DSPCA issue ‘urgent warning’ as Tiktok trend leads to children buying ducklings for €5

The DSCPA has issued an urgent warning to parents amid a recent trend of teenagers buying ducklings from street sellers for as little as €5.

In a post on social media yesterday, the DSPCA said that they 'were inundated all day with calls and emails from very concerned members of the public about young children “buying ducklings” for €5 because of a trend on TikTok.' They added that 'We were taking them into the shelter throughout the day from parents who arrived up with them in shoe boxes and plastic cartons not knowing how to care for them. Many calls that we took the duckling had sadly already died. Please, if your children have bought ducklings call us and we will take them into our care. Please also tell your children NOT to buy any ducklings.' https://www.instagram.com/p/COtAJz4HVjU/ The post was headed as an 'urgent message to parents' and advised that 'ducklings can not survive in cold water without the oils from their mothers feathers and can die from hypothermia. They cannot learn to feed and can die from the wrong diet. 'Today was like no other. Astonished at the reckless behaviour that went on in the last day or so, involving young vulnerable ducklings. Keep up to date with the important work of the DSPCA here.