Please Help!

CaptainQuark · #1 October 26th, 2005, 03:31 PM

Please help The World Parrot Trust to put an end to the barbaric trade in wild-caught birds.

"African grey parrots are among the most heavily harvested of all parrots, with tens of thousands arriving in the EU each year. Many fail to survive the arduous journey due to disease and inhumane treatment."

The spread towards Europe of Avian flu has seen the EU place a temporary ban on the import of wild-caught birds. But this ban needs to be permanent to save the lives of the millions of birds that die a horrible death every year to feed the European pet shop trade. For every bird that reaches a pet shop in Europe, another four have died of dehydration, starvation, suffocation, stress or worse.
Read the report on the World Parrot Trust's website.

Please sign the petition to stop the import of wild-caught birds and consider becoming a member or making a donation.

www.worldparrottrust.org

I know that this is not an African Grey forum, but this is something I have come to feel very strongly about. And the trade in wild-caught birds affects all species. Here's why I'm so passionate about this issue:

This is my 16-year old African Grey parrot, Ndhlovu. She's a fantastic bird! Everyone who meets her falls completely in love with her. She has never had her wings clipped so she flies beautifully, but we have trained her to wear a harness so she goes everywhere with us. This photograph was taken at our local country show in the summer of 2005, where she was a great hit and the life and soul of the party. She never bites anyone and will unhestatingly jump onto anybody's shoulder to theive a taste of ice cream.

And she was bred in Britain. We just don't need to import any more!

In addition to Ndhlovu, we have just taken on a rescue parrot. This poor African Grey was in the hands of people whose morals were such that she was given to a drugs dealer as a payment for drugs. She has been very badly treated, having been both physically abused – beaten and left without food and water for days – and suffered mental abuse. Greys are such good mimics that she has, in a way, told her own story; but it was not a happy one and the language means that much of it cannot be repeated in polite society. As a consequence of her history, she has plucked herself completely bald, is terrified of hands and is currently on a course of anti-depressants!. All we can do is to give her a safe, loving home for the rest of her days and hope that, even if she can't ever trust any other people, she can at least be happy in the knowledge that she will never be abused with us.

We need to stop this trade.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE sign the petition at www.worldparrottrust.org

Thank you,

CQ

Xlator · #2 October 26th, 2005, 06:00 PM

Signed. Spreading it around places on the great ether where I am active... trying to do my bit.

Convert · #3 October 26th, 2005, 07:32 PM

That is truly horrible.

I am doing the same, thank you for alerting us.

bbloke · #4 October 27th, 2005, 07:58 AM

I've added my name too, CaptainQuark. It's awful that we so often transport animals under such cruel conditions.

(BTW, I kept getting sent to the Microsoft page at first. I noticed the link was actually: http://http//:www.worldparrottrust.org so I stripped out the extra http etc.)

CaptainQuark · #5 October 27th, 2005, 10:23 AM

Thanks bbloke –*fixed that now.

Gig' · #6 October 27th, 2005, 11:18 AM

CQ

I honestly would like to sign it but eventhough I'm Italian I reside in switzerland still not part of EU

so the least I'm able to do is spread the word around to my EU friends/relatives hoping they will somehow sign on my behalf...

BTW great initiative CQ

CaptainQuark · #7 October 27th, 2005, 02:20 PM

Hi Gig,

I don't think you have to be an EU citizen to have an opinion and to want to stop this barbaric trade. But if you don't feel you can participate, then that's OK with me.

Thanks for the support.

CQ

Gig' · #8 October 27th, 2005, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainQuark

Hi Gig,

I don't think you have to be an EU citizen to have an opinion and to want to stop this barbaric trade. But if you don't feel you can participate, then that's OK with me.

Thanks for the support.

CQ

Well I'm an EU citizen living in a non EU country so if it does not "disqualify" me than consider it as done.

Sorry if my post seemed to let anyone feel like I didn't want to comit

update : Did it and was given the indication that 25'800 people participated I find it amazing and hopefully it will be applicable to switzerland too