Hello to all of you, it's nice to be back home with the feathered kids
at the end of a very pleasant vacation.
While away I had one experience I'd like to share with you as I was
rather thrust into a "learning process" of what an ordinary citizen can
try to do when something abominable is seen.
While up in the mountains visiting my folks I did as I almost always
do when I have the time, go prowling the places where birds/toys, etc.
can be found.  There is a new one called "Animal Kingdom" in the
Fletcher, NC area (open about 5-6 months) that is the most unbelievably
awful place I have ever seen (they sell macaws [B&G's & Scarlets],
greys, conures [nandays and suns], amazons [DYH and Mexican Red head ], and 'toos [again, I think they were "Goffins"], along with
dogs, cats, and a few lizard species).  There was not a clean water
dish in sight, most looked like they hadn't been cleaned in weeks,
several had no food access at all, one of the amazon's had a beak that
was an inch and a half over-grown, and twisted so the bird could barely
get a hold of it's seed only diet, one of the cockatoos was sitting
hunched down on the perch, dull-eyed and fluffed up, one of the greys
looked like one of the text book pictures that I've seen of wasting
syndrome, there was a 2'W X 2'H X 3'L cage sitting on the floor crammed
with 7 almost fledged out goffin's chick's, no food, no toys, nothing. 
An awful smell permeated the store and flies were everywhere.  When I
got back home I went straight for the bathroom, pulled the curtain and
turned the water on, clothes, glasses, watch, keys, wallet, shoes and
all, then tossed all the clothing articles in the trash and sterilized
everything else as best I could (fortunately I had all old stuff on).  
Once that was all done I called the local SPCA, who informed me that
here in NC pet stores have to be licensed to operate by the state, and
that within the first year of operation an inspection by a licensed vet
is required.  After several phone calls I got the vet's name who is
responsible and he has promised to go out within the next two weeks and
check the place out and then get back in touch with me.  I'll keep you
posted as to whatever results.  
I am also somewhat suspicious as to the origin of these birds, none of
them were banded (neither closed nor open).
Be careful, all of you who read in this echo.  I was not able to get
the breeder's first name, but the last name is "Barnwell".  I have also
learned since my visit to his store that several area breeders that
have done breeder exchanges/trades have experienced high death rates of
their breeders from PBFD and polyoma outbreaks.  Also, for those of you
who are also out there in the internet's rec.pet.birds group, please
feel free to copy this message in its entirety and send it out there
also (at this time, the BBS I'm currently using does not have access to
that newsgroup).  This guy's birds are really dangerous and I'm hoping
I can manage to get the state to shut him down, permanently!
Peace,
Fr. Joe and the Feathered Flock
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