To Dye For – Really?

Dyeing Chicks and Bunnies

Animal Rights – Thinking that there simply aren’t enough pink poodles in Florida, one man set out to right what he felt was an unbearable aesthetic injustice, and he may end up playing the Grim Reaper to hundreds of chicks, ducks, and bunnies dyed and sold as Easter pets.

Greg Docktor, a groomer in Broward County, contacted his local senator, Ellyn Bogdanoff of Ft. Lauderdale, in his quest for creative freedom from a 45-year-old ban on dyeing animals.

Bogdanoff obliged, and attached an amendment to an agriculture bill, allowing groomers to dye pets for dog shows. The Florida legislature passed the bill this week, and if he signs it into law, Gov. Rick Scott would not only lift the dye ban, but would also lift restrictions preventing the sale of ducks, chicks, and bunnies before they reach 8 weeks of age.

Many of these cute and cuddly color-coordinated creatures either don’t survive the coloring process, or are abandoned when their Easter-egg colors fade.

Neither Docktor nor Bogdanoff was aware of the bill’s additional restrictions.

“Oops,” said Bogdanoff’s astute legislative aide.

The Groomed Reaper said he never intended to hurt chicks and bunnies when he urged Bogdanoff to change the law.

“I’m not here to create heartache for the chickens and ducks,” he said. “This was only about creative grooming. It makes people happy and it’s fun.”

And what about the dogs, hiding in shame behind the sofa? So far, they have no comment.

Die-hard protestors, including Senate Democratic leader Nan Rich, PETA officials, and the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida are pressuring the guv to veto the bill. Scott’s Press Secretary said the governor will make a decision “when the bill reaches his desk.”

In that case, PETA needs to get in good with Scott’s administrative secretary first – maybe a chocolate bunny?

Read More at the Sun Sentinel.