I’m still absolutely livid and trying to move past this, but it’s eating at me. Earlier today, I was at a lake beach and there was a duck family, mom and a bunch of ducklings, hanging out near the swim area. At one point, some kids were near them and the mother duck started flapping and going at them. I realized then that one of the kids had grabbed a duckling.
Instead of putting it back, the kids carried it to shore. The momma duck swam off with the rest of her babies, clearly freaked out. Meanwhile, the kids put the duckling in a bucket and literally started swinging it around. Eventually they tossed it back in the water, but then chased it around and actively stopped it from rejoining its family.
The whole time the parents were standing there laughing and taking pictures like it was a cute photo op. Obsessed with getting the right shot of their kid holding the duckling.
I went over and told them that what their kids were doing was not okay. And of course I got the classic “they’re just curious,” “they’re not hurting it,” “don’t tell me how to raise my kids,” and “mind your own business.” I walked away and reported it to a park ranger, but honestly I’m still so angry.
For context, I’ve been vegan for a decade and I believe strongly in equality of life. But I think you don’t need to be vegan to know this was unnecessary and cruel. It just blows my mind that these kids were terrorizing a baby animal, the mother duck was visibly distressed, and the parents were treating it like a fun little moment.
A friend I told about this said I overreacted and the kids were just being kids. That they probably would have done something similar when they were a kid. I’m a horribly non confrontational person and this shook me up to say something, I was shaking for a quite a bit afterward. I felt such a deep sense of hopelessness at how these people were treating living beings.
So yeah. AITA for saying something?
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I’m still absolutely livid and trying to move past this, but it’s eating at me. Earlier today, I was at a lake beach and there was a duck family, mom and a bunch of ducklings, hanging out near the swim area. At one point, some kids were near them and the mother duck started flapping and going at them. I realized then that one of the kids had grabbed a duckling.
Instead of putting it back, the kids carried it to shore. The momma duck swam off with the rest of her babies, clearly freaked out. Meanwhile, the kids put the duckling in a bucket and literally started swinging it around. Eventually they tossed it back in the water, but then chased it around and actively stopped it from rejoining its family.
The whole time the parents were standing there laughing and taking pictures like it was a cute photo op. Obsessed with getting the right shot of their kid holding the duckling.
I went over and told them that what their kids were doing was not okay. And of course I got the classic “they’re just curious,” “they’re not hurting it,” “don’t tell me how to raise my kids,” and “mind your own business.” I walked away and reported it to a park ranger, but honestly I’m still so angry.
For context, I’ve been vegan for a decade and I believe strongly in equality of life. But I think you don’t need to be vegan to know this was unnecessary and cruel. It just blows my mind that these kids were terrorizing a baby animal, the mother duck was visibly distressed, and the parents were treating it like a fun little moment.
A friend I told about this said I overreacted and the kids were just being kids. That they probably would have done something similar when they were a kid. I’m a horribly non confrontational person and this shook me up to say something, I was shaking for a quite a bit afterward. I felt such a deep sense of hopelessness at how these people were treating living beings.
So yeah. AITA for saying something?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> The family referenced in my post called me an asshole for “telling them how to raise their children” a friend also responded to this story that I was out of line for confronting the parents.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
you should’ve picked up one of the kids and started swinging them around to demonstrate your point.
NTA. It’s never wrong to call out cruelty. I’m glad you also reported it to the park ranger.
Normal cruelty for kids is stepping on an ant. This went way beyond normal.
NTA – that’s terrible behaviour and should be called out.
NTA. You being vegan really has nothing to do with this, although I understand why you put it in there!
Thank you for reporting it to a Park Ranger. Hopefully the parents were educated (even better if they were also fined) about respecting wildlife.
I am an omnivore. This is terrible. I think I would have recorded the entire episode and posted it. Absolutely terrible parenting. NTA.
NTA. That seems like future serial killer behaviour.
NTA, but I wouldn’t have gone to the parents. I would’ve gone directly to the kids and 1) told them that what they were doing was cruel and stupid, and 2) forcibly taken the duckling away from them.
You’re kind of complicit for watching that shit happen and not intervening.
Hell no OP, you are not the asshole. (Your friend… maybe.) I hope the park ranger was able to take some sort of corrective action. Poor little duckling.
NTA kids need to learn that animals aren’t toys.
NTA
I came here to say the same as above! ⬆️⬆️ it would be a different story had you grabbed one of their kids and then said “I’m not hurting them etc”. Some people seem to think it’s OK to do the same to animals as if they have no feelings! Those people are arseholes! You were correct to say something to both the parents and park ranger.
NTA – Do vegans ever not mention to someone that they’re vegan? Guess not.
Anyone with half a brain would know that it’s cruel behavior.
NTA Someone needs to stand up for nature and innocent animals. You did the right thing.