Disturbing discovery in local park sparks furious backlash from residents: 'How heinous'

While posting to r/chicago, one Redditor shared the alleged actions of an unknown bird owner who is accused of leaving an open bird cage in the middle of West Ridge Nature Park in Chicago.  

Owning a pet can be as rewarding as it can be challenging, especially if that pet is an exotic animal. In the end, any work that you put in can result in an amazing bond for life. However, some people find themselves a little overwhelmed with pets, and then take irresponsible actions.   

Although most pet owners who need to give away their animals find a way to do this responsibly, a small percentage of people turn to unfavorable methods.  

Officials from the park made the discovery and posted a picture of the then-empty cage on the park's Facebook page.

"It seems apparent that someone brought a cage of small birds to release them into the park," WRNP wrote in the post. 

"You are introducing an animal that is not native to the park and could bring in new diseases and affect the current ecosystem," the post warned. 

As noted by WRNP officials, when pets are released into the wild, they can become invasive species that wreak havoc on vulnerable habitats, outcompeting native species for resources and potentially causing harm to local ecosystems. 

Some pets may also be ill-equipped to survive in the wild, leading to serious injury or even death. 

The most responsible way to rehome a pet is to first explore options such as contacting shelters and rescues, or using online platforms designed for pet rehoming. If those options are not successful, surrendering the pet to a shelter or rescue can also be a realistic option.

In the comments section, many users were in disbelief over the perceived animal cruelty in the original post.  

Do you think people should be allowed to keep exotic animals as pets? Yes 👍 No 👎 It depends on the animal 🐍 It depends on the person 🤓 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"How heinous," wrote one commenter. 

Other users shared similar experiences with various animals that were abandoned by careless owners. 

"I remember a girl at my job said she got tired of her pet bunny and released it in Humboldt Park," recalled a second commenter. "When I informed her that her bunny didn't have survival skills and was probably going to die, she got really offended."

"I've seen people dump their pet turtles in other parks. It's so cruel and careless," noted the user. 

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