News
Peaceful Bird Store Demonstrations in New Jersey
February 06, 2009, 8:45AM MT
By Jennifer S Hayes
Join others on Saturday, February 7 to protest the exotic bird trade
Join others on Saturday, February 7 to protest the exotic bird trade
By Ann Tabor, Best Friends Network Volunteer
On Saturday, February 7th, concerned bird lovers will gather in the New Jersey area to participate in peaceful demonstrations against Bird Paradise and Todd Marcus Birds Exotic, two of the largest bird stores in the country.
The demonstrations are sponsored by Boycott Bird Paradise, a campaign aimed at educating the public about wild and exotic birds in captivity and ending the suffering of birds bred in bird mills. Birds mass bred for sale in pet stores often have their wings clipped and are forced to live in tiny cages with limited opportunity for flight and movement. Exotic birds have also been known to carry diseases that can be fatal to humans.
“The plight of birds in captivity is a desperate one but often overlooked,” says Rachel Ogden, organizer of the campaign. “Through our campaign, we urge stores like Bird Paradise and Todd Marcus Birds Exotic to stop selling birds and instead use their energy to help the countless number of homeless birds already suffering in captivity. These pet store owners work with birds every day so they are aware that birds are not domesticated animals and that it is impossible for even the most well-intentioned person to provide for their physical and emotional needs.”
Best Friends Animal Society often sees the consequences of such cases. According to Steve Scheurich, Best Friends’ Operations Manager of Parrots and Rabbits, Best Friends receives numerous calls from individuals who can no longer take care of their pet birds and wish to drop them off at the sanctuary.
“As with other animals purchased from pet stores, buying a bird tends to be a knee-jerk reaction and the buyer goes home with a cage and a bird and very little education. The results are often catastrophic,” says Scheurick. “This bird that was most likely improperly hand-raised from a mill may begin to show common behavior problems associated with parrots in captivity; feather picking, excessive screaming, biting, and the list goes on until they realize they've bitten off more then they can chew and we get that phone call or even worse, the bird gets stuck in the basement and enters into an abusive situation.”
He emphasized, “The bottom line is that if you are interested in giving a parrot a home, please educate yourself first and then contact a nearby sanctuary about the possibility of adopting.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
The Bird Paradise demonstration will take place from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the public right of way in front of Bird Paradise (located at 551 E Rt. 130 S, Burlington, NJ 08016). The demonstration at Todd Marcus Birds Exotic will take place from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. on the public sidewalk in front of the store (located at 1060 South Chester Ave, Route 130 South, Delran, NJ 08075).
Boycott Bird Paradise has requested that demonstration participants leave children and pets at home.
If you cannot attend one of the demonstrations, you can still help the campaign by writing local papers such as the Courier Post or the Burlington County Times and asking them to cover the events.
The Boycott Bird Paradise campaign relies heavily on support and participation from individuals and organizations like Best Friends. Says Ogden, “We know that the support of Best Friends will bring more animal advocates out onto the front lines to stand up for our wild, feathered friends."
For more information:
• To learn more about bird mills and the Boycott Bird Paradise campaign, please visit the Boycott Bird Paradise website.
• To see a video of actual bird mills, please visit the Bird Mills, the Hidden Truth website
• To learn more about the importance of adopting a rescued exotic bird, as opposed to shopping at stores, please join the Parrot Garden community.
• Read the resources in What to Know About Birds to make an informed decision, before to adding a bird to your family.
Posted by Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends staff
Photo credit: taken by Jennifer Hayes