Hi there
A retired schoolteacher charged with possessing wild birds has accused the RSPCA of “intimidating” bird breeders across the country. http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/norfolk_...ation_1_809170 A retired schoolteacher charged with possessing wild birds has accused the RSPCA of “intimidating” bird breeders across the country. Edward William Easter, 71, appeared at King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court yesterday for the start of his trial on six wild bird charges....... Now this to me just takes the biscuit, or is it the taking mick of the rights of all wild birds the right to have a free life, and it is illegal - end of story! I'm in shock!!!! Regards Kathy and Dave
The Bird Society isn't for bird lovers, it's for the wierdos who breed and exhibit them as a 'hobby'. Nothing to do with nature, these people keep birds captive to satisfy their nerdy hobby. They should collect stamps instead. The society site is clearly giving legal advice for members to avoid being caught or prosecuted, thereby acknowledging they are breaking the law but that it's possible to wriggle out of it with the right legal advice. Looks to me that all its members are like this one. They'll claim next that they are conservationists!
He's guilty. That should be court by the way, HE was caught, and had to go to court.
Unknown said: I hope people do view bird keeping as somehow naturally illegal as a result of this, the less people who torture birds with confinement the better. Birds MUST have the freedom of the skies, and that includes canaries and budgies, most of whom spend their lives in a cage that's equivalent to a cell; a life sentence as I said. The law should be changed to cover all birds, whilst allowing natural decline to take care of those already bred and kept in captivity to live out their days. I note this creep got a caution for not providing documentary evidence when selling three wild robins in 2005. Three wild robins! I have robin friends who come and see me whenever I go in the garden, beautiful creatures, free to do as they please. This pervert trades them for profit.
I hope people do view bird keeping as somehow naturally illegal as a result of this, the less people who torture birds with confinement the better. Birds MUST have the freedom of the skies, and that includes canaries and budgies, most of whom spend their lives in a cage that's equivalent to a cell; a life sentence as I said. The law should be changed to cover all birds, whilst allowing natural decline to take care of those already bred and kept in captivity to live out their days.
I note this creep got a caution for not providing documentary evidence when selling three wild robins in 2005. Three wild robins! I have robin friends who come and see me whenever I go in the garden, beautiful creatures, free to do as they please. This pervert trades them for profit.
You could say the same about ANY pet though - reptiles, hamsters, rats, beetles, fish, bats...not to mention the people who don't excercise their dogs enough, why should birds be treated any differently to any other pet?
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
Hi Kat
I am afraid I disagree on what you have said, Kat, so we have to agree to disagree here.
All the animals that you have listed are all bred in captivity, and that is why we like them as pets (myself included) as they are bred for that purpose alone
Songbirds, or any 'wild' birds are not breed in captivity so they are caged like they are in prison and that is cruel.
This individual was breeding wild birds for financial gain (I would see this being the thing that he was doing though he never admitted it) and to me that is a criminal act too.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
KatTai said: I hope people do view bird keeping as somehow naturally illegal as a result of this, the less people who torture birds with confinement the better. Birds MUST have the freedom of the skies, and that includes canaries and budgies, most of whom spend their lives in a cage that's equivalent to a cell; a life sentence as I said. The law should be changed to cover all birds, whilst allowing natural decline to take care of those already bred and kept in captivity to live out their days. I note this creep got a caution for not providing documentary evidence when selling three wild robins in 2005. Three wild robins! I have robin friends who come and see me whenever I go in the garden, beautiful creatures, free to do as they please. This pervert trades them for profit.
[/quote]
Blackbird - I think you need to read the post to which I was replying to as the poster had clearly said he was against the keeping of all birds in captivity - regardless of origin therefore included captive bred birds. Some reptiles and fish are both taken from the wild for the pet trade also so they are two on the list that are also taken from the wild, the birds aren't the only ones.
Well almost without exception everyone seems to condemn battery hens who I might add if you go into a battery house there is a contented noise about the place and plenty of experts would agree they would not be productive as they are if not happy and yet we should accept a bird in a cage on the basis we are looking after it and it has no enemies.
Thought the U K fought to abolish slavery well over a century ago and the same arguments were used to enslave them and of course they were bred into slavery just like captive birds but without exception desperately wanted freedom.I say leave the cage door open and see if that bird goes.
Sooty - productivity means nothing, look at the dogs in puppy farms that are caged and used as breeding machines. They produce puppies sure enough, and lots of them, but that is no way to breed dogs (though it still goes on in the UK). An "expert" could say they are producing puppies so they must be happy, doesn't mean that is the case and I certainly wouldn't support puppy farming on the basis of "they're breeding so they must be happy".
You are more than welcome to be against the keeping of pets, but there is nothing about the way birds are kept that makes them any different to the variety of other pets there are out there. It is the individual keeper who is responsible for ensuring their pets are kept appropriately and many do so and gain pleasure from keeping whatever it is they chose to keep.
I don't mean to detract from or undermine the serious debate on this thread, but my very first "pet" as a child was a
budgie which flew in our kitchen window. At a later date, he accidently escaped through the same window and after
doing a few turns in the garden he came back to hand of his own accord -- but I digress.
"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake
Both our magpies have got out. Pie got out through the cat flap (which is taped open for our particularly stupid cat). He got as far as the patio and came straight back in when the door was opened. Chips removed a bit of wood from the shed attached to his old aviary. He got as far as the poor man trying to fix his brakes in the road opposite with a nice shiny socket set. I saw him, went over, and he came straight to me.
My friend's jackdaw goes out to fly with the local flock every day and comes back each night, straight into the house and when it's bedtime into his cage to sleep.
If these birds truly craved the wild, they'd have taken off (as many of the rehab birds we've had have done), bnever to be seen again. The reality is they want only the company of humans and their safe familiar territories.
Anyone that makes the mistake of generalising about the happiness and desires of a pet bird has clearly never come into close contact with one, and doesn't know as much about birds as they think.
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
Maisie I am quite happy to accept that if you offer the birds freedom and they would prefer to stay with you then that is freedom of choice and no problem but most birds that escape do not go back that is evident by the searchings you see.If you are suggesting give the birds the choice then obviously we agree.It cannot be natural for even a captive bred bird to be caged 24/7 surely in 21st century no one thinks that.