Irish animal charities warning people against buying ducklings from social media

Just awful.

This week, more and more animal charities across Ireland are posting the same urgent appeals regarding a new social media trend that poses dangerous to baby ducks. Several posts advertising baby ducks for sale have appeared on different social media platforms including Snapchat and TikTok. Animal charities are warning parents not to buy them as ducklings should never be separated from their parents and that the sellers should be reported. Animal charities across the country are becoming increasingly concerned as some adverts show several ducklings for sale in the one advert. The charities are also concerned for the well being of the mother ducks as they never usually allow their ducklings to wander far and they may have been injured trying to protect their babies. Clondalkin Animal Aid posted this appeal earlier this week:

"We’ve become aware of the new apparent trend amongst teenagers of getting a pet duckling..... Please please please do not allow your teenager to get a pet duck. They do not do well without other ducks and many people don’t understand their needs. The poor ducklings are being taken from their poor mothers too early and will not do well. The cruelty we’ve seen already is just awful. Can’t believe I’m even writing this."

  If a child, or anyone, approaches you about buying a baby duck that they have seen online please get in contact with your local animal welfare organisation. If someone you know has already bought a baby duckling from one of these postings then likewise, please get in contact with your local animal aid charity as baby ducks often struggle to survive away from their mothers.