Boy (13) intervened

Parents watched as children tortured bird to death

The young bird did not survive the attack.

(Bild: Josef Limberger)

When 13-year-old Andre saw children kicking a young magpie and pouring water over it, he bravely intervened. He took the weakened animal and brought it to his mother. Particularly sad: the parents of the animal abusers are said to have watched the incident.

13-year-old Andre W. from Linz is the hero of the day. On Sunday evening, the schoolboy noticed two children torturing a bird in the courtyard of a residential complex. The girls are said to have kicked the young bird and doused it with water - the parents watched.

Young bird very weak
With the words "What are you doing, stop it", the brave boy intervened and brought the weakened bird to its mother. "The bird was completely soaked and kept opening its beak, but no sound came out. I warmed it with a towel and tried to keep it awake," says the mother.

Animal cruelty not an isolated case
After half an hour, the animal rights activists from the Linz Animal Ambulance arrived and tried to save the young bird's life. Unfortunately in vain - the mistreatment was too severe. This is not an isolated case, as an animal rights activist from Wels laments: "We had children playing soccer with a young starling. He didn't survive the abuse, the parents were sitting next to him."

Never give young birds water. This is tricky and there is a risk of them inhaling water.

Georg Pold, Linzer Animal Ambulance

How to react correctly
"Young birds that have fallen out of the nest should ideally be brought back there. If this is not possible, contact experienced animal welfare experts", says Georg Pold from the Linz Animal Ambulance. "The animals can't survive on their own and need food and warmth." His team is currently being called out up to twice a day to care for birds that have fallen out of their nests.