They call themselves a “rescue”

Update at bottom of the post (14/03/09)

An apology: In writing this post there was no offence intended to be directed at any person involved in the reputable parrot rescue community. It was written to highlight the belief that Mylo, as a hand reared bird who has had human interaction his whole life would be better off in a family environment with a small flock of rescue birds.

There is a place within parrot rescue for small, medium and large scale rescues which cater for the different needs of pet owners and the birds in question.

Our deepest heartfelt apologies to Wayne Watkins if he has felt that this post has undermined or discredited him in any way. This was most definitely in no way whatsoever, our intention. Wayne does an incredible job with his rescue efforts. He has the bird's welfare as his No.1 priority, we have no doubts at all that the care they receive is second to none and he is the person who we have been in contact with day one as our third party concerning Mylo & JJ.

We just feel that now Mylo is happy and settled here and that this is the best place for him where he can have the constant human interaction he has always had and deserves.

A deep heartfelt apology to anyone else who might have been offended with my words over small to medium scale rescues who do an amazing job at their level within this industry.

The welfare and wellbeing of individual birds and where they are placed has got to be paramount in a situation like this, and not dictated by a human because of personal pride.

UKPR Watch

How can any sane minded person believe UKPR are in the right over this case with Mylo & JJ?

What are the legal frameworks in place to protect an ‘animal’s welfare’ from the exploitation of people like Vikky?

Mylo & JJ a pair of rescue Macaws, who were destined for what was deemed to be the best place for them, on an emergency care basis with the view to long term fostering. This means like every other UKPR owned bird, they are always Vikky’s property so she believes that she has the right to do what she wants, and when she wants to do it with them.

No thoughts of the birds immediate or long term welfare comes into it.

These are living, sentient creatures, not someone’s inanimate personal possession, vulnerable creatures at that too. Creatures that have been rescued from a bad environment, and placed into what is believed to be, the care of a responsible person who professes to be a bird rescuer and lover.

These two birds Mylo & JJ were signed into the hands of UKPR by the RSPCA because they believed them to be a rescue organisation that had bird’s interest and welfare their No.1 priority.
Mylo & JJ were then placed into a very questionable environment considering Mylo has a respiratory condition, with a UKPR worker who smokes. Someone who was afraid to handle him because he can be a little boisterous sometimes, who had both birds shut away in a spare bedroom. This owner then needed to rehome them due to being diagnosed with allergic alveolitis which is a serious illness made worse by birds.

The best possible home was found for them with Caron, her family and her small flock.

The owner of the bird which is the person whose signature is on the ownership form (Vikky), had a disagreement with Caron, whose home they were destined for, so decided she did not want her ‘property’ in Caron’s hands.

There was no thought about the rescue birds welfare or well being just that her ‘property’ should not be left in Caron’s possession.

This is not a possession like a TV or a Video for example; this is a living creature that has rights to be protected so that it can live a happy fulfilled life.

Vikky then BLATANTLY LIED for all to see, in an attempt to get her ‘property’ back. She told everyone that the previous emergency carer had called her and told her she wanted to foster them long term. She did not. This was not known to be a lie until later on when the person who was dragged into the lie stepped forward to tell the truth.

So the one who owns the birds blatantly lied because she wanted her ‘property’ back because she had been slighted, and not because the bird’s welfare was at stake.

How can anyone involved with animal welfare say this type of behaviour is acceptable?

Using the welfare of these birds to abuse people, which in turn abuses the birds in question.

Abhorrent behaviour! And they call themselves a rescue!

Considering in this instance, that the future welfare and wellbeing of Mylo was at stake, it was decided that he should not go back into the hands of Vikky because his welfare was not her priority, and considering he was a rescue bird, he had been through enough already, so as caring humans we were going to defend his rights to be protected from being abused at all costs.

This is what we have done over the past two weeks, and in the process we have helped expose these dodgy UKPR practices.

At the beginning of this we felt that because Mylo & JJ were a bonded pair of Macaws getting them reunited was paramount. There was no way Vikky was going to let the other half of her ‘property’ come here, so there was no alternative but to find another home for them both. When this started we had a third party rescue step forward and offer them a home so we made it clear that we were willing to allow Mylo to go so long as he was to be reunited with JJ. Two weeks in with Mylo now settled into Caron’s family home, it has now been decided that our third party is suitable for Vikky and she is willing to sign over ownership of both birds to him so that they can both be together at this rescue.

So Vikky is quite happy to let these two birds go from her possession just so long as they do not go here where they were originally destined before the UKPR boat was rocked.

Where is the welfare and wellbeing of the birds in all of this?

They have become nothing more than ‘property’, pawns in Vikkys game, with her having no real care about what is best for both birds, just so long as Caron does not get them.

You ask yourself the question; what is best for these two ex-RSPCA rescue birds?

To go and live out their lives in a small scale rescue with 60+ birds where the human attention due to the large number of birds already there will inevitably be reduced, or a family home where they are with 14 other birds, which includes 3 Macaws, and where they will be out of their cages pretty much all day, and have constant human attention?

It has been brought to our attention by a bird lover who knows the story behind Mylo & JJ that they lived in a household with 8 birds and with no cages, even going outside with their owner, so this points to the type of environment that is best for their long term welfare.

Maybe its me being biased but the family home has got to be the best place for them both to live out their lives. I don’t know though, you think about that one yourself.

It now looks bad that we are unwilling for Mylo to leave his new home and go and live in this small scale rescue, which is understandable because we had agreed to a third party taking him, but in reality this poor little guy needs us to defend his rights and what is best for him. It is our personal belief that here, where he has settled with other birds and humans is the best place for him so we will fight for his rights against everyone who seeks to harm them.

How can we look at him and just give in?

If the RSPCA do an investigation and they deem that he should go and live in a rescue with 60+ other birds then there will be no alternative but to let him go there. Until then he will not be going anywhere.

Those ‘dead heads’ who choose to ignore the truth and facts can vilify our position over not now letting Mylo go but its meaningless because it just shows you for who you are (Bella). You choose to listen to the words of a “blatant liar” who abuses animals and people to get her own way, and who would do anything to these birds at the complete detriment to their welfare and wellbeing just to win a squabble as this example clearly proves.

Remember the moral of the story of what happens to the bully people!

You call yourselves bird rescuers, you’re a bunch of sad people, charlatans masquerading as bird rescuers, following a liar, and believing yourselves to be important because you are a part of UKPR professing to do good rescuing birds when in reality animal welfare means nothing to you, your all a part of a money making scam.

Says it all really!!!

I feel sorry for those who are not strong enough to jump ship yet for whatever reason, especially you Adele. I’m surprised you haven’t any close friends around you who have talked sense into you yet.

When you think about the question of what you think is best for Mylo & JJ’s future you might like to take a look at Vikky’s own personal opinion of rescues housing large numbers of birds. She states that she is passionate about bird welfare and fails to see how a rescue with many birds can give each individual the “standard of care they deserve”. Yet she's now perfectly happy to send Mylo & JJ into exactly the kind of environment she has openly criticised.

Hypocritical or what?!

Can you see her motives people?

Its definitely not Mylo & JJ’s welfare!!!

Vikky: In her own words

Update: Two comments from comments section

Dorrie said...

So now ukpr think it is right that two birds that have always been in a home environment and are so obviousy imprinted shoud be placed in an aviary environment.
All this has saddened and sickened me, how an organisation who call themselves a rescue have no feeling for the needs of these two birds.
There is a loving caring home with Caron and Paul which is obvious to a bind man but Vickys ego is bigger than the happiness of these birds.
This home was good enough for ukpr two weeks ago, why not now ? because there has been a petty disagreement and Caron has dared to question Vicky over a cage ! So what is best for the two birds is no longer important, as long as Vicky gets her own way.
This has gone on long enough and if ukpr is willing to legally sign over the birds to another rescue then why not just sign them over to Caron and the Home where Mylo has settled over the last Two weeks.
This should be about what is best for the birds welfare and it needs to stop now.

As has been posted above, Caron you know in your heart what is best and Mylo has settled there, just stand your ground and dont let these bullies put Mylo and JJ through any more upset.

If these people want to take you to court, we will gladly sit at the side of you, we support you all the way

Nil illegitimi carborundum.

Fri Mar 13, 05:13:00 PM 2009

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Anonymous said...

I completely agree with what Dorrie has stated above, it is beyond comprehension WHY these two beautiful creatures should be placed into an aviary?!?

They are imprinted.

We have our very own 'product' here of what happens when a bonded bird is separated from its companion and 'shoved' into an aviary because 'its best he's with other birds' and let me say this, with regards to psittacine behaviour it creates what I believe is the avian equivalent of heartbreak.

It can lead to and even be the root cause of emotional/trauma related behaviour which can never be rectified or modified within an aviary environment, these birds crave our attention, after all we took it upon ourselves to domesticate these animals, bringing them into our homes, altering their innate instincts for what...to then place them into an aviary because we feel like it, so they can be and do what exactly? = Constantly call out to their 'true' flock, develop stereotypical/non stereotypical behaviours, become withdrawn, become a victim to true 'wild' behaviours of other birds and live out the rest of their lives always missing apart of them, alone.

No I don’t think placing two imprinted psittacines into an aviary is in the TRUE interests of their welfare, it is nothing more than a 'quick fix' to a situation which I can honestly say is ridiculous.

The scenario whereby children are used as 'tools' of manipulation in a divorce comes to mind, not on your side Caron, but with ukpr.

For an 'organisation' that addresses themselves as the United Kingdom Parrot Rescue, there is no 'real' unity, only with themselves.

Stay strong