Little kids, little critters a bad mix

HIGHLAND — Furry bunnies and fluffy ducklings are undoubtedly very cute. But most animal-rights advocates and pet store owners say folks should think twice before putting them in a child's Easter basket.

Tiny chicks become big chickens, and small ducklings start to quack loudly and leave unsightly droppings on the floor.

And parents should do the math about rabbits — they multiply. Then, after the novelty wears thin, the animals are taken to the shelter or abandoned at parks.

Utah County's animal shelter director sees it happen every year at Easter.

"We get three or four — at least — during that next week," said Grant Ferre. "People think they're buying a stuffed animal. They need to be responsible. It's irresponsible to buy a couple of chickens for your kids and think you can just dump them off later."

Dixie Martinez leaves grain and lettuce for the lone bunny and rooster living at Highland Glen Park nearly every morning. They were apparently left by people who no longer wanted to care for them.

"I've caught people bringing whole families of little lives to be dumped — people who really didn't know what they bought," she said.

Martinez usually tries to talk people out of leaving the ducklings or rabbits. She tries to find new homes for the animals if she isn't successful.

"I basically feel kind of hopeless because no one person can stop the dumping," she said. "But I am committed to giving them some food, especially during the winter. I could tell they were starving."

Sometimes, the animals are sold in Easter colors. But John Paul Fox, an investigator of the Humane Society of Utah, says it is illegal in most communities to dye young animals.

Salt Lake County has a cruelty ordinance that makes it a Class B misdemeanor to dye animals under six months of age. "The ordinances are basically to get rid of the practice of selling these baby animals as pets to small children who are too young to take good care of them," he said.

In Utah County, Ferre said, there is no animal cruelty ordinance pertaining to the artificial coloring of infant ducks or chicks.

Employees at the Orem Animal Ark, which sells baby ducks and rabbits every year, say the animals are hot items around Easter.

Some pet shops avoid making the Easter-oriented pets available, however.

"We think it's a bad idea so that's why we don't sell them," said Jay Bennett, owner of Jay's Jungle in Provo.

"We don't sell any chickens or ducks until the week after Easter. That way people don't make an impulse purchase they'll regret," said Julie Mahana, manager of the Orem Petco store. "We have a longstanding policy against that very thing."

---

E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com