| Home
> News & Events > MAARSianChronicles
> Issue 10: December 2004 > Take Action
for Avian Welfare: 3rd Annual National Bird Day – January 5, 2005
Take Action for Avian Welfare
 3rd
Annual National Bird Day – January 5, 2005
The Animal
Protection Institute (API) in coordination with the Avian
Welfare Coalition (AWC) is calling on activists around the U.S.
to take action on behalf of captive birds by drawing attention to the
exploitation of other country's native birds by the U.S. pet industry
on January 5 — National Bird Day.
National Bird Day is not only a good day to take time
to appreciate the native wild birds flying free outside our windows,
it is also a perfect time to reflect on how we treat the native birds
of other countries. While we have enacted laws to protect our native
birds — such as blue jays, cardinals, and crows — from commercial
exploitation, we fail to recognize the inconsistency in allowing the
pet industry to exploit the birds of other countries.
Even when bred in captivity, exotic birds are not considered
domesticated animals, and all their inherent behavioral and physical
needs remain intact. Sadly, when it comes to birds, deprivation of their
natural behaviors (to fly and flock, for example) is an inescapable
component of their captivity.
Each year thousands of birds are sold into the pet trade
to individuals who are under the mistaken impression that a bird will
make a perfect pet. Eventually, whether due to frustration, disinterest,
or concern, many people attempt to rid themselves of the responsibility
of caring for their birds. Unfortunately, few of these birds will find
a loving home, and most will spend their days isolated and confined
to their cages. Others will bounce from home to home as their caretakers
tire of them, and some may be abandoned at local shelters and birds
rescues, set free to fend for themselves or euthanized.
Meanwhile pet stores across the country including Petco
and PetsMart continue to treat birds like merchandise peddling them
into the pet trade. The in-store care of animals in pet shops is always
suspect because store managers are often faced with conflicting responsibilities
of caring for animals, even when the animals are sick, and making a
store profitable. Since the cost of veterinary care can easily exceed
the commercial value of an animal, common sense leads to the conclusion
that profits and animal care inherently conflict, especially in a retail
environment.
You Can Help!
Join API, the Avian Welfare Coalition, and other animal
advocates across the country in celebrating the third annual National
Bird Day — a day of action for captive birds — by helping
to educate the public about issues affecting captive birds.
Take Action!
| 
|
Send a letter to the editor or
op-ed drawing attention to the plight of captive exotic birds
in this country. A sample
letter and op-ed
are available at www.NationalBirdDay.org.
|
|
|
Set up an educational display.
Community centers and local or school libraries often have exhibit
cases that can be used for educational displays. Just ask the
manager or librarian how to make a reservation and be willing
to agree to some guidelines.
|
|
|
Host a video showing. A video
showing can consist of close friends or family members viewing
a video at home, or reserving a classroom with a standard television
or big screen for the public. Videos of Wild At Heart
and Stalking the Wild Amazons are available from AWC
members. Visit www.NationalBirdDay.org
for ordering information.
|
|
|
Give a presentation at a school,
children's museums, boy's and girl's club, or library. Ask the
kids to draw or write on the theme "Born to be Wild,"
comparing and contrasting our native birds to the native birds
of other countries, comparing and contrasting how birds live in
the wild and how they live in captivity, or how the wild bird
trade impacts birds. Click
here for more ideas .
|
|
|
Hold a peaceful protest and leaflet
in front of a PETCO or PETsMART to educate their customers on
why they should not support PETCO or PETsMART as long as they
continue to sell birds. Or drive to your local PETCO and PETsMART
stores and place flyers on the windshields of cars parked in the
parking lot.
Click
here to view and print PETCO/PETsMART flyers from API.
Click
here to display and print a variety of National Bird Day and
other flyers from the AWC.
|
|
|
Write letters to PETCO and PETsMART
and let them know why you won't patronize their stores. Click
here for a sample letter from API.
|
Let Us Know Your Plans!
API and the AWC would like to compile a list of activities
complete with contact information so that interested people team up
to participate in planned leafleting and tabling events in their area.
So once you have decided what you want to do, e-mail Monica Engebretson
at monica@api4animals.org so we can add your action to our list of participants
and activities. If you get a letter to the editor published in a newspaper
please let us know and send a copy if possible to API, P.O. Box 22505,
Sacramento, CA 95822
Click
here for more information and to learn what YOU can do to celebrate
and support National Bird Day on January 5!
For more information on exotic bird issues visit www.AvianWelfare.org
and www.MoreBeautifulWild.com.
| 
