Butcher Bird

[den]

"He is perfectly healthy," said the lady,"Eating and drinking well and running around the yard eating bugs. Oh yeah, and he can't fly because his wing is broken. I suppose I should have taken him to the vet after I hit him with the car two weeks ago, but I thought the wing would get better after the bleeding stopped. He looks a bit thin and I thought there might be something wrong. Can you look after him?"

I euthanased a butcher bird. I should have done it while she was here, so she could watch.

Comments

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

*hug*

You are a special person, and your willingness to do the unpleasant part of the job as well as the fun parts is what makes you who you are.

Perhaps an article in the local newspaper would help educate people? Most small town papers are desperate for good stories with nice pics.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

We can't tell people about this side of the rescues or no one would bring us an injured animal/bird/reptile. They'd try to do it themselves because they don't want us to kill them. I get a LOT of people asking me not to kill parrots because the bird would make a good pet.

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

True, but you could perhaps emphasise that they get the injured critters to you sooner.

[gatorofages.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity, are youre laws in australia the same as the US here regarding wild native birds, that they can not be kept as pets, ect, and must be put down ?

I have to admit, If I lived there, and was delivered injured parrots, I would have a hard time putting a bird with a broken wing down (much as I did with crows and jays here)

I know when I worked at the rehab we put tons of animals down, either because they were to injured, or almost as often too "common" (like wing surgery on an eagle/hawk/great horned owl, bobcat, etc, was tried, but a wood duck with a broken wing, or a crow, was instead put down)

I couldnt help but think some of the people who brought more common injured animals into us could have provided them with ample care, and could have been a learning experiance for them and thier children....

Granted, there are the not bright sorts too, like the lady who dropped a great horned owl chick off to me a few days ago (now at a rehab) who she had kept for a week and fed "hotdog bits and cheese"

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

It is against the law to keep any native animal or bird without a special licence. The group I do work for is licenced to rehab and release. Rehab means getting it back to 100% fitness or it can't be released. Often I get something that is so badly injured there really is no choice, but other times I can spend weeks or months rehabbing, only to realise there will be no release. Birds with breaks near the joints rarely recover, some species are too stressy and just die, and sometimes something seemingly minor is too much, like owls not growing their feathers back properly.

That one is really nasty. You have a bird that is fit and healthy, but the wing-noise means they can't hunt, and if they can't hunt they can't be released.

Endangered species are referred to National Parks or the zoo.

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

I suppose I should have taken him to the vet after I hit him with the car two weeks ago, but I thought the wing would get better after the bleeding stopped.

Oh for fuck's sake.


I'm sorry you had to euthanize the bird. But thank you for doing it.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Oh for fuck's sake.

That's exactly what I thought, and almost said aloud.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

I wish you had -- while explaining to her exactly why this had to be done, in excruciating detail.

{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

[oceansedge.livejournal.com]

Oh dear god, as horrible as this is - I can't find myself wishing that she should suffer as that poor bird has these past two weeks - NO one, and NOTHING deserves that.

*hugs*
Somedays I hate people.

[avenginglioness.livejournal.com]

geesh. what an ignoramous. I want to get mad at her, but maybe she's just a really stupid and cluless person and needs my pity instead. *sighs*

*hugs* I have much respect for you. I'm so sorry you have to deal with people like that.

[ursulav.livejournal.com]

Unnnngghg....

[kythrain.livejournal.com]

*pulls out large blunt object*

*goes idiot hunting*

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

I suppose I should have taken him to the vet after I hit him with the car two weeks ago, but I thought the wing would get better after the bleeding stopped.

*splutter* *growl* My, _god_, that woman. Poor bird...