‘Stop giving animals away as party favours’ vet service says

Giving away live animals at event or festivals is illegal and cruel to the animals, the veterinary department said on Friday following reports that wedding guests had been given baby turtles as party favours on leaving a reception.

In a written announcement, the department said that the 2021 regulations on the sale and possession of pets prohibits giving animals as gifts at events such as festivals, weddings, christenings, parties, Christmas or Easter.

“The veterinary services stress both to organisers of such events as well as to the public, not to offer and bot to accept animals as gifts, because beyond this being prohibited by law, such actions is unethical since it treats animals as objects and not as sentient beings,” it said.