SHAH ALAM - A new wedding trend in Malaysia has sparked outrage online after videos showed guests receiving tiny live chicks, some dyed neon pink, green and blue as doorgifts.
While a handful of social media users initially described the idea as “unique,” the majority condemned it as cruel, saying it reduces living animals to party favours.
Animal rights advocates have also weighed in, stressing that giving away pets as gifts violates the Animal Welfare Act 2015, and urging the public to report those responsible.
One Instagram user, Idorashazlina, pointed out how bad it could get for the chicks.
She said packing each one takes time, meaning they’re likely stuck in little boxes for hours without food or water and some probably don’t make it out alive.
"Some people will let kids play with them or just release them. If someone is foolish enough to do this, there will be others foolish enough to take them home without any sense of responsibility.
"What do people even do with a baby chick? I can’t imagine," she wrote.
Commenting on the cruelty of the act, Thanujah Thanu said the whole idea of giving animals as a novelty item showed a complete disregard for their well-being.
"Animal cruelty in the name of a gift," she said.
Meanwhile, a social media user, Helen, questioned the lengths people went to for aesthetics, saying the chicks were being used as props rather than treated as living creatures.
“The poor chicks! Why is there a need to dye their feathers and stuff them into tiny plastic boxes like that?" she said.
Sinar Daily has contacted the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) for comment. The agency said they needed time to respond.