Bird shelters vrs Craigslist

[marie83]

I havent sought out most of my birds- only Ollie as when Jack died, Harlie had no company and I didn't want her to be alone whilst I was at work.

My first bird, Madison my budgie came to me via someone who got her and decided she couldn't look after her. She was free to good home so a friend took her and gave her to me because ''I liked animals'' and she wanted her to have a good home.

With most of my others it has been a friend of a friend didn't like the look of how they were kept and I somehow ended up getting dragged to see them. I don't like any animal suffering so every time I ended up making a small monetry incentive (Nowhere near their actual value in some cases) for the person to hand the bird over. As far as I'm aware none have ever replaced the bird they gave up and none of them objected to me taking the birds.

My little Tico was an exception, still rescued from a place I used to volunteer at but her parents stopped feeding her as soon as she came out of the nestbox for the first time. I spent alot of time watching her to be 100% sure but they were feeding the others but no her so I took her, fed and weaned her.


I do think there is a difference between this and someone ''rescuing'' a bird when they know the bird will be replaced with another (a pet shop for instance) or where a profit is being made.

[terri]

This is an often tossed around subject in many forums---not just parrot but all creatures.

I know the mytoos forum I haunt would hang anyone who 'bought' a rescue, much like some who jump down the throats of those who buy dogs from abusive homes or pet store pups in bad shape.

Jacko was a 'purchase' all $250 of her, for her rusted cage, herself, her ratty cockatiel bell, gunky dowel perches and the empty beer case she came in.

At the end of the day, one could argue we are 'perpetuating' the abuse, but are the lives lost and lived in suffering worth whatever ends we may achieve?
I see it this way, (and I apologize to anyone if this is offensive or triggering in any way) that these craigslist birds are a bit like prisoners of war. Are you going to be the one to look into their eyes and foresake them to their fate and suffering just to be able 'to send a message' to this enemy we are up against? Will it really stop them and can you just abandon these birds to suffer and die? OR are we going to play nice and comply with 'demands' to be able to set them free?

The truth is, that birds in rescues are the lucky ones. They have already reached a haven and can begin their rehabilitation. The living situation may not be five star, but they are warm, loved, fed and given medical care. Plus, a lot of those birds end up there from people who care enough to put them there in the first place when they cannot or won't care for them any longer.

The birds on craigslist are still out there waiting for deliverance. Usually these are the people who are annoyed by the 'damn bird' but want to make money off of it at least to get back what they paid. Thus, damn right I'll pay someone to take the bird they're abusing. I'm not one to foresake lives for some sort of political message.

Wow Grey Moon [ definately hit home with me] something I can wrap my head around

[liz]

This is an often tossed around subject in many forums---not just parrot but all creatures.

I know the mytoos forum I haunt would hang anyone who 'bought' a rescue, much like some who jump down the throats of those who buy dogs from abusive homes or pet store pups in bad shape.

Jacko was a 'purchase' all $250 of her, for her rusted cage, herself, her ratty cockatiel bell, gunky dowel perches and the empty beer case she came in.

At the end of the day, one could argue we are 'perpetuating' the abuse, but are the lives lost and lived in suffering worth whatever ends we may achieve?
I see it this way, (and I apologize to anyone if this is offensive or triggering in any way) that these craigslist birds are a bit like prisoners of war. Are you going to be the one to look into their eyes and foresake them to their fate and suffering just to be able 'to send a message' to this enemy we are up against? Will it really stop them and can you just abandon these birds to suffer and die? OR are we going to play nice and comply with 'demands' to be able to set them free?

The truth is, that birds in rescues are the lucky ones. They have already reached a haven and can begin their rehabilitation. The living situation may not be five star, but they are warm, loved, fed and given medical care. Plus, a lot of those birds end up there from people who care enough to put them there in the first place when they cannot or won't care for them any longer.

The birds on craigslist are still out there waiting for deliverance. Usually these are the people who are annoyed by the 'damn bird' but want to make money off of it at least to get back what they paid. Thus, damn right I'll pay someone to take the bird they're abusing. I'm not one to foresake lives for some sort of political message.

Wow Grey Moon [ definately hit home with me] something I can wrap my head around

YES YES YES

[Eurycerus]

I got my Senegal from Craigslist. She wasn't abused or anything but I felt that since I am a caring person that it would be for the best. I was looking through getting a parrot through an adoption agency where there is a long vetting process (I had nearly completed it and probably still will). I had done my research and feel that I would make a better bird mommy than other people looking for parrots on craigslist. Not always true but definitely can be. I felt that I was still supporting the concept of getting an older bird that needed a loving place to live. :]

[pennyandrocky]

do you know how many parrots have to be put down because there is not enough room or money to take care of the many birds that come in daily?the rescue i adopted mya from just got 6 in today.while it's great your saving one life by supporting abusers instead of rescues you could help many by supporting rescuers.i wonder what happened to the that was left in myrtle's former home i hope he got as lucky as myrtle and the when it was no longer fun for that abuser.

[Eurycerus]

I have never heard of parrots having to be put down.

http://mickaboo.com/ This is the rescue around me and they have a ton of birds up for adoption and most definitely don't put any down. Not to say that some places don't put parrots down.

[pennyandrocky]

animal shelters have put birds down because rescues have no room.

[liz]

Santiogo is a beauty. In the shelter he is well cared for and socialized. They will learn his personality and pass it on to the new forever home. The new home will be able to contact the shelter with questions when they need to. Santiogo would be a good adoption for a first time bird parent. Until then he is cared for.

Experience bird parents can go through Craigslist or the newspaper and rescue. I believe any bird put there needs rescued. A low price set by the owner means they have very little value to them.
Just like Myrtle was offered for $300 with cage and the cage was worth $300. I don't want to think what my beautiful, intellegent and loving Myrtle would have gone through if I did not travel and pay the price. (As far as I am concerned the CAG was not taken care of properly but she liked him and his cage was clean.)

We also need to be on the alert for rumors of mistreated birds. I don't know how back the thread is or even who put it in but a delivery person saw neglected birds in durty cages only half fed. He kept going back to the house until they gave them to him.

A stray dog taken to the animal shelter is better off being fed and warm even if he has to be put down humanley.

[Grey_Moon]

do you know how many parrots have to be put down because there is not enough room or money to take care of the many birds that come in daily?the rescue i adopted mya from just got 6 in today.while it's great your saving one life by supporting abusers instead of rescues you could help many by supporting rescuers.i wonder what happened to the that was left in myrtle's former home i hope he got as lucky as myrtle and the when it was no longer fun for that abuser.

This is the argument of the value of one life vs many or a political message.
The birds in shelters have to be put down yes, but like has been pointed out---they are warm, fed and loved before being set free.
Craigslist birds will be left to suffer until they are offered enough money.

I see your point, but disagree. You cannot save them all, and I certainly will not save those who have people looking after them and loving them if only for a little while.

FURTHERMORE, I think sometimes that rescues standards are too high. Yes, to qualified homes of course, but the vast number of homeless birds who could be helped by loving committed people who get turned down because they dont make enough money or have a huge house etc. These birds may, put into a home like this, not get everything by the book or have top quality of everything---but they have dedicated caregivers and a good quality of life, compared to sitting in a rescue because no one is good enough and then being put down instead.

I would not be approved by any rescue, but I have made a commitment longer than a lot of people despite my lack of funds---Jacko does not have oodles of toys or the biggest cage or 10 hours of daily out time and sometimes my schedule gets crazy---but her vet bills are paid, she is the first thing I worry about, my baby girl and gets the most nutritious food I can afford. What she has is commitment and love---which is more important than financial assets or the best home set-up.

[marie83]

Grey moon, what you have said is so true. I doubt that I would be approved by a rescue, yet my birds have the best I can do, which is more than most parrots do and I am always looking for ways to improve things.
I would live on rice if it meant their vet bills got paid and they had food and toys. I don't have much in the way of savings but I would spend every single penny of them to get them better.

Just because someone has a lot of money and a large house, it doesn't mean they are willing to spend it or utalise that space for the benefit of their pets.

Unfortunately Eurycerus, as much as I hate to say it you are very wrong about the birds not being put to sleep. Even the shelters that claim to have policies that they don't put any healthy animal down will often do so, when they get so full and cannot find enough homes they will start looking for the smallest things wrong to justify it. It is horribly sad and as much as I don't agree with it it is making room for an animal that is more in need.