A Rescue Story

[Freedomoflight]

Wildirish, I thought I saw you lurking around that other board... nice to see a friendly face!
I have to disagree also with you, Rue, on this one. This women, god bless her, has taken this bird in and is doing everything in her power to make sure that this bird can live out the rest of his life in peace and happiness, finally knowing what love is like. Do you not wish that for him? If you think he is suffering because of this "rescue", I beg you to look at the link I posted- it contains updated pics- Bo looks WONDERFUL, happy and healthy, and most importantly-LOVED.

[Beaks]

Im not going to go there but wildirish knows what i think about rues comment.

John

[yehudasf]

I don't believe that any person who has ever dealt with me or any of my psittazen companions would accuse me of abuse. Yet by the definition in a post further up the thread, I would be ajudged guilty of such. One of my old Ara Ararauna males was diagnosed with cancerous involvement of his preen gland. Mind you, this bird was a nasty, wild-caught verkachte buzzard from the first step. In my mind that was of no moment. He was a psittazen whose life & health was my responsibility. In consultation with my avian vet, the oncology specialist at UC Davis came up with a treatment plan that involved surgery, chemo, & very low-dose radiation. During the course of treatment all his feathers dropped, & his mate rejected him (he looked a bit like a plucked chicken). To maintain his thermal level, I took a chihuahua sweater, made some adjustments, added the "leg" of a stocking, & viola! He had a macaw version of an union suit. It has been eight years since his therapy was completed. He is beautifully plumed, very fertile & even a wee bit friendly. Should I have simply provided him with palliative care & then had him killed when *I* felt uncomfortable watching his suffering? No, emphatically, NO. He was (& still is) just as deserving of the life-saving treatments as was I four years ago when diagnosed with invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Any of my psittazen companions will be given every possible treatment necessary to give them the chance for a long, happy & contented life. Will they possibly suffer from some of the treatments? Yes, it is quite possible. Just as we suffer sometimes to rid our bodies of a particularly horrid illness. In the final analyses one must decide whether one regards their psittazen companions as social, loving, caring, loyal & somewhat aware creatures, deserving of the same respect that one would wish for one's self. Or, if they are naught but conversation piece eye-candy chattel, to be disposed of when inconvenient. My choice was made long ago, & my life is the richer for it.

[wildirish]

Yehuda, Once again spoken beautifully!!!!!

John, yep I know! I am assuming that is why you called so late....LOL!!!

[Rue]

Originally Posted by wildirish

Bo is in a wonderful home with a very wonderful lady! He is getting the best care, and she does understand that she may have to make a very hard choice. He is not being abused under the umbrella of "rescue". Two women that I know saved this bird and took him to the vets. She will do what is best for Bo, even though it is breaking her heart! As someone who has been involved with rescue, I could never just provide minimal care and then simply euthanize, I would bend over backwards to fix things first.

That would be like telling someone with cancer to only recieve minimal care and then be humanely killed. While I agree that quality vs quanity is a hard line, but this person will make the choices that need to be made when neccessary.

I personally would do everything in my power to save one of my birds!

...ever watch someone die of cancer? Why do so many people think dying is such a bad thing? I can respect your opinion, but I still think is is continued animal abuse.

[Rue]

Originally Posted by Freedomoflight

Wildirish, I thought I saw you lurking around that other board... nice to see a friendly face!
I have to disagree also with you, Rue, on this one. This women, god bless her, has taken this bird in and is doing everything in her power to make sure that this bird can live out the rest of his life in peace and happiness, finally knowing what love is like. Do you not wish that for him? If you think he is suffering because of this "rescue", I beg you to look at the link I posted- it contains updated pics- Bo looks WONDERFUL, happy and healthy, and most importantly-LOVED.

...feel free to disagree, discourse in invaluable...

...I'm not suggesting that an animal not be loved...

...but you know what? There are also millions of perfectly healthy animals being euthanized yearly for want of a home or money...I'd love to see some of this energy and expense go towards helping them...

...do they not have a right to a good life?

[Rue]

Originally Posted by yehudasf

I don't believe that any person who has ever dealt with me or any of my psittazen companions would accuse me of abuse. Yet by the definition in a post further up the thread, I would be ajudged guilty of such. One of my old Ara Ararauna males was diagnosed with cancerous involvement of his preen gland. Mind you, this bird was a nasty, wild-caught verkachte buzzard from the first step. In my mind that was of no moment. He was a psittazen whose life & health was my responsibility. In consultation with my avian vet, the oncology specialist at UC Davis came up with a treatment plan that involved surgery, chemo, & very low-dose radiation. During the course of treatment all his feathers dropped, & his mate rejected him (he looked a bit like a plucked chicken). To maintain his thermal level, I took a chihuahua sweater, made some adjustments, added the "leg" of a stocking, & viola! He had a macaw version of an union suit. It has been eight years since his therapy was completed. He is beautifully plumed, very fertile & even a wee bit friendly. Should I have simply provided him with palliative care & then had him killed when *I* felt uncomfortable watching his suffering? No, emphatically, NO. He was (& still is) just as deserving of the life-saving treatments as was I four years ago when diagnosed with invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Any of my psittazen companions will be given every possible treatment necessary to give them the chance for a long, happy & contented life. Will they possibly suffer from some of the treatments? Yes, it is quite possible. Just as we suffer sometimes to rid our bodies of a particularly horrid illness. In the final analyses one must decide whether one regards their psittazen companions as social, loving, caring, loyal & somewhat aware creatures, deserving of the same respect that one would wish for one's self. Or, if they are naught but conversation piece eye-candy chattel, to be disposed of when inconvenient. My choice was made long ago, & my life is the richer for it.

...again, feel free to disagree with me

...whatever you feel enriches your life is of course important...

...I've also never suggested euthanizing an animal for convenience...if a cancer has a good remission rate, by all means, give it a go...

...but I will disagree with you on palliative care...I do not see anything wrong with it...and given the circumstances, it's a choice I'd make for myself as well...

[Rue]

Originally Posted by Beaks

Im not going to go there but wildirish knows what i think about rues comment.

John

...now, is this an example of a dig because I have an opinion that differs from yours?

...and we wonder why people are afraid to voice differring opinions...

[wildirish]

No, you can have your opinions, but you also bordered on rude by saying that treating Bo was "animal abuse", sounded like a dig tome, because the opinion differed from yours. Everyone has the right to thier own opinions, however you made the first disparraging comments.

I am surprised that you seem to have expected more people to agree with you, on a board that is full of people who have done and will do everything in the power to save a bird and make their lives worth while.

I agree that when there is no help to be given the choice needs to be made as to quantity vs. quality, however you obviously didn't read enough of the story or you would have seen that Bo is doing well, playing talking and loving. So to even suggest that she is guilty of animal abuse to continue to provide treatment is rude!

[Rue]

...don't confuse an opinion with rudeness...

...how would you suggest I word it so that it doesn't appear rude?