From: bmartino@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Bob Martino)
Subject: Re: birds in walmart
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 16:24:48 GMT

In article <1992Apr10.183535.181@unx.sas.com> sasefj@junebug.unx.sas.com (Edith
 Jeffreys) writes:
>hi. i was recently in a woolworth's picking up a few odds and ends
>and looked into the pet section. i was surprised to see a whole bunch
>of sad looking birds in 4 or 5 cages.  i was in a walmart a coupla
>days after that and decided to take a look into their pet section
>as well.  same thing there.
>
>i dont do a lot of shopping.  i have a list when i go so i rarely
>stray off into other areas of stores.  i thought stores like these
>two had stopped carrying animals and birds, and if they sold anything
>living it was usually fish.  well, to get to my point, i have been
>reading this newsgroup because i am really fond of animals and birds
>and ive learned alot about birds from here.  it seems to me that
>the birds in these places could not possibly be getting the care
>and attention they require.
>
>is this assumption wrong?  if not are there efforts to get general
>merchandise stores to stop carrying birds or other animals?
>
>Edie Jeffreys

     Yes, Edie, I too have seen birds in just such a condition.
Here in Ohio we have Meijer stores, which is one of those new type
monster stores which try to sell *everything* and are open 24
hours.  They carry 'keets, love birds, and 'tiels, and sometimes
the odd finch or two (not that finches are odd).  Some of the smaller
discount stores around here also have a few birds for sale.

     I am appalled at this practice.
     For one:  The birds are *scared to death* of people.  Just
walk up to the cage and look in.  They will always move to be as
far away from you as possible.  Someone who bought one of them
as a pet would be terribly disappointed.  Such a bird will
*never* make a good pet.
    For two:  The cages are filthy and the birds mangy looking.
    For three:  I once saw a 'keet flying around on the metal
rafters up neer the ceiling of a Meijer store because it had somehow
gotten loose.  A store employee assured me that they would catch it,
but I didn't believe it for a minute.  That place is *HUGE*.  How
could they possibly corner the poor little guy?  More likely he
soon starved to death and they scooped him up off the floor.  An
ex-girlfriend of mine claimed to have seen a 'tiel kill himself
trying to fly out the big glass windows at the front of the another
store once.
    for four:  A buyer would have no idea as to the age or health
of the bird.
    for five:  (this is the one that really burns my oatmeal)
I have been told that these birds come from "bulk breeding" farms
where they are raised in quantity (not handfed) and shipped to
stores in much the same way you would ship inanimate objects.
They are packed into tiny boxes with no food or water (or not
much) and hauled around like so many boxes of cookies.  Supposidly,
a good number (more than 50%) die along the way due to stress,
malnourishment, etc.

     I wouldn't buy such birds under *ANY* circumstances, not even
to save the animals.  If we purchase them, they will just get
more and make a profit.  If nobody bought them, ever, the stores
would soon stop selling them (they're no fools).

     Sorry, I got riled up there.  By the way, can anyone either
confirm or deny my point five above about where the stores get
their birds?  I would like to know its truth or not.  I suppose
it's possible that they get their birds from local breeders who
have some that get too old and/or nasty/independent to be worth
keeping aroung the breeder's shop.  What do you guys think?

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!       That Bob Martino Guy          !  "I think, therefore I am."          !
! bmartino@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu  !                  -Descartes          !
!                                     !  "I am that I am."                   !
!  God INVENTED science.  So there.   !                  -God                !
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!                                     !                  -V.P. Dan Quayle    !
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