Parents risking lives of birds by dying them in social media gender reveal craze, RSPCA warns

parents risking lives of birds by dying them in social media gender reveal craze, rspca warns

Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital last month said the trend for gender reveal parties may have contributed to the death of a bird – Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital, SWNS

Parents are risking the lives of birds by painting them red and blue in a social media craze imported from the US, the RSPCA has warned.

Experts say the dye makes the animals a target for predators while toxins can cause the animals to become unwell if they are inhaled or swallowed.

Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital last month said the trend for gender reveal parties may have contributed to the death of a bird as it warned people to “think before you follow these social media trends”.

It said the animal had been left malnourished, dehydrated and had “significant” wounds caused by a cat.

parents risking lives of birds by dying them in social media gender reveal craze, rspca warns

A dyed-pink pigeon called Flamingo died after being found wandering through Madison Square Park in Manhattan, New York last year – WILD BIRD FUND

It said on Facebook: “The pigeon was most likely used for a gender reveal party and is absolutely shocking.

“It has become a horrendous trend and we are urging you to spread the message about the effects that this can have.

“Quite simply, it is an act of cruelty and is no way to celebrate the gender of your baby.”

Gender reveal parties, which are becoming increasingly popular in Britain, are celebrations where a baby’s gender is revealed to the family and friends of expectant parents, and sometimes the parents themselves.

A dyed-pink pigeon called Flamingo died after being found wandering through Madison Square Park in Manhattan, New York last year.

Several pink pigeons were recovered in a similar incident in New Jersey in 2022.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: “The majority of us want the best for animals, and to treat them with respect – so intentionally painting a pigeon’s feathers is unacceptable as it could cause health problems, impair their ability to fly and make them more vulnerable to predators.

“In addition, dye and paints can be toxic to birds and other animals, and they would be likely to try to clean any such substance from their coat or feathers which could result in them swallowing it.

“From time to time we do hear anecdotally about incidents involving animals being affected in this way – and sadly we fear social media trends could be fuelling this.”

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