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January 9, 2008 at 6:09 am · Filed under News
Queens is America’s undisputed mecca for transplants from far-flung corners of the globe. Now exotic winged creatures also have a welcoming way station in the borough of immigrants.
Barry and Gayle Schwartz have turned their Maspeth home into an animal shelter devoted entirely to parrots — the only center of its kind in the city.
“Cats and dogs have many more options for shelters and homes,” said Barry Schwartz. “As bird owners we love helping people and these birds find the perfect home.” The Queens couple founded the Maspeth Bird Haven in 2004 and has since found homes for over 70 parrots.
“We saw that in the five boroughs there were no organizations, or animal rescues, for parrots,” said Barry Schwartz. “It was a chronic problem for people giving up their birds.” Click here for full story.
January 7, 2008 at 8:19 am · Filed under News
UR own Andy Murray was pictured on the front of several newspapers yesterday kissing what looked like a gold stuffed pigeon, celebrating his triumph in the well-known Timbuktu Open. Which brings Alba to the subject of bird-brains.
A US scientist whose famous African grey parrot, Alex, died earlier this year, is to write a memoir. Irene Pepperberg’s book will be called “Alex and Me”, not “This Parrot is Dead”.
Alex and Pepperberg spent 30 years together. He learned to count to six and mastered enough English to identify 50 objects, seven colours and five shapes.
Not to be outdone comes an enthusiastic press release from Bonhams auctioneers for a January sale to celebrate “unsung animal heroes of World War II”.
It includes oil paintings of prize-winning pigeons owned by Jule Janssen, used to send messages from behind the lines.
For detailed report check here.
January 4, 2008 at 4:18 am · Filed under News
Paralyzed on his right side and unable to speak following a car accident, former firefighter Brian Wilson credits his parrots with helping him get back on his feet.
Now, he is returning the favor by caring for birds others no longer want.
“I was supposed to be in a wheelchair, in a nursing home,” Wilson said, recalling how his parrots helped him recover from the brain injury suffered shortly after retiring as a Montgomery County firefighter in 1995.
“They kept repeating one word, and they knew I would say it right,” Wilson said.
“It was like I was a child. But it worked. They taught me how to talk again. Then I had to learn to walk, because I had to let them out and take care of them and clean their cages.”
Now, people bring him birds, often warning he won’t be able to hold them. He often amazes the owners by winning the birds over in minutes.
“Ninety percent of them have been so neglected, they don’t want to come out of their cage because they don’t know what will happen,” Wilson said.
Wilson speaks with a deep voice when he instructs parrots to step up or down, and softly when he tells them he loves them and gives them kisses as rewards. If they don’t respond correctly, he ignores them.
“They need attention all the time,” Wilson said. “I give them everything they want and deserve.”
They also need a balanced diet, Wilson said, noting seeds alone will cut their life span in half. Parrots enjoy fruits, vegetables, and even chicken bones, which they chew to get to the marrow, but can’t have chocolate, caffeine and avocado and apple seeds, which can be fatal. Click here for detailed story.
January 3, 2008 at 6:30 am · Filed under News
Karen Cheek Justice has a passion for birds — particularly those in bad situations.
She accepts them when their owners surrender them, takes them for a vet checkup, then fosters them out for a month or so for the foster family to assess their health and personalities.
She then tries to place them in homes where they will be well cared for.
Justice has bird foster families spread from Pineville to Huntersville, but she always needs more people willing to share their homes and hearts with a needy bird.
People buy birds without any idea of the time, care, and expense involved. They may take care of the bird for a while but then decide they don’t want it anymore when it starts screaming or exhibiting other normal bird behaviors.
“People will hold a grudge against the birds for doing what they do instinctively,” said bird foster mom and Matthews resident Debbie Foster. “Birds are loud and messy, and that’s what they do. But they can be wonderful companions and very loving.”
That’s how Justice developed her love and compassion for birds. Seven years ago she bought a Congo African Gray parrot. The more she was around Cheeko, the more she realized she had no idea what to do with a bird. So she set out to learn.
Justice took Cheeko to an avian vet for a wellness checkup. She enrolled in classes. She read books. She attended seminars across the country and even abroad. Further details visit here.
January 1, 2008 at 8:29 am · Filed under News
ATLANTA, GA (WIS) - Several Georgia pet stores have been quarantined after an outbreak of a bird disease which can be transferred to humans.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture is quarantining PetSmart stores in the state and a Superpetz store in Martinez due to psittacosis, Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin announced Friday.
When WIS News 10 asked PetSmart about its South Carolina stores, they said all stores serviced by Preferred Bird are not selling any birds at this time.
Psittacosis is a bacterial disease that primarily affects parrots, parakeets, other members of the parrot family, and sometimes poultry. It is treatable but can be fatal to the birds. More details here
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