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Show Keep 'Easter pets' down on the farm (jiving baby rabbits, chicks, and (lucks for Easier is cruel and in many slali-s and cities illegal. The I'tah Veterinary Medical Association urges parents not to give children living animals as Uns. A baby rabbit, cluck or duck is nut likely to survive in the home atmosphere. at-mosphere. L'tah Veternmary Medical Association points out A young child's enthusiasm over the new pet often results in unknow mg cruelly as legs are broken and wings are crushed. If the animal dies or is injured, it is a traumatic experience for the child. If the animal survives, it generally ends up in an animal shelter. Because such a large number of rabbits, rab-bits, chicks and ducks are left at animal shelters during the post-Easter season, it is impossible to place them all and many have to be destroyed. Even if the animal should reach maturity, many local ordinances would prohibit a family fami-ly from keeping it. Parents should remember that these are outdoor animals. They cannot be housebroken and many cause serious housekeeping and health problems. Many are disease carriers. The National Na-tional Center for Disease Control in Atlanta and other public health authorities warn that children and adults in close contact with these animals may be exposed to salmonellosis, a severe gastrointestinal gastro-intestinal infection Salmonellosis is rarely fatal, but often requires medical treatment including hospitalization. In addition to the family, other pets in the household may become ill. Because of the problems surrounding "Easter Pets." many communities have passed law s prohibiting the sale of these animals, including rabbits, ducklings, duckl-ings, and other fowl. Easter and the coming of spring should be a time of joy and rebirth, not a period of physical illness, psychological trauma, and needless deaths of young animals. L'tah Veterinary Medical Association urges parents to leave rabbits, chicks, ducklings duckl-ings and similar animals on the farm and give their children stuffed toys or chocolate "bunnies " instead. |