RETURNED Blue & Gold Macaw in Toronto

Tiffany the macaw has been located, safe and sound thanks to the amount of media attention her recent alleged kidnapping attracted, police say.

Det.-Const. Paul Jackson said Tiffany the macaw was returned to her owner without incident.

“It was peaceful, there was no altercation,” Jackson said. “The end result was that the bird was well cared for and the owner was quite happy to get the bird back. It all came to a happy ending.”

The 16-year-old bird, which is worth roughly $5,000, was first reported missing from her home in the Ferris Rd. and Squires Ave. area Wednesday night by her owner, April Crowley, two days after the bird had flown away.

“She was on my shoulder and I was in the backyard and the dog ran by and I guess she just got excited and just flew off,” said Crowley.

Crowley said a neighbour told her he had seen the exotic bird in a front-yard tree of a house on nearby Ferris Rd.

When she went to the house on Wednesday, a man told her he had called his friend to take the bird away.

“He got his friend on the phone and that’s when the guy on the phone said, ‘You have to prove that the bird is yours and you have to prove that you’re not negligent,’” Crowley said.

“At that point, I said, ‘I’m going to have to call the police’ and that’s when the guy at the house got really annoyed and told me to get off the property.”

Crowley went home and called the police.

Jonathan Asif, 11, lives a few doors down from where the confrontation took place. He had noticed the bird on the property on Monday.

A man at the house told the boy he had tried calling animal control but they didn’t pick it up.

“He told us he called his friend over and then we waited a while. His friend came and then he got the bird down and then he took it home,” Asif said.

“His friend said, ‘We’re going to give him food and water’ and that’s all.”

The 11-year-old’s father lent the men a ladder to reach the bird.

Jackson said the case has concluded with no charges laid.

Toronto Police said they would like to thank the public for their assistance in recovering the pet.

Watch our Interview with CHEX News – Part 1 of 2

Our Interview with CHEX News – PART 2

Our Interview with CHEX News – July 19,2019

Our Interview with CHEX News

Warning Kijiji Ads – Horror Stories

I have been hearing horror stories about kijiji for a number of years now.  Are these ads familiar?  “I will take in your parrot for free”  “I am a parrot rescue and will take in your bird” “I have alot of love to give to your parrot” etc.

What they really mean is “I will resell your bird for more money”,  “I don’t believe I should have to pay for something and should get it for free so I can neglect it” and “I am looking for a cheap way to make money”.

I have heard numerous horror stories and feel its time to speak out about kijiji ads and those advertising.

Story One

A woman posted an ad to sell her senegal parrot.  She had several inquiries and one in particular who wanted the bird for a very reduced fee.  The lady then found the picture of her own parrot for sale on a different kijiji ad by this same individual that was reselling her bird for a much higher fee and didn’t even have the bird yet!  Luckily she found this persons ad before she gave him the bird.

Story Two

A woman posted a 25 yr old eclectus parrot for an adoption fee of $400 and sold the bird through kijiji.  The very next day the same bird was posted for $1500 and miraculously de-aged to only 15 yrs old!

Story Three

I will post the exerpts from this exchange.  The names have been changed.  Please note ZZZZZZZZ posts regularly on kijiji that she will take in your free parrots.

 Hi Nancy,
 
 This is XXXXX, my husband and I called you two days ago about adopting a Blue and Gold Macaw. I had spoke with you about ZZZZZZZ. Well my husband and I out of curiousity went over to ZZZZZZZZ’s house just to see what was going on there. We believed everything you had told us but we couldn’t believe what we walked into. It was a war zone. GGGGGG the blue and gold Macaw is in alot more distress then we expected and what ZZZZZZ had said. She was completely bald only feathers on her head, wings and tail. She seemed very scared at first shaking alot but calmed down once we started to talk to her nicely. ZZZZZZZ couldn’t even touch her besides on the tail, couldn’t even give her a walnut or get her down off her cage. No bond AT ALL that we could see. After a few mins of warming up GGGGGi was swinging side to side bobbing and shaking her foot as well as she said Hi to us. She seemed like she really wanted to come down and play but too nervous. ZZZZZZZZ’s house was a disaster. GGGGGGGG’s cage was so dirty I told her that if we were to get her I didn’t want the cage. It had piles and piles of old poop on it. I didn’t see any fresh food or water in there but again I didn’t fully check. I didn’t want to touch the cage. She had 3 goffen cockatoos I think in the living room too. One looked like he was starting to pluck some. She had a bird room with a couple in there as well a mess. I couldn’t believe my eyes that she would let us come over to her house in this condition. My husband felt terrible forGGGGGG and said he would give her 600 and take her right there just to get her out but her husband said no. Asked her if she had proof of the DNA testing she said well her friend did but lost it. Asked if she had been to a vet or had proof of that, no and no proof again. We left and GGGGGGG screamed while we went out the door. We have thought about her alot since then and I feel so terrible for her. WIsh there was something I could do. 

 
I emailed ZZZZZZ after and told her that she is asking a ridiculous price for a parrot in her condition, she had no proof of vetting so no proof she wasn’t sick. I said we could offer her a good home and take care of her but she wasn’t intersted in that like you said, only the money. I know it is for the best and I know GGGGGG needs a ton of work, I hope she get the help she needs soon or I don’t know what will happen to her.
 
She got really offended by my email back and has changed her ad on Kijiji now. She is a sick lady!!
 
heres the ad in case you want to see. The pictures are old for sure because the parrot doesn’t have ANY of that fluff and GGGGGGGG never mentioned it before we got there.
 
http://windsor.kijiji.ca/c-pets-birds-for-sale-Blue-and-Gold-Macaw-W0QQAdIdZ214007817
 
She said she could sell her for 1500-2000 LOL

(here is the content of the ad incase the ad itself comes down.)

located in windsor.

Story 4

Someone who regularly posts they will take in free birds, was given a bird that was sick and needed medical attention.  Because of their inexperience with birds, they did not see any of the signs that this bird was sick.  It was something that could have been easily dealt with had they any knowledge of parrots.  The parrot died due to their inability to see that something was wrong. 
These are only a few of the stories I have in more recent days heard about kijiji and craiglist ads. Geez I could go on and on as there are just way too many!  Just hearing one more today has prompted me to put out this warning.   It is so important that people investigate who they are actually dealing with.  A true parrot rescue, will NEVER advertise that they take in free birds!  They have built a reputation via word of mouth and through affiliations and do not need to advertise they will take in birds.  It is pretty safe to say that no one posting on kijiji claiming to be a rescue, really is…..

The majority of those on kijiji and craigslist are predators that are looking for easy ways to make a fast buck or people who don’t want to pay for a parrot but want to have one.  They are also looking to take your pet and put it into a breeding situation so they can make money.  They do not care for the birds or their well being.  Only on the dollar figure.

Please please be careful posting ads on any of the free classified sites!