Animal cruelty and other people's children

[RevoltingPeasant]

Not sure if this is an AIBU or a WWYD, but....

Do you intervene if you see other people's children being nasty to animals?

We went on a day trip yesterday and I saw a group of children, with their parents, deliberately taunting juvenile seagulls. (I know they're not everyone's favourite bird, but...) They were pretending to give them food, waiting till the birds got close, and then jumping at them suddenly to make them fly away. They then ran around the little park area with a massive golf umbrella, flapping it at all the ducks/ seagulls/ pigeons, making them fly off to avoid being hit or trampled. They even tried to climb onto a little park shed thing where the birds had taken refuge.

Later, we were at a pond with a big sign saying 'Please do not feed the ducks white bread as it is bad for them and will eventually kill them'. There was a boy of about 8 (i.e. well able to read), with his dad, right next to the sign, feeding the ducks....a loaf of Tesco value white bread.

I appreciate these things are not like kicking a golden retriever puppy to death. But they are clearly unethical. I can't believe people sit there watching their children do nasty things to animals. Seems to me that they are basically teaching their DC that terrifying animals is harmless fun.

WIBU to say something next time I see something like this? Or am I just an old trout of a busybody?

He was showing off to his group of girlie friends who all found it v cool and amusing grrrrrr. He was very 'italian' about it lol - lots of shrugging and 'mad english' expressions. I was a bit ranty

I would intervene if I see animal cruelty, but chasing birds and making them fly away is definitely not that!
In fact, a lot of them are overfed and could use some exercise, especially since they don't have many predators. And I doubt it bothers them at all - they are designed to cope with a bit of danger.

Now, hurting birds and animals is a different story.

southeastastra I assume the Charles Manson comment is in response to my post re torturing animals being linked to serial killers.

Chasing pigeons is definitely not that. My DS and his friend once chased wallabies at Whipsnade safari park when they were 5, but only cos they wanted to feed and stroke them. We told them off because they were scaring them. But throwing stones and sticks at and kicking animals is nasty. Are you sure you wouldn't be worried about a DC who took pleasure in and thought it was fun to hurt animals? It's not normal by any stretch of the imagination.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a boy of about 7 walking with his parents. the boy was eyeing a couple of pigeons, and when he got close to them, he jumped at them and yelled, scaring them away. The boy's father said, 'What did they do to you? They were just minding their own business.' I could have hugged him.