disease or torture. It is awful.

If you will not abandon these small animals, do thorough homework before you take them home. Use information available online, in print, and from qualified local individuals and organizations. They have specific needs.

If you are good with animals and have the appropriate safe space, adopt rescued animals. Many were raised as pets and then dumped. They need a decent home where they are well cared for and protected.

Please don’t bring home young animals only to abandon them to a cruel fate. That’s not what this season is about.

Amen!

I agree I sadly had NO clue the little ducklings I saw wandering the park pond as a kid had been dumped there we just assumed their mom was getting food for them or something. If I see any this year I'm going to take them to a rescue or keep them do people do the same thing with other birds or just ducks?

I have heard of chickens being abandoned.

add: Last night I was pretty tired. Geese, guineas, many other domestic animals and livestock get abandoned. The Easter animals we see more often around these suburbs.

Through my research, I have been happy to see so many hatcheries advertise higher prices around Easter. I hope that deters a lot of "oooh they are cute" purchases.

This is a cause that everyone loves to rally behind this time of year, and it makes them feel oh so good to champion for the little birds, but it simply does not happen that much any more. Sure, there are always isolated examples, but chicks and ducklings haven't been neglected en masse in these ways for decades, since they stopped selling them at department stores. It's a non-issue.

I'm more concerned with seeing practices that are gleefully recommended here every day, such as dressing up ducks and chickens and keeping them in the house, treating them completely against their nature. That is where the real problem lies.

Narragansett said:

This is a cause that everyone loves to rally behind this time of year, and it makes them feel oh so good to champion for the little birds, but it simply does not happen that much any more. Sure, there are always isolated examples, but chicks and ducklings haven't been neglected en masse in these ways for decades, since they stopped selling them at department stores. It's a non-issue.

I'm more concerned with seeing practices that are gleefully recommended here every day, such as dressing up ducks and chickens and keeping them in the house, treating them completely against their nature. That is where the real problem lies.

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And I suppose putting these animals in small wire cages being displayed like trophies in a glass case is completely part of their nature. Animals such as livestock or pets have been domesticated over thousands of years, we as man have altered their nature. They are not wild animals anymore. They are used to human contact. Who cares if people dress their animal up they're not hurting it. If the animal is well taken care of and is happy and healthy who cares how they raise it. People have different views and ways of caring for their animals There is no one right way of doing things. I don't dress my animals up but I don't judge people who do, it's none of my bussiness.

Anyway back to the topic at hand: My husband was telling me how a day or so after easter the shelters in houston would be over flowing with chicks and ducklings that they would just give them away to people who wanted to adopt them by the box full. I was thinking about going to the local shelter after easter and seeing what they had (poor babies ). Its they same way with puppies right after Christmas. It really is disturbing the way some people seem to think these animals are just disposable.

Amarisus said:

And I suppose putting these animals in small wire cages being displayed like trophies in a glass case is completely part of their nature. Animals such as livestock or pets have been domesticated over thousands of years, we as man have altered their nature. They are not wild animals anymore. They are used to human contact. Who cares if people dress their animal up they're not hurting it. If the animal is well taken care of and is happy and healthy who cares how they raise it. People have different views and ways of caring for their animals There is no one right way of doing things. I don't dress my animals up but I don't judge people who do, it's none of my bussiness.

Anyway back to the topic at hand: My husband was telling me how a day or so after easter the shelters in houston would be over flowing with chicks and ducklings that they would just give them away to people who wanted to adopt them by the box full. I was thinking about going to the local shelter after easter and seeing what they had (poor babies

). Its they same way with puppies right after Christmas. It really is disturbing the way some people seem to think these animals are just disposable.

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Exactly! Sheesh who cares? Anyway I don't know where he lives but here I see them ALL THE TIME we have a trio of chinese geese that were abandoned at my park its not an isolated event. I never knew they were abandoned but I saw babies like that all the time they probably end up getting killed or eaten cuz they aren't usually there all that long unless they starve to death or something.

So sad! I'll have to check out my shelter a few days after Easter see if they have any cute little guys for me. I'd be happy to at least give them a better life then they'd have at the shelter.

Narragansett said:

This is a cause that everyone loves to rally behind this time of year, and it makes them feel oh so good to champion for the little birds, but it simply does not happen that much any more. Sure, there are always isolated examples, but chicks and ducklings haven't been neglected en masse in these ways for decades, since they stopped selling them at department stores. It's a non-issue.

I'm more concerned with seeing practices that are gleefully recommended here every day, such as dressing up ducks and chickens and keeping them in the house, treating them completely against their nature. That is where the real problem lies.

Click to expand...

Well, i disagree... it is still happening, as a matter of fact we get to hear it on here quite often.. people purchase poultry while they are young, intending to grow them out and then dump them in local ponds/parks completely missing the fact of their domestic existence.

Not far from me a flock was rescued that had been dumped at a park, when people noticed they didn't look like regular wild ducks contacted the animal control. All you need to do is coast through any free classifieds to see the grow out cuteness, get rid of problem.

As for the house pets, whether i agree or disagree with the practice if the animal is well fed, housed safely, it beats somebody dumping them in the wild to fend for themselves. It is not "gleefully recommended" here as you put it either, ones who practice this discuss there experience which they are within their right to do, this forum simply offers a base in which info can be shared and hopefully provides others with good solid info on making choices of how they will raise there poultry.