Giving live animal for Easter gift is bad for the animal, dangerous for kids

DAVIS COUNTY, Utah – Along with the candy and stuffed animals, real animals are likely to become Easter gifts in some families this Sunday.

Every year advocates urge people to avoid animals as gifts because it can be bad for the animals and kids.

Some of those animals end up in shelters and a lot of ducks are dumped in ponds which can be a death sentence.

Domesticated animals aren’t ready to survive in the wild.

RaeAnn Christensen never intended to care for so many ducks until she realized there was a need.

Domesticated ducks don’t often get a space in animal shelters.

“That’s absolutely the problem, is there’s no resources,” Christensen said.

She now runs For Duck Sake, a nonprofit rescue in Davis County.

“I Can’t tell you how many fishing hooks I’ve taken out of domestic ducks,” she said. The ducks are simply not able to survive.

“Especially with Easter. Easter is a super bad time of year because all of the cute little ducklings are in the farm supply stores,” she explained.

It’s not only the ducklings. Chicks and bunnies end up as Easter gifts in families that sometimes aren’t ready for the commitment.

Christensen said, “My advice is get the Peeps, get a stuffed animal. Please do not get live animals as Easter gifts.”

The Utah State University School of Veterinary Medicine agreed.

“Certainly ducklings and chicks can appear to be completely healthy, but actually be shedding salmonella,” said Dr. Jane Kelly a professor and president of the Utah Valley Medical Association.

The animals can pose a risk to kids.

“You know, they’re so cute. They’re likely to pick them up and kiss them and hug them.” Kelly said.

Despite the cuteness, don’t do it. They’re messy, they can be loud and they take a commitment of about five to ten years.

“There’s so much that they need because they’re not wild animals,” Christensen said.

Doctor Kelly added that chicks, ducks, even bunnies are all fragile. They can suffer serious injuries when handled improperly.

She said adult rabbits who are held incorrectly and kick their hind legs can actually fracture their own spine which adds to the reasons to really take a look at what you’re getting into.