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An In Defense of Animals brochure.
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What you can do: •Ratherthanpurchasingbirdsfrompetstores orbreeders,adoptcompanionbirdsfrom
reputablesanctuariesorthroughbirdreferraladoptionprograms.
•Keepawatchfuleyeonyourlocalpetstores andreportabuseand/orsubstandardconditions
toyourlocalanimalcrueltyofficers.Writeletterstothestoremanagementandletthemknowthatyoudon’tapproveofsellingbirdsandothersmallanimals.Letthemknowyouwillboycotttheirstoresuntiltheystopsellingliveanimals.
•Seektolearnmoreaboutpropercareandguardianshipofcompanionbirdssoyoucanspotandreportabuse.Educateothersabouttheplightofcaptivebirds.
•Althoughsomedomesticatedbirdshavebeenknowntosurviveaftertheirreleaseintothewild,neverreleaseanexoticcaptivebirdintothewild.Innearlyallinstancesthesebirdssufferfromtheelements,areattackedbypredators,orstarvetodeathbeforedyinganagonizingdeath.
•Writeletterstoyourlegislatorsandaskthemtocreateandstrengthenlawsthatwillprotectcaptivebirdsfromabuseandnegligence.
To learn more visit:www.idausa.org
AllphotoscourtesyofMarcJohnson
Warning: Graphic Photos Enclosed
The “Pet” Bird
In Defense of Animals3010 Kerner Blvd.San Rafael, CA 94901415-388-9641
Petstoresandbreedersgivetheconsumerthefalseimpressionthatahand-fedbabyparrotisguaranteedtoremainloveableandcuddlyforever.Captive-bredandhand-fedbabyparrotssharethesamewildtraitsastheircousinswholiveinthejunglesandrainforests.Mostbirdswillresortbacktotheirwild,“untamed”stateifnothandled
regularly.Evenwithregularhandlingandgoodsocialization,aparrotmaybecomeaggressive,territorial,andstartbitingwhen
he/shereachessexualmaturityandhormonallevelschange.
Mostretailersandbreedersneglecttotellconsumersthatparrotsexhibitnaturalwildtraits.Screaming,chewing(fromfurnituretoelectricalcords)andbitingaretraitsthatallparrotsshare.
Millionsofexoticbirdsarecaught,bred,andsoldannuallyforthepettrade.Someofthosebirdsarecaughtinthewild.Othersarecaptivebredinunnatural,overcrowdedwarehouses.Bothcircumstancesultimatelyleadbirdstouncertainfuturesandmoreoftenthannot,tragicandpainfullives.
Afterleavingthewarehouses,birdsaretransportedunderstressfulconditionstopetstoreswheretheyareoftencaredforbyyoung,inadequatelytrainedemployees.Somebirdsareleftunattendedwithoutfoodandwaterforseveraldayswhenpetshopemployeestaketheirdaysofforiftheycallinsick.Manypetstorestreatbirdslikemereinventoryanddon’tprovidethebirdscomfortableenvironments,adequatediet,ormedicalcarewhentheyareillorinjured.
BC-06
Multiple Homes -Long LifespansLargespeciesofparrotscanliveupto85years.Somesmallerparrotscanlive25to50years.Mostpeopledon’tconsidertheirbird’slifespanasitrelatestotheirown.Thelonglifespanofparrotsaddstothecomplexitiesandtragediesofkeepingparrotsaspets.Manyparrotswilloutlivetheirguardians,leavingthebirdsmoreoftenthannot,homeless.Familymembersareleftwiththeburdenofsurrenderingorfindingahomeforthedeceasedrelative’sbird.
Theintellectuallevelofmanyparrotsisequaltoa3to5yearoldchild.Keepingaparrotissimilartocaringforahumantoddlerfortherestofyourlife.Thisisoneofmanyreasonswhyparrotseventuallyendupunwantedandarelefthomeless.Itisestimatedthatnearlyallparrotswillbeinatleastfivehomesbeforetheydieprematurelyorfindapermanenthome.
A Hidden CrisisOncetheconsumerexperiencestheinherenttraitsoftheirwildpet,thesebirdsareoftenplacedbehindcloseddoorsformonths,years,orevendecades-ingarages,basements,orclosets.Thesehiddenbirdsmaylanguishintinycages,darkrooms,garages,basements,orclosets;suffering,lonely,starvinganddying.Unliketheneglectedorabuseddogorcatinthebackyardwhosecaringneighborsmaywitnesstheabuseandcallauthorities,thesebirdswillrarelyifeverbeaffordedthatkindofrescue.
Lack of Proper Diet and CareCountlessbirdsaredeniedthemostbasicneedssuchascompanionship,adequatehousing,flight,andanutritionallybalanceddiet.Theincidenceofdeathandillnessfrommalnutrition,abuse,andpoorhousingishigh.Sadly,storiesofbirdsstarvingtodeathordyingfromdehydrationbecausesomeoneforgottofeedand/orwaterthem,arecommon.
Physical and Emotional SufferingTragically,bythetimeunwantedbirdsreachashelterorsanctuarytheyareoftenalreadyshowingsignsofstressandsufferfromminortolifethreateninghealthproblems.Severeemotionaldisturbancesand/orinsanitysuchasself-mutilation,obsessivecompulsivebehaviors,uncontrollablescreaming,orsevereinhibition,areonlyafewofthetraitsthattraumatizedbirdsexhibit.Thesebehaviorsareoftenirreversible,makingitextremelydifficulttoplacethesebirdsinnewhomes.
Muchlikeprimates,birdsrequirestrongsocialinteractionforemotionalwellbeing.However,manypeopledon’toffertheirbirdacompanionbird,fearingtheirbirdwilllosehis“petquality”ifgivenamate.However,withbusyschedulesandlongworkhours,mostpeoplelackthenecessarytimetooffertheirbirdregular,essentialemotionalstimuliandcompanionship.Consequently,manypetbirdshaveneverbeenaffordedthesimplebutnecessarypleasureofsocializingwiththeirownspeciesandsufferfromlonelinesstheirentirelives.
OverpopulationBreeders,retailers,andhobbyistscontinuetobreedparrotsatanalarmingratedespiteescalatingnumbersofunwantedandhomelesscompanionparrots.Manyunwantedbirdsendupinclassifiedads,ontheinternet,orateventscalledbirdmartswherebirdsaresoldandtradedlikeusedcars.Manyzoosreceivehundredsofcallsannuallyfrompeoplewantingtorelinquishtheirbirds.Unfortunately,mostzooscannotaccommodatethem.Theeuthanasiarateofhomelessbirdsisontherise.
Manyshelterswillnotacceptbirds.Someso-calledparrot“sanctuaries”areactuallybreedersorhoarderswhoacceptsurrenderedbirdsforthesolepurposeofenhancingtheirbreedingstock.Ofthefewreputablebirdsanctuariesthatexistacrossthecountry,manyareovercrowdedandcannotacceptmorebirds.
Sothatasmallpercentageofresponsiblepeoplecanhavethefewbirdsthattheywillundoubtedlyloveand
“properly”carefor,millionsofotherbirdswillsufferanddieprematurely.
Althoughmanyparrotbreedersandpetstoresacknowledgethehighmortalityrateof“pet”birds,andacknowledgetheskyrocketingnumberofhomelessbirds,theycontinuetobreedatanalarmingrate.