The gift animal is not always a thoughtful gift
From the perspective of Gut Aiderbichl
(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)
You might think that there are seasonal gifts concerning animals: Pigs at New Year and rabbits at Easter. Then there are cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, ferrets or chinchillas, so that people can learn to deal with living creatures responsibly and respectfully. A horse or a pony for graduation. Ducks or dwarf goats for wedding.
Too often an animal gift is meant to be a gag. People laugh and find it funny, but who thinks about the animals? Animal gifts to children usually do not happen in consultation with the parents, animal gifts for weddings are unfortunately often meant funny, but not thought through.
Animals are fellow creatures with all organs, just as humans. Animals have feelings, just as humans. As with people, animals must also be treated with respect.
They run faster than the wind
Anna and Lisa
Anna and Lisa, two adorable running ducks, were a wedding present. Unfortunately, it was not possible for them to be kept in a manner appropriate to their species, and so a new forever home had to be found for the two ducks.
Our duck and goose houses still offer enough space, and so the two funny running ducks could come to Gut Aiderbichl Carinthia.
Anna and Lisa are about half a year old and beautiful, Indian running ducks, also called bottle ducks. The running duck is descended from the mallard and belongs to the penguin ducks. The country of origin of the Indian running duck is the Southeast Asian region. In the middle of the 19th century, the running duck was introduced to England.
The running duck has a slender, steeply upright body and runs as briskly as the wind. Anna and Lisa need a lot of exercise and, because they are waterfowl, they also need a swimming pond. While in Europe they are mainly used to hunt snails, in their country of origin they are kept as egg suppliers. A running duck has a remarkable annual egg laying capacity of 150 eggs.
Simone and Stefan
Also a wedding gift
The dwarf goats Stefan and Simone, both four years old, were also a wedding gift. They lived in the garden of the newlyweds for a few months, but winter came and the question was: where to put the goats? It was impossible to guarantee a species-appropriate keeping in the garden.
For three years Simone and Stefan have been in the goat pen and have plenty of conspecifics. They live together with their closest goat friends in their stable: with Tati, Patrick and Herbert-Elvis.
An animal must not be an impulse gift. You have to take into consideration many things: the love for the animal, the species-appropriate husbandry and the promise that they can stay with their humans as long as they live.
Sincerely, your Gisela.
Animals, like humans, feel joy and pain, happiness and unhappiness.
~ Charles Darwin
