Snowball And Friends - "Food For Thought"

"Snowball And Friends" is hosted by Irena Schulz of Bird Lovers Only. This episode examines parrot abuse and neglect. Many people purchase a parrot on a whim sometimes because of their beauty, sometimes because of their cleverness. But they soon find that they have gotten in over their heads with a bird that has the intelligence of a five year old human child with a beak so strong that it can snap a broom handle in half. They are destructive, loud, demanding, and can be aggressive. For these reasons, these birds often end up being abused, placed in tiny cages in dark basements to keep them quiet, or let them loose outdoors to battle the elements and face starvation. Overbreeding continues as discussions flare on whether euthanization is the answer to the problem. Rescues and sanctuaries are quickly filling up to capacity while the homeless numbers continue to rise. The question stands...What needs to be done in order to alleviate this current situation?
Bird Lovers Only is a 501c3 not for profit bird rescue and sanctuary dedicated to avian rescue, research, rehabilitation, and education. Please support the birds at this sanctuary by visiting the main web site at http://www.birdloversonly.org and receive tshirts, DVDs, and other merchandise in return for your kind and much needed donations. The birds at Bird Lovers Only thank you!
Please also visit our blog at http://www.birdloversonly.blogspot.com for up to the minute information about Snowball and his whereabouts.
Visit Snowball on FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Snowball-the-dancing-cockatoo/225827736318?r...

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Snowball
• Irena Schulz
• Bird Lovers Only
• bird rescue
• bird sanctuary
• Macaw Betty
• abused birds
• Snowball the dancing cockatoo
• cognitive music studies
• World Science Festival
• dancing cockatoo
• dancing bird
• Dancing Snowball

[MsFrenchielover]

i cried when i heard about betty 

[BirdLoversOnly]

@MsFrenchielover Betty had a rough life. She passed away recently, but at least she passed away in a loving home. I was saddened to hear of her passing.

Irena Schulz

[gmaureen]

These birds are so beautiful and charming. I think to myself, geez I would love to own one of them...but my next thought is, why? Is it right to take an animal made to fly, to be with its own kind, and sentence it to a life alone in a cage? Isn't that the ultimate display of selfishness?

[BirdLoversOnly]

@gmaureen Thank you for posting this. We took these beautiful creatures out of the sky and placed them in cages so we can admire them. Yes, that is very selfish on our part.

[hgpirate]

Irena: I "bought" a cockatiel and two keets at a garage sale a few years ago in Ohio, they had been kept in a garage because the owner's boyfriend didn't like birds. I had them at my laundromat for a few months, and the customers fussed over them until they became more happy and friendly, and I sat for hours by the cage, talking to them and trying to make the connection. Long story short, one of the customers was a cockatiel lover who has made a room in her house for these darlings..........

[BirdLoversOnly]

@hgpirate Oh I LOVE happy endings/beginnings! Thank you so much for sharing this story. Hopefully it will inspire more people to do kind things for animals. Many blessings to you and the new owners!!!

Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only Rescue

[killer11493]

I think you are one of the best people in the world. You have a huge heart. Almost every one of your videos have made me cry. Because my bird died last year and she was literally my everything. I hope that one day I can love another bird as much as I did her. I am just Now being able to talk about her without crying a whole lot. She was my everything and my love. Thank you for caring for birds so much. You are a wonderful person

--thanks

Cody kerby

16 years old--

[airrowhead]

very good video. I wish there was more like this out there for all pets

I myself have had birds but now have a fasination with snakes and have found the same type neglect out there. it's so sad, if you take on a pet, the pet comes first oe you should have one - thanks for your time...

[free2drm]

@BirdLoversOnly Now I really want to cry. Thank you again for loving her.

[free2drm]

@killer11493 I couldn't help but wonder how you are today. Did you ever find another avian friend? Sometimes the best way to honor your parrot that has left is to help another bird in need. There are so many.

[free2drm]

Betty's story breaks my heart, truly. My eyes just welled up. I have a little girl (hawkhead) and I love her like a baby. She is with me on my shoulder while I am working at home and is the center of our home and she rules the roost. How could anyone treat such a beautiful creature so horribly. Bless you wonderful kind people for helping her. God bless you all. She looks really happy now

[italpe1]

great job!

[Technorat61]

Do that to a beautiful bird that's just terrible I have a Mollocun cockatoo an African grey and an umbrella cockatoo and all of them are very happy and my umbrella cockatoo is on the shoulder right now lol

[Technorat61]

I can't believe some one would

[LilyLovesSinging]

Bird neglect/abuse is, to me, just as bad as murder. Birds are wonderful and social, and they need love and attention. When you said the bit about the birds so scared of humans they would scream and cower, I started crying. I'm glad Betty was rescued by someone really really nice and thoughtful and loving, but I hope one day that there won't be any bird abuse. I love Snowball and my own bird, Spike, and I really wish that there was a bigger punishment for bird abuse and neglect.

[ParrotTrainingSchool]

It is nice to sit back and relax watching you videos..