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Dozens of exotic birds taken from Weatherford home

09:40 PM CST on Wednesday, January 14, 2009

By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA-TV


BIRDS CONFISCATED January 14th, 2009Jim Douglas reports More WFAA Latest News video
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EXCLUSIVE:

Animal cruelty officers have called a recent case in Weatherford one of the strangest cases of hording they have ever seen.

Perhaps 100 or more parrots, macaws and cockatoos were found jammed inside a tiny Weatherford house.

""Oh, no human or animal should live like that," said Dianne Daniel, an animal shelter supervisor.

Authorities said the couple who live at the home took in unwanted birds until the situation got too unhealthy for everyone.

"It's cruel to keep animals in that filth," Daniel said. "You can't do that. Some of the cages look like they've never been cleaned."

The birds could be heard whistling, squawking and screaming as officers worked to remove them from the home.

Officers said birds worth $1,500 to $3,000 were found inside the home. One

"They're 15 hundred to 3000 each. These are in pretty good shape right here."

One Yellow-headed Amazon parrot was whistling and saying "hello" and "momma, momma" as it sat in a cage after being taken from the home.

While officers said some of the animals appeared in good condition, they said others looked sickly and in need of attention.

Authorities called it a classic case of animal hording.

"They think they're doing them a favor by rescuing them and holding onto them," Daniel said. "It's not. You get overwhelmed."

The homeowners declined to talk with News 8. A judge will decide if the birds stay in custody until they can be adopted out.