AC Pup says live bunnies, chicks and ducklings shouldn't be on your Easter list
It's that wonderful time when we celebrate one of the most sacred holidays of the year. Easter is a very special and holy day in our lives. It's also a day where Easter baskets filled with candy and gifts are everywhere.
It's also a time to take extra precautions to make sure your pets and baby animals, such as chicks, ducklings and bunnies that are promoted as gifts during this season, are safe. One way the baby animals can stay safe is to not buy them.
About this time every year, folks get consumed with how cute baby animals are. And I'll be the first to admit there is just nothing cuter than a baby of any kind. Babies are just adorable.
It would be great if they all stayed babies because they would continue to be adorable, although they would still require a lot of care. But like the rest of us, they grow up and the cuteness wears off. Then you're stuck with a squawking chicken, a quacking duck or a gnawing rabbit.
But the sad reality about baby chicks, ducklings and bunnies is, when given to children as Easter gifts, the majority do not survive. These are tiny, delicate creatures that are susceptible to being inadvertently harmed or killed by being dropped, stepped on or crushed. Small children are not always skilled at handling tiny, vulnerable, baby animals and don't always realize they're not toys.
For the few that do survive, when the novelty wears off and the baby begins to grow up, everyone becomes keenly aware there's quite a bit of work required to make sure they're healthy, safe and clean. That's why a few months after Easter, animal control departments begin to see an increase in the surrenders of rabbits.
It really is up to the adults to make sure baby animals are protected, and the best way is to not purchase them as gifts in the first place. So please, this Easter stick with stuffed animals and chocolate bunnies. You'll be glad you did.
Now let's chat about those Easter baskets. You see, little kids are not the only ones who love Easter baskets. I'm sorry to say that most every other dog and cat I know likes them. Trust me on this.
On Easter weekend, we just wait for our parents to turn their backs so we can grab a piece of chocolate wrapped in foil, pounce upon the fake, plastic grass in the baskets or hunt for hidden eggs. But please don't let us get close to the Easter baskets, candy or eggs. All of these can make us really sick.
First of all, hopefully everyone knows chocolate can be dangerous to pets. And if it's wrapped in foil, it's even worse.
Then there's the fake, plastic grass. It is such an attraction to kitties of any age, just like ribbon or string. But it can wreak havoc if dogs or cats ingest it. Please don't let them play with it, or you may end up at the vet's office.
Have you thought about Easter eggs? Either real eggs that are boiled and decorated or the plastic ones can be hazardous to dogs. You see, both real ones and plastic ones can get caught in a dog's throat, so please keep a close watch during the Easter egg hunt.
And make sure you count how many eggs are hidden and how many are picked up. You don't want to leave any undiscovered eggs in your yard for a curious dog to find later while he's unsupervised.
Keep an eye on your fur baby this weekend to make sure he's safe. And no matter how cute the baby chicks, ducklings and bunnies are at the store, please leave them there. You'll be glad you did.
Send questions to acpup247@yahoo.com. Visit www.acpup.com or like his Facebook page.
This story was originally published March 25, 2016 at 7:18 PM with the headline "AC Pup says live bunnies, chicks and ducklings shouldn't be on your Easter list ."