I am writing to ask Fayette citizens to please not buy small animals as Easter pets. I know they’re cute, but baby rabbits, ducks and chicks are not toys; they are fragile animals who need special care for a lifetime.

Small children are often too rough with baby animals and can injure or kill them accidentally. These animals can also carry bacteria that can make children ill.

In just a few months when these babies have grown into adult animals, they are often dumped in local woods or ponds and left to fend for themselves, where many die or disrupt local wildlife populations.

Pet shops and other sellers are only out to make a quick buck by luring customers with the animals’ natural cuteness; they don’t care about the animals’ long-term welfare.

Please celebrate Easter with gifts of stuffed animals instead.

Jill Howard Church

Fayetteville, Ga.