Sorry for the venting, but I have to complain to SOMEBODY!
I met THE biggest jerk yesterday. I was at a walkathon for a local
humane society. It was very windy, and cold (about 55F), but sunny.
There was a woman there, wearing shorts and a t-shirt, with a large
mini-macaw on her shoulder (I can't remember the species, but it was the
largest mini-macaw, the one that's all green). The bird was leashed to
her by a dog leash clipped through its split-ring import band! The leash
clip was so big, it caused the band to tighten around the bird's ankle.
The bird looked very uncomfortable.
A friend went over to talk to her, and asked if the bird wasn't cold.
The woman said "As long as they keep eating, they stay warm. I just gave
her part of my chocolate chip cookie--that'll keep her warm for
hours!". The friend reported this to me, and I screamed. Another friend
and I then ventured over to talk to this woman. The woman informed us
that the bird was fine (even though she was all fluffed up and miserable
looking).
I asked the bird's age, and was told she was 2 years old (but the
quarantine band plainly told me that the bird is at LEAST 4, since the
US hasn't allowed importation since 1993). We warned her about the
dangers of using leg tethers, and she laughed, saying "It hasn't
happened to me yet!". She then informed us that she's a breeder with 19
birds, and she knows everything she needs to know to take proper care of
her birds. At this point, I felt it was best to take my leave before I
threw her in the nearby river...
If anybody knows a woman named Debra Dougherty (spelling?) from
Michigan, please slap her silly for me, because I couldn't, and she
really needs it.
--Kathy
 * SLMR 2.1a * A KGB keyboard has no  key!
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