The DSPCA is concerned that people are selling ducklings online and on the street, as a number of online ads on social media sites offered ‘chicks or eggs‘, for as little as €5.
The charity is taking in about fifteen ducklings today, while warning that a family home is not an appropriate setting for them.
Gillian Bird, Head of Education and Media says she’s heard reports of injured ducklings being sold:
“We’ve seen some reports where people have bought ducklings, but they’ve got broken legs or injured wings.
“Some of them just haven’t even made it through the night that were bought over the weekend. I mean, where are they keeping these animals when they’re transporting them, prior to selling them.What are they expecting people to do or to feed the animals when they get them home. So this is a huge concern for us.”
Warning
“We’re appealing to people not to buy these animals.‘ Gillian says, “it’s not illegal to sell or re-home these ducklings. But what our concerns are, is that they’re not only the cute little yellow ducklings that come from farmyard ducks.”
“We’ve heard reports of people trying to sell wild ducklings, that they’ve probably fished out of the canals or the river. That is against the law.”
She adds that anyone who finds someone trying to sell a duck or duckling, to report it to the Guards or the DSPCA urgently.
