———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle - kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 7:56 PM
Subject: ACT NOW/ No Paradise For Breeding Birds [KC MEMBER ALERT]

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The following information is brought to you courtesy of Kinship Circle.
Please DO NOT hit reply! Respond directly to: justroar [at] comcast.net

ALERT FROM KINSHIP CIRCLE SUPPORTER:
10/9/08: ACT BEFORE 10/18 - No Paradise For Breeding Birds

ALERT FROM / REPLY TO:
Rachel Ogden, justroar [at] comcast.net

BACKGROUND:

Speakers Flock to World’s Largest Bird Store While Breeding Birds Languish

On October 18 and 19, 2008, Bird Paradise, the self-proclaimed “world’s largest bird store,” will host its fifth annual “Parrot Palooza” featuring professionals from the bird trade including Dr. Irene Pepperburg, Sally Blanchard, Lara Joseph and Madeleine Franco. SEE SUMMARY AFTER SAMPLE LETTER

CONTACT INFORMATION / TAKE ACTION:

1. Are you in the New Jersey area? Join us on Saturday, October 11, 2008 for a peaceful demonstration in front of the Bird Paradise store.
WHAT: Peaceful Demonstration against Bird Paradise
WHEN: Saturday, October 11, 2008 from 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
WHERE: Public right of way in front of Bird Paradise, 551 E Rt. 130 S, Burlington, NJ 08016
CONTACT: Rowan Morrison, 610-733-1248, boycottbirdparadise [at] gmail.com

2. Letters and calls needed ASAP to the speakers and promoters asking for their help to prevent the continued suffering and exploitation of birds. These speakers and bird advocacy groups should be working to help birds, not increase the profits of one of the worst exploiters.

SPEAKERS:

SALLY BLANCHARD
ph: 970-278-0233 / email: staff [at] companionparrot.com

LARA JOSEPH
ph: 419-360-1234 / email: pickyparrot [at] buckeye-express.com

MADELEINE FRANCO
email: madfranco [at] aol.com

IRENE PEPPERBURG, PhD
ph: 781-736-2195 or 617-295-4852
email: impepper [at] wjh.harvard.edu, imp16 [at] brandeis.edu, alex [at] alexfoundation.org

PROMOTERS:

Arcadia Bird Sanctuary and Educational Center
P.O. Box 548 / Freehold NJ 07728
ph: 732-995-8562 / email: ArcadiaBirds [at] aol.com
www.arcadiabirdsanctuary.org/

The Bailey Foundation
P.O. Box 2122 / Boothwyn, PA 19061
ph: 484-882-0101 / email: jlevine [at] bailey-foundation.org
www.bailey-foundation.org/

Chester County Bird Club
P.O. Box 1025 / Frazer, PA 19355
email: info [at] ccbirdclub.com
www.ccbirdclub.com/index_files/Calendar.htm

Companion Bird Club of Delaware Valley
P.O. Box 167 / Hawley PA 18428
ph: 570-470-0034 / email: birdclubdv [at] yahoo.com
www.birdclubdv.com/

Jojo the Grey Adoption and Rescue for All Birds, Inc.
ph: 610-713-0304 / email: jojothegrey [at] yahoo.com
www.jojothegrey.com/id1.html

Long Island Parrot Society
P.O. Box 2754 / North Babylon, NY 11703
ph: 631- 957-1100 / email: info [at] liparrotsociety.org
www.liparrotsociety.org/

EMAIL BLOCK FOR ALL SPEAKERS & PROMOTERS:

ArcadiaBirds [at] aol.com, jlevine [at] bailey-foundation.org, info [at] ccbirdclub.com, birdclubdv [at] yahoo.com, jojothegrey [at] yahoo.com, info [at] liparrotsociety.org, staff [at] companionparrot.com, pickyparrot [at] buckeye-express.com, madfranco [at] aol.com, impepper [at] wjh.harvard.edu, imp16 [at] brandeis.edu, alex [at] alexfoundation.org

SAMPLE LETTER / from justroar [at] comcast.net

Dear,

I am disturbed to learn that you are supporting the Parrot Palooza at Bird Paradise. As shown in the store’s own promotional video, Bird Paradise obtains birds from a breeding facility in south Florida where the birds are confined in small wire cages devoid of any toys or other enrichment.

For many of the birds, the sole furnishing in the cages is a perch inappropriate for their species. Because the eggs are hatched in the artificial environment of an incubator, the parents are deprived of expressing their natural nesting and parenting instincts; instead, they are confined to the same wire cages to breed over and over, supplying Bird Paradise with thousands of birds for sale each year.

I am also concerned about your support of any store selling birds at a time when so many birds desperately need homes. Please ask Bird Paradise to discontinue the sale of birds and promote adoption instead.

Thank you,
Name / City, Country / E-mail

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SUMMARY:

Birds, especially parrots, are becoming the world’s fastest growing unwanted pet. These complex animals require attention and care that few people are prepared to provide, and many times unsuspecting owners who can no longer handle the loud, active creatures will simply ditch them or store them in a dark basement or garage.

Studies show that wild birds spend 30% of their time flying just for fun. Most captive birds never get a chance to fly, or fly only a few yards. Bird Paradise operates a bird store in southern New Jersey offering thousands of birds for sale along with a wide assortment of cages, toys and food.

On Bird Paradise’s infomercial (2008), a visit is made to a Florida breeding facility where many of the birds sold by Bird Paradise are born. While watching the infomercial you will make some disturbing observations. Among other things, the breeder birds housed at the facility are kept in barren cages devoid of any of the multitude of toys for sale at Bird Paradise’s own store. Captive birds need enrichment, such as toys and out of cage time, to remain as physically and emotionally healthy as possible in captivity.

SEE RECORDING OF THE INFOMERCIAL:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq30I_-ZSE8

It also appears that the perches provided for some of the breeder birds are an inappropriate diameter measurement for their foot size. In order to avoid serious captivity-related foot problems, it is important to offer a variety of perch types and sizes appropriate for their foot size.

Another problem at the facility is the artificial environment in which the eggs are hatched. Apparently some of the eggs are taken immediately from the parents and placed in an incubator. This is very stressful for the adult birds and baby birds alike. And despite the thousands of birds confined at the facility, only one employee is shown during the entire video. This raises concerns about a possible lack of individual attention for the birds, whose lives appear to be limited to a cage, nesting box and perch.

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For more information about this alert:

www.boycottbirdparadise.com

Rachel Ogden, justroar [at] comcast.net

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts kinship circle brenda shoss pet companion animal bird parrot breeding events conference Parrot Palooza Dr. Irene Pepperburg Sally Blanchard Lara Joseph Madeleine Franco Bird Paradise video