Tail of the Day

Think Twice Before Giving Pets as Gifts

Duckling_250Giving a pet as a gift may seem like a great idea, but often the future for these animals is unknown. If the recipient of the animal is not fully committed to pet ownership, the animal can end up being surrendered, neglected, or even abused. Pet ownership is a responsibility that should always be considered carefully.

This is especially true for wildlife, such as ducks. In March, four ducklings were surrendered to the AWLA. A family with young children received the ducklings as an Easter gift from their grandfather. Like many who live in a metropolitan area, the family did not have the proper living arrangements to house and care for four ducks. Luckily for these ducklings, the League accepted them and worked with animal welfare groups in neighboring jurisdictions to find a place where they would be cared for. The ducklings were transferred to another organization and eventually adopted to a family with a 20 acre farm.

Owning a pet, no matter how large, small, tame, or wild, requires a commitment of time and resources. It also requires an overall understanding of the animal in consideration. For instance, ducks can live up to 20 years—that’s a 20 year commitment! Ducks are also not suited to live indoors, which may cause complications with local ordinances and homeowner associations. In fact, many local ordinances and homeowner associations prohibit poultry as pets.

Giving a pet as a gift may not be the best situation for the animal or the gift recipient. When adopting an animal, it is always best to include every family member in the process and research the pet to make sure it is the best fit for everyone.

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Before heading off to the farm, the ducklings enjoyed a pool party at the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter.

 

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