Why I voted 'no' to Animal Alliance
Our parrots are loved (we also legimately have a guinea fowl called goosebery) and we do our best to give them a good life.
However, I am fast becoming of the opinion that a large % of birds in homes (especially parrots) have a shit life, when owners find out they are not the cute little creature they saw as a baby when they grow up and become 'their own birds'.
For example, in a light comerical 'work from home' I went to some years ago, I saw a timeh in a relatively small 'Harry Potter' type cage. It had no toys, the water was filthy (at 9 a.m.) and there was about 10 cm of detrius in the bottom of the cage. It was obviously fed on the sunflower/peanut mix. Apparently, for many months, it had been kept in the back room on it's own. I asked if the wings were clipped - no - so it never came out of the cage. It had probably not flapped it's wings for years because the cage was too small to do it.
I nearly cried there and then; what had this bird done to deserve such neglect? A lifetime sentence in a living hell.
Most people don't intentionally mean to be cruel like this, but frankly most people don't think. In addition, most people don't know what they are letting themselves into with getting a parrot - I certainly did'nt and I had read a lot beforehand! We try and work through the problems with our birds. However, it's very hard sometimes to love something that is taking a chunk out of your flesh. Do it enough times and it's life soom becomes like the one above - or worse.
Whilst some people will be deprived of having a parrot friend in their lives, they will never know it, but if bringing in this law stops the type of abuse described above from happening, then personally I think it is worth it.
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I am terribly concerned about this new legislation that wants to be passed. Banning pets such as parrots is not the way forward. It is going to cost a huge amount of money to get this signed and sealed and that money could of been used to train people and build facilities that can help and support animals in general. The problem isnt owning the animals - the problem lies with eduacting and using the law as it stands to ensure that all parrots are legally bought and that permits for indigenious breeds are kept up to date. The economy will slide even further and what about the horse racing industry? Its a huge industry with export and import and horses are animals (clearly) - I cant see them taking this lying down. Putting a plaster over a gaping wound wont solve anything, there is a deviation of focus and as stated above the money could be used for SPCA's, Animal Welfare etc. You will always find someone who is not doing there deed in caring for God's creatures but what about those who give their pet everything they need?
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