Conference 7.286::pet_birds

    This breaks my heart ... and YES I would say it is really abuse..
    Tell your boyfriend (if he can) change the water and veggies..fruit
    etc... I don't know if the humane society would look into this..but
    I would call...maybe someone else readying this would know.
    
    That poor baby..all he wants is to be loved...
    
    Keep sneaking in ...you will be loved dearly by him.
    
    Such a sad situation..
    
    Caralyn
    

    Hi Peg,
    
    It is very frustrating to see abuse and not be able to do anthing about
    it. You can see it everday with Dogs, but the birds are usually out of
    site. The only legal recourse I know of is to call the local MSPCA. You
    also could try telling her that unless she treats him better or will
    sell him to you reasonably you will report her to the authorities.
    
    Good luck,
    Doug

    The MSPCA may be willing to go to the house to investigate and educate
    the woman on proper bird care, but I don't think they can do anything
    beyond that. The laws on animal care are very lax and open to a lot of
    interpretation. Typically what happens is the judge says that as long
    as the bird has water and food and is kept from the elements, that's
    sufficient. This is a sad fact of reality, unfortunately.
    
    I feel for that poor creature and I applaud you for stepping to help.
    Good luck and keep us posted.
    
    Mike

    I have read your notes and feel so badly about this poor bird!
    
    Why don't you and your boyfriend buy Charlie from the old lady for
    the $1000 she wants.  If you can't come up with $500.00 a piece,
    apply for a personal loan at the bank!
    
    This bird would be so ever grateful to get a chance at life again.
    He undoubtedly would make you folks a very devoted, loving pet!
    
    Just an idea!
    
    Regards,
    
         Susan
    
                                        

    I would try to buy him but wouldn't pay $1000 -- this old lady is just
    trying to bilk you out of big bucks -- it's obvious she couldn't care
    less about the bird. I'd offer her $250 and threaten to bring in the
    MSPCA. Of course, this could have an adverse effect on your
    boyfriend's tenancy...
    
    Mike

    THIS ANGERS ME !!!!!!!! People who have birds or any other animal that
    are unwanted and poorly cared for should let them go to a home where
    they will be treated properly.  I am strongly motivated to find out
    where this person lives and just remove the bird and the dogs for
    that matter.  I know this is not legal but I am just so angered over
    this situation.  There are people out there that would give life and 
    limb to be able to own a bird of this type but can't afford it.  
    
    On a more tempered side ....... it is imperative that you contact
    the MSPCA and file a complaint.  There is no way that this should
    be allowed to continue!  I liken this to child abuse, it must be 
    reported.  It is our responsibility as a human being.  This person
    does not deserve one dollar for this bird and she should be made
    aware of the potential consequences for her actions.
    
    While there is a risk that your boyfriends tenancy could be terminated,
    I don't see how you or he can sleep a wink knowing that these animals
    are being cared for in this way.  I would be perfectly willing to 
    assist in any way that I can.  Just say the word.  The bottom line is
    that this situation should not be allowed to continue.  Please write or
    call me if I can help in any way.
    
    Jim Buccieri

    
    YES, this IS abuse.  Unfortunately, the local MSCPA may not be informed
    enough about birds to understand the nature of the abuse.
    
    The bird's living conditions - poor environment, poor quality diet,
    etc. are deplorable, but that really is the *least* of this bird's
    problems.  Umbrella cockatoos WILL NOT thrive without MUCH attention. 
    The lack of attention is probably MUCH worse for this bird than the
    awful environment and poor diet.  It must be an incredibly tolerant
    cockatoo if it hasn't chewed off all of its feathers and mutilated
    itself.  My cockatoos will start to chew the ends of their feathers and
    scream like crazy if they go for more than a couple of DAYS without at
    LEAST an hour daily of intensive attention.  Umbrella 'toos, more than
    any other birds, will become VERY neurotic from lack of attention.
    
    Acquire this bird, whatever it takes.  And until you can do so, make
    sure that your boyfriend lavishes attention on this poor baby whenever
    he can!  Once you get this bird into your hands, you will be will
    rewarded - it will be devoted to you.
    
    The MSCPA can be called, but probably the most they will do is to give
    this woman instruction on proper housing and feeding, and that's not
    going to solve this poor creature's real problems.  (But if you can
    convince HER otherwise so that she'll sell you the bird quick, then DO
    IT!)
    
    

    Well we are going to take some action, we're just not quite sure what
    yet.  Here's what we've been thinking about:
    
    Tom (my boyfriend) is looking to rent another room in some other house. 
    Once this happens we want to report the abuse (on the dogs too).
    
    We are thinking of buying Charlie a new cage, then taking him outside
    on a good day, then putting him in my car, tipping the cage over, and
    saying he's escaped (he's fully flighted).  I don't know about that one
    tho.
    
    
    The thing is now she won't sell him at any price - just for an
    experiment we told her there was a buyer for Charlie who owns another
    cockatoo and is very responsible and offered $1,000 for the bird.  She
    said NO!  Absolutely no way, he's my bird and I'm not giving him up.
    
    Grrrr.  So that $1,000 was just to shut us up.  She won't even sell him
    for any price.  She says she goes in there during the day and gives him
    attention.  She's lying, because she's on oxygen and the hose doesn't
    reach in the garage.
    
    I'll keep you posted as to what happens.
    
    -Peg

	Everyone is voicing their concern...and I trust
	the people who entered the note to be telling
	the "truth" as they know it.

	However, two things concern me....one as moderator,
	we should not vilify anyone who has no access to this file.
	That is the rule....

	Secondly, the bird belongs to this woman, in our
	society, birds are treated as owned objects, and it
	is very difficult to prove ill-treatment.  I suspect
	it would be difficult to prove anything if the bird
	is getting food and water.  There are NO laws that I
	know of requiring someone to give affection to any
	animal they "own", probabally there are no laws 
	requiring someone to show love to their kids, but
	that is an argument for another conference.

	Good luck with whatever path you choose, but it is
	unlikely that you can solve all of the problems of
	the world...so choose your "problems" carefully.

	And be nice to people we don't know in the notes file.

	-dick

      Mr. Kirschbaum/moderator:
    
      Well I am certainly glad you "trust" the people who entered
      these notes to be telling the "truth" as they know it.  Your
      faith that they are presenting what they have observed to be
      facts is admirable.
    
      As a person who has first-hand seen the activity described here,
      along with 3 other tenants of this home who agree and are
      witnesses to the conditions I have described here, who also wish
      to take action, who also have verified that this woman cannot
      be off her oxygen and the oxygen cannot reach the garage, I know
      these things to be fact.
    
      Yes as a moderator you are correct that we should not "defame"
      someone here who cannot defend him/herself here also.  Thank you
      for pointing this out.  I should have, instead of saying "she is
      a liar", said, "I know that this is an impossiblity per my own
      witness and those of the 3 tenants".  Fact which can and has been
      proven.
    
      As for the way she treats her bird, from the information in the base
      note it's not a case of "no attention", but much worse that that.  A
      bird that is kept under an air conditioner in an almost fully dark room
      with moldy, bacteria-ridden food and water coated with slime is being
      improperly taken care of.  Just what anyone can do about, if
      anything, or if it constitutes abuse, is what I asked in the base note.
      Imagine the dog case in Lowell 2 years ago, where the neighbor filmed
      the young boy hitting the dog with a piece of wood who claimed it was
      up to him how to "discipline" his dog - if no one had decided to inform
      the authorities about the mistreatment.
    
      So when we (I, Tom, and the 2 other tenants) report her, it will
      not be up to me, anyone in that house, nor anyone here to decide
      what is abuse/mistreatment and what is not, it will be up to the
      proper authorities.
    
    
      Respectfully,
    
      Peggy 

        >>We are thinking of buying Charlie a new cage, then taking him
        >>outside on a good day, then putting him in my car, tipping the
        >>cage over, and saying he's escaped (he's fully flighted).  I
        >>don't know about that one tho.
    
    
    In discussing this with the tenants, we have decided this is a totally
    in appropriate thing to do and it is no longer an option.

    I think you also touched on another potential solution in note .10.
    How about video taping the conditions that this bird is living 
    under and submitting that to the authorities.  This will help 
    document the level of abuse.  If this yet falls on deaf ears
    one can get the media involved as well.  Just a thought.  
    
    BTW:  Mr. Kirschbaum, although your comments and cautions are
          well intentioned, you MUST remember that we are dealing
          with a very emotional issue.  This is a notes file for
          the enjoyment of all those who choose to use it and it
          lends itself as a support structure when emotional issues
          like this arise.  There have been many "biased" notes in
          this conference that have gone unchallenged.  This is an
          open notes conference and is not in place to serve the needs
          of just a few people.  
    
          ANIMAL ABUSE should never be tolerated and those that do it
          SHOULD be charged and fined to the letter of the law.  My 
          heart and respect goes out to everyone that carry the torch
          for proper animal care.
    
    Jim Buccieri

	I don't want to go down another rat hole, nor
	do I wish to curtail anyones enjoyment in this
	notes file.

	I do NOT condone in any way animal or people
	abuse.  Nor do I feel real comfortable about
	people telling the world that they are planning
	to let someone elses bird loose...

	I do not believe that anyone should tell someone
	else how to live their life.  If you believe that
	people are breaking the law, and you wish to report it
	to the proper authorties that is fine...I do NOT
	think that stating that you are thinking of 
	breaking the law has any place in this file.

	If you object to the way I am moderating this NOTESfile
	just let me know and I will remove my name from the
	moderators list.

	-dick

    Hi,
    
    
    I have called the MSPCA Law Enforcement dept. @ 617-522-7400 about
    some Violations I saw this week end(not related to base note). They
    are open 9-5 weekdays.
    
    They said they will do the inspections and notify the Dept of Food and
    Agriculture Division of Animal Health if they see any violations.
    
    The Dept of F+A do the licensing of Pet Stores. The number I was given
    for them is 617-727-3018
    
    Doug

    What happened to Charlie???

    Just popped in for a second -- I had decided I did not want to enter
    any more notes regarding this situation and have stayed away.  For
    those interested in the fate of Charlie, the only thing we could come
    up with is a temporary answer, but less emotional and crisis-causing
    than other available solutions.
    
    My friend Tom has asked his landlady if he could care for Charlie like
    he was his own although he would not own him.  Tom has taken Charlie
    into his room, put him next to a window with sunshine and fresh air,
    and takes full responsibility for providing him fresh fruit and veggies
    every morning, has bought him a new wrought iron cage out of his own
    pocket, provides him with clean spring water every day, and has Charlie
    next to his own grey cheek parakeet who keeps him company during the
    day.
    
    You can't believe the difference in this bird.  When you turn on the
    radio he starts dancing up and down and sideways - he whines just like
    a dog from being kept in the garage with the dogs.  Tom has been
    spraying Charlie's feathers with some sort of feather spray and they
    have come in beautifully, no more ragged dull feathers.  His eyes seem
    a bit brighter and clearer and he seems so much more alive and does the
    heart good to see this cockatoo living again.
    
    We don't know what will happen if Tom moves out, but the bird, for now,
    is well cared for finally.  Thanks for being concerned.
    
    Regards,
    
    Peggy

    Thank you for updating us....off and on kept looking to see if you
    would write.  
    
    Tell your friend  "don't move".....
    
    Best of luck.
    
    CTA
    

    For anyone who followed this topic with interest:
    
    The woman is now interested in selling Charlie because she realizes he
    really does need a good home where he can have attention and proper
    care.  She has since moved him back in the garage, and after discussing
    the cockatoo's needs at length with us, she's willing to sell him, but
    is asking quite a bit.
    
    I will post the details under the FOR SALE note.

    Poor Charlie!  Why did she move him back into the garage??
    
    Jeanne
    

    >>Poor Charlie!  Why did she move him back into the garage??
    
       >>Jeanne
    
    
    We don't know why, but respected her wishes to do so. :^(