I need help with a rescue...pretty urgent

[paper_lantern]

I don't know where to turn, so I hope someone can help.

Today I went to a pet shop to look at bird toys. I live in the Northern Maine area and as such I'm maybe a five minute drive from Canada. The pet shop was Canadian. I walked in and noticed that they had two bird cages....very small ones. Both bird cages were on the bottom shelf in a really dark corner where people rarely go.

The first cage had two green cheek conures. They were in the worst condition. The had one dowel perch that was filthy, no toys, they were eating what looked like finch seed. One was obviously underweight and the other had weird discharge from his eye. Their tail feathers were broken and covered in dried feces.

The second cage had a Port Lincoln parrot....the cage was still too small but he had toys and some kind of brightly colored pellet, he looked healthier than the conures.

I asked the woman at the shop if I could buy a toy for the conures; the conversation went like this...

Me: If I buy a toy for the two conures will you put it in their cage?
Her: Why?
Me: ...because they have no toys.
Her: Oh well we have some in the back room
Me: Why don't you put one in?
Her: Because they are too old to play with toys?
Me: What? How old are they?
Her: six years old
Me: You do know they can live past 30...right?

Those poor conures. They aren't hand tamed and they are a bonded pair. They are being sold SEPARATELY. $200 each.

I need to get them out of there, they need vet attention and a good home. There is a parrot sanctuary/rescue in my state....now if only I could find a way to get them out. I really don't have $400 right now, literally. This is in Canada so I have no idea how the animal welfare laws are.

Maybe I could ask for donations from friends and family and buy them? I want to get the Port Lincoln Parrot out as well, but the conures are more urgent because of their condition.

The pet shop takes good care of all other animals except these birds. I NEED to do something, because if not I'm going to feel guilty the rest of my life knowing I could have done something and didn't.

Please help

[liz]

Talk to the manager or owner. Tell him if they don't get vet care that they will die. Show him the condition they are in and explain what it means. Then tell him if the store budget can't pay for a vet that he can give them to you and you will take them to the vet.
Lean on him. Put a guilt trip on him. Don't give up. It seems that those little lives depend on you. He can't sell them anyway because they are only going to get worse.

[Munchy]

I can't tell you much about what you should do, but I will say that if you know in your heart and soul that the condition they are in is wrong, then it is absolutely your responsibility to do something about it.

Whether that means complaining to the management, or to the humane society, or what ever, I am not sure. Just because the checker sounds like an apathetic dolt, doesn't mean you can't get someone there to change the situation. If it were me I'd complain to the manager if it was a chain store and let it be known I was also going to complain to their corporate headquarters. If it is a small privately owned store, I'd still look for the owner and voice your concerns.

I once came across a starved horse and put his picture online. A rescue group saw it and worked with me to get the horse legally away from it's disgusting owner. The horse now has a permanent home with the rescue group, although the law never prosecuted the owner.

Anyhow lots of things you can do for those birds. The internet is a might fine big world. I'd put the stores name and contact number out there. But that's me. You need to find out what is going to work for you and more importantly the birds.

[animal_lover]

I agree with Munchy. I've had similar (not as bad but very dirty cages for all the animals at the store) experiences here(Nova Scotia). The store that I had an issue with was a big chain store and I connected head office who got back to me quickly. If it is an independant store I would speak to owner and if not satisfied there are places to report abused or neglected animals..ie SPCA of that town. It justs disgusts me and I'm sure all of you. Poor things

Can you let us know how it goes? Where are you? Houlton?Calais? Good luck. It makes me want to go rescue them.

Animal Lover

[Shelby]

If you buy them, their places will be filled by other birds who will then be doomed to the same fate. I think your best bet of not only stopping the abuse but also stopping a vicious cycle is to contact your humane society and speak to the manager.

Also, you could alert your parrot rescue and see if they could do something for the birds or contact the right people to make the store make some changes.

[liz]

Talk to the manager or owner. Tell him if they don't get vet care that they will die. Show him the condition they are in and explain what it means. Then tell him if the store budget can't pay for a vet that he can give them to you and you will take them to the vet.
Lean on him. Put a guilt trip on him. Don't give up. It seems that those little lives depend on you. He can't sell them anyway because they are only going to get worse.

You should never buy a sick bird. Talk to the owner or manager. Ask them to give them to you not only for the birds sake but you could say for the sake of the stores reputation.