Petco, PETA agree to truce over large birds

San Diego Daily Transcript ^ | Wed, Apr 13, 2005

[presidio9]

[narby]

PETA wins one.

Who will be their next target? And, how long will it take before they go after Petco again?

You can't cave to these ideologues. They will fight you anyway, and caving in only allows them to change the subject.

[EagleUSA]

I don't get it? Because large birds are "hard hit" because they can't fly around? Petco bowed to this liberal lunacy? Parrots have been sold and kept for centuries. Answer these:

1. What was PETA's real legal argument against Petco?
2. Why didn't Petco SUE PETA for slander, libel and malicous harassment (website crap)?
3. Why did PETCO pander to these looney-tunes?

PETCO just made a huge mistake and set a REAL BAD PRECEDENT.

[Sender]

PetSmart is pretty hypocritical IMHO. All the animals in each store are either male or female so nothing can possibly breed, and they make you sign a contract to purchase any animal with all sorts of restrictions.

I once went looking for feeder mice there for my python, they acted like I was a sick murderer. Hey, you sell snakes, what do they eat? Hello?

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

I loathe Peta but I also hate seeing beautiful macaws/parrots in cages, they are not meant to be kept in a cage. But if people would stop buying them, these companies would stop selling them.

[Sender]

There's nothing wrong with buying or owning US-raised birds, if you take care of them. I have a Nanday born and raised in WV and he is happy.

[SJSAMPLE]

Yep.
Other pets can still perform normally, even rodents in a cage. Birds, however, are meant to fly. Denying them that is wrong. (They should be free to enjoy God's skies until we eat them ;)

[cinives]

This is a common misunderstanding among people who know nothing about these birds. There is a reason these birds are called "companion animals". Parrots do not fly for pleasure as hawks do. They fly to forage and stay with their flock. Many are ground feeders, or feed on low-growing fruits and vegetables. Some even eat carrion. They all love to be held and interact with humans if raised in a loving environment, just like cats.

Parrots do need to stretch their wings and flap; thus, their cages need to be large enough for them to accomplish vigorous wing movements. They do not, however, require a cage large enouge to fly around in. If you give them one that size that's great, but they'll be just fine without it. Most spend a good amount of time outside the cage in any case, and they sleep for 10-12 hours a day.

If you've ever been to Petco (or PetSmart or any of the others) and looked at the birds, all the parrots are in cages that are large enough for wing flapping for their size.

I have 2 parrots, who at some time have all had unclipped wings so they could fly. Even when flight was possible for them, they still hopped, glided and walked from room to room when they wanted to follow you or investigate something.

[LibertyRocks]

"I once went looking for feeder mice there for my python, they acted like I was a sick murderer. Hey, you sell snakes, what do they eat? Hello?"

What did they suggest you do - feed it Tofu or some other type of synthetic meat alternative??? LOL

[followerofchrist]

I wouldn't want PETA harassing me while fishing, but agree with them that it is really cruel to put a bird in a cage, denying them their most basic instinct to fly freely. That would be like a human being put in a closet for life.

Sorry, bird owners, to poop on your parade. I don't disagree with an idea just because people I don't like hold a similar view on one or two issues.

[LibertyRocks]

"You can't cave to these ideologues. They will fight you anyway, and caving in only allows them to change the subject."

Apparently no-one at PETCO ever heard of Hitler and the "Policy of Appeasement (sp?)"

[followerofchrist]

"There's nothing wrong with buying or owning US-raised birds, if you take care of them. I have a Nanday born and raised in WV and he is happy."


Would you be happy living in a closet with bars, able only to take two steps in either direction, for the remainder of your life?

[tiredoflaundry]

Peta is doing a disservice to these birds!

[tiredoflaundry]

You don't understand Parrots.

[Ichneumon]

I have 2 parrots, who at some time have all had unclipped wings so they could fly. Even when flight was possible for them, they still hopped, glided and walked from room to room when they wanted to follow you or investigate something.

I was about to post something similar. I have three parrots, and my experience has been the same. Unlike a lot of birds that spend a lot of their day flying, and are "built" for it, parrots are heavy-bodied birds and flying is rather a chore for them. They only do it when they absolutely have to. They are, however "built" for climbing like three-legged monkeys (feet plus beak), and love to do that (including hanging upside down and such), and will preferentially climb or walk from one place to another even when it would be much faster to fly (yes, even in the wild).

[tiredoflaundry]

Parrots are puppies with feathers!

[Sender]

My Nanday is happy. He even got loose outside for 3 days and then gladly returned to his cage. I take him out every day and play with him. You got a better life than that?

[damiansatana]

PeTa's ultimate goal is to stop any and all "exploitation" of animals as pets, for sports, entertainment, or food. They're whittling away at our rghts one step at a time, as well as supporting terrorists like ELF and ALF.

[Sender]

Actually they suggested that I order frozen dead mice. As if that was somehow more humane.

[Sender]

Another thing is that if I were to release a tropical bird, he would freeze to death in winter, if he didn't starve to death or be pecked to death long before that. Don't believe the PETA line that all these animals should be released into the woods. If you believe that, release all your dogs and cats into the woods and let God take care of them.