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 www.birdloverso... 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 www.birdloverso... for up to the minute information about Snowball and his whereabouts.
Visit Snowball on FACEBOOK:
www.facebook.co...

[@kestrelmas]

I volunteer at a bird rescue in my city, and stories like this always break my heart. I'm so glad you were able to get Betty out of there and save her life...! I hope most of the health issues she has are reversible... I'm sitting here tearing up...please give all your babies lots of extra hugs and head scritches from a fan out in western NY.

[@birdlady423]

Irena, thank you so much for posting this video to help protect our birds. You have done a wonderful job putting everything together. I feel so honored that you used my clip of macaw Betty & even included Geronimo & Goliath. Everyone can rest assured that Betty is now living like a princess with Kris. I have never seen Betty in a cage. She gets lots of love, nutritious foods, trips to parks, & loves sitting in a tree. Love , hugs, & blessings to you & Snowball, Linda K & Geronimo

[@birdlady423]

Squince, thank you so much! Kris, Geronimo's bird nanny, is now taking care of Betty as though she is a royal princess. Betty never gets in her cage anymore, and that is ok with Kris. She takes her to parks, gives her nutritious food, & gives her lots of love. We all need to educate our friends in pet care & how important it is to rescue. Every time a bird is bought, there is one that should have been rescued. To promote rescue, please forward to everyone. Thanks! Blessings, Linda K

[@birdlady423]

I am Linda Kershaw (birdlady423), a friend of Kris who is telling the story of macaw Betty. She is giving Betty a very charmed life. Kris takes her in the car with her and sometimes takes her to a park and lets her walk around on the ground. When it is warm, Betty spends a lot of time in a tree in Kris' front yard. I have never seen Betty in her cage. She also gets lots of delicious and nutritious food. She lives the life of a princess! With prayers and blessings, Linda K & Geronimo

[@squincegoddess]

Very educational and it is very very hard to comprehend how people can be so cruel and so unloving towards animals. I'm so happy we can hear about some very happy endings. True Heroes!!!

[@Bearpaws0]

The poor bird's, I love to see them when they are well takning care of and they show there love! They know how to love!

[@MissPickletoes]

How sad! I am so proud to be a part of the group that has rescued...my Tara's story has a happy ending...although he will never grow feathers again. His story is one of unfortunate circumstance /neglect due to illness of his owner. But now at age 48, he is home forever with me. PLEASE adopt/rescue, and not pay a breeder. That only adds to the problem. AND,do your homework! Birds are NOT easy to keep!! It is like having a perpetual 3 yr old!! Bless you for informing the public! MissP & flock

[@BirdLoversOnly]

Very insightful! Yes, many people do try to fill a void in their lives in many ways. Some are shopaholics, some eat and snack too much, some buy a pet, and the list goes on. There are many reasons why people purchase pets: to fill a void, because the animal is cute or pretty, because it has a clever personality, etc. But the one common denominator here is that these animals are forgotten and ignored when the novelty fades or when the void is not filled. Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only

[@drianbamaged]

me too, it was iffy at first, but i could tell her will was strong, and she is determined to overcome her disabilities, despite her feet, she climbss,takes her awhile sometimes but she dont give up, even when she falls she climbs right back up and tries again, kris and family,

[@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

[@drianbamaged]

your right, we couldnt walk away from her, even though she looked at us in terror, and cried all the way home, but adjusted quickly,the first time i took her to get her beak trimmed, it took awhile and she was scared, but when it was over, she ran her toungue around the beak and her eyes lit up like WOW, my mouth is fixed and she was ok with treatments after that,kris bettys mom

[@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.

[@tawren]

Thank you for making this video.

[@charliep5991]

How could anyone ever harm these amazing creatures? I have acockatiel named Casper and she means the world to me! She has the best food and toys, the biggest cage I could afford ( an amazon parrot cage ) and she is fully trained and comes out of her cage everyday. She is only 9 months and is the most amazing bird. How is snowball by the way?

[@birdlady423]

You may have seen the complete story: "Macaw Betty in Parakeet Cage 17 Years". Kris is Geronimo's bird nanny, & she takes excellent care of her birds, especially Betty. She lives a very charmed life with Kris in her forever home. I am so honored that I had the privilege of filming Betty's story because this opened up the world of promoting RESCUING, DON'T BREED, OR BUY! Thanks to Irena Schulz I learned there are no bird laws to protect our birds. With prayers & blessings, Linda Kershaw

[@1boidae]

There needs to be more videos like this!!!

[@mdragon180]

Betty's story is so heartbreaking - so glad she's in a better place now. To me it's not a right to own an animal - it's a privilege (and a huge responsibility) to share your home and be the total caregiver to that animal. And the love you get in return makes it so worth it. :-)

[@sandrateager]

Such a lovely rescue story!!! But what a horrific way to treat as bird!!! No living creature should have to endure that kind of behaviour!!!!!

[@williambratcher7053]

sorry to hear that

[@TravelGal-to7ws]

Omg. Poor Miss Betty. Such a tragic & horrific life she had for 17 yrs! So glad she has a new loving owner. Maybe people shouldn’t think of it as a “right” to own birds; but rather a “privilege”.

[@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

[@drianbamaged]

when it came to the part of who is to decide and you put a pic of me i was amazed, flatterd, etc, i dont feel worthy, i feel like i could have done better, linda tells me i dont give myself the credit i deserve but she did the work, i just assisted, she has a lifeforce ive never senn on a human, and trusta nd even compassion that makes humans look like serpents. she is truly a miracle, in her health and will to live and her conviction not to let disabilities stop her from doin bird things

[@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?

[@drianbamaged]

she is a daily work in progress, she comes a little more trusting of humans daily, she actually puts a wing around my head and holds onto me when she feels scared,she gets more vocal and and "bird acting" daily, my m2 has taught her to preen and flap her wings and chew and rub her beak, last time i took her to be groomed, the vet didnt have to do much to her beak, she says betty has come a long way since she first saw her, betty looks foward to goin to her groomer now, she isnt afraid anymore

[@BirdLoversOnly]

More quality bird rescues and sanctuaries are needed to take in all the abused, neglected, and unwanted birds. The rate of homelessness is frightening. The breeding of these species continue even though their life span is 80+ years. There aren't enough qualified homes to care for all of them and then end up in abusive situations like Macaw Betty. The damage done over the years is extensive so recovery is a very slow process. Please breed responsibly. Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only

[@lovespellfatale]

I am so happy that betty is now in a better environment. How anyone could be so cruel is beyond me. Huggs Loves

[@drianbamaged]

tx irena, you have done my shelter and birds a great service, linda is more responsible than i am, she is very persistant when she gets her head on somethin, shes my grounding i stand on here, and will be my book keeper and manager if we do get our drean to fruition, tx again, kris and miss betty, goliath, boston anf the rest of the family

[@BirdLoversOnly]

@Ingiequeen Thank you so much for your post! Very well said. Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only Rescue

[@BirdLoversOnly]

Thank you so much for stating that it is a PRIVILEGE to have a bird. Too many feel that it is their RIGHT to own a bird, and this is where the stalemate in passing a parrot protection bill enters in. Many do not distinguish between rights and privileges. Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only

[@drianbamaged]

tx irena, got you on my frriends list on facebook now this is bettys mom, i love the video, it has gotton alot of views, yall helped bring more ppl to awareness, and im glad we could be a part

[@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...

[@BlueBird1994_]

Oh my gosh... I just cried because of that... ;_; Poor birdie... I hope she's alright

[@drianbamaged]

this is kris bettys mom,thankyou wish i could take the credit, ut betty did all the work, i just loved her, thats all, she has since been oined by a b@g macaw,african grey and an yellow headed amazon, who had been owned by drunks that starved him and abused him, when we gto him he was naked, buit for his wings we have had him for about 3 months and i noticed last night he has pin feathers on his belly!!!!!im so proud, but thanks for comments it means alot, bettys a trooper, and still sooo sweet,

[@ginger0215]

how come i feel like i have seen this before? anyway its really sad.. poor Betty

[@BirdLoversOnly]

She is now in good hands with Kris. Some stories DO have a happy ending. Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only

[@italpe1]

great job!

[@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.

[@drianbamaged]

it took betty 6 months to come out of her cage even thought the door was always open, she hasnt been back in it since, lol

[@mogret7451]

😭How can people do that to that beautiful bird.

[@BirdLoversOnly]

If the bird can have quality of life and happiness with the right people, it isn't necessary to put it down. As you can see, the macaw is doing very well where she is at now. Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only

[@rosya4102]

Those abusers should have been arrested and fined. How cruel

[@BirdLoversOnly]

Snowball is hosting a dance-a-thon fundraiser for needy children. We are raising money to purchase clothes and toys for them for Christmas. Please go to the Bird Lovers Only Rescue blog for more details. SNOWBALL NEEDS SPONSORS! Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only

[@SuperSenshi]

I wouldn't necessarily say that it's a right to own a bird (or any other pet, for that matter), but a privilege. My opinion is that owning a pet is like owning a child; if you don't give it the undivided attention it needs, you're better off not having one. Thank you so much for posting this video, Ms. Schulz!

[@sharkboy214]

that cages is far to small for a macaw thats bloody bad, you only get a bird if you know how to keep it and have time to keep because parrots need a lot attention and don't like being left alone to long

[@hedonistic2008]

Thanks for sharing bugsme!

[@drianbamaged]

no, we didnt even ask their names, we were in to big a hurry to get her to a vet and home to bring her back, she would have dies, in days if we hadnt got her,

[@BirdLoversOnly]

Birds have the intelligence of a five year old child, but exhibit similar behaviors as a small child (three to five year old). Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only

[@snager80]

he should have called the cops instead of paying those people to neglect her.

[@AshLynnC1994]

what the hell is wrong with people how can they be so cruel too such a beautiful innocent animal

[@drianbamaged]

some one has too, we as humans did this, we as humans are the only ones that can fix it

[@BirdLoversOnly]

Unfortunately, the police would have been unable to do anything about it because there are no laws in place to protect these birds. Please write to your legislator to ask that a bill be written to protect these parrots. Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only

[@LionGoddess1]

you are a very dedicated bird lover I commend you

[@drianbamaged]

its also a calling, i went to one birdshow and i was soo heartbroken ive never benn to another, thought bout goin to them to protest but not sure if its legal,thhey are alot of work, i have a sick bird in my lap now in my lap makin it hard to respond to these messages, guess ill be spending this weekk check takin him to vet in mornn,if he not actin better, they are very expensive to care fro a bird snd u hsve to do it likr ur chid they are totally dependant on ou

[@drianbamaged]

once again this is kris, bettys forever mom, cause she is home, i dont think her health will make it necessary to put her in my will, i hope not but she has problems i dont think i can fix, i think she is almost blind, from bein in the dark so long, but i have a vet workin with me to find out the extent of her permenent damage. please keep in touch, im not lookin to profit, but funding would mske it more posssible to get her better care. i love what u did with the video,

[@pcarreira33]

the birds need t be loved but some people don`t do it!they are like the children!i have two birds at home and i take care of them and i like them very much.

[@parrots4life74]

Extreme animal abuse taken to a whole new level. :( Glad she is with better people now.

[@monkeyzinabarrel]

that just ripped my heart in two 8,O

[@Technorat61]

I can't believe some one would

[@verticalsmurf]

Were Bettys previous owners prosecuted for cruelty? If Betty were a cat or a dog, animal welfare leagues would have been up in arms. Betty's story would have been in every paper. I know people say 'oh, it's just a bird'. They don't realise that birds are smarter, and live longer than cats or dogs. Work needs to be done to educate people how awesome these birds are, and that their right to exist in the wild needs to be to be protected.

[@BirdLoversOnly]

Amazing, isn't it? I often wonder the same thing myself. Irena Schulz - Bird Lovers Only Rescue

[@ReconWowIsback]

in the start What kind of bird is that BIIIG Blue bird ? xoxo

[@PlanetVerdia]

Omg.. Human cruelty has no limits :((

[@drianbamaged]

you will , you will meet a bird someday that neeeds a loving home, and you will take him or her in and the first time that bird calls for you, or runs to you for protection, you wil be bitten by the love bug again, please adopt dont buy, help put bird mills out of business im kris bettys mom and the birds run my house and ive lost a few that broke my heart, especially my first, but you cant help but love them

[@Bercik87]

17 years...Jesus. Why some people are so stupid ;/ Great job you're doing there.

[@drianbamaged]

dear irena, sorry it took so long to get back to you, i have been workin too much, and takin care of my family avian and human,lolther is more to bettys story i didnt out on due to the nature of the crime. thanks again for making her life in hell and her couragos survuval more accessable to the public, i want to revise and redo the video and cover peices i missed,i di REALLY appreciate the blessing you brought us when you asked to use our video,, have more to say but ran out of room, ill email u

[@jtina61593]

so sad =( hope Betty is doing better with love

[@parakeet8157]

Hope Betty is doing alright. You have 2 read up and decide which 1 would b best 4 you 2 take care of.

[@scioffer]

Sorry, I've click on the screen wrong!!! :(

[@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

[@joannekalish1020]

I can't even continue to watch this video. This bird was abused far too long. I hope the previous owner was convicted and prosecuted for animal abuse. Disgusting, just disgusting!

[@krissa204]

=[ thats sad

[@peronkop]

Isnt that what people do to harmed animals? If it wasnt for these people she would be as good as dead :(

[@supermancatcool]

@peronkop how can you say that

[@drianbamaged]

thankyou, they are as spoiled as i can spiol them they deserve it

[@drianbamaged]

please put their stoeies with ours ppl need to know, as heartbreaking as it is, they need to know, irena right they are breeding them faster that we can find shelters for them, of the 5 siblings oh my m2 he is the only one not in a shelter, and i wid=sh i knew where they were, so goliaath could have his reaal flock mates with him. everytime i see the guy i got him from he asks me if i still haave him and i say ' WELL YEAH; and he is surprised, at least they quit breeding m2s

[@peronkop]

Wouldnt it have better to put that poor parrot down? :(