Interesting news article

[grandma]

Thought this might be of interest...

HOBBIT the Senegal has gone from hard times at Petco to hanging out with rock stars.

Hobbit and Foster Parrots, a Boston-area bird sanctuary that cares for him, got a public relations boost from Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler when the band came to town this summer.

Marc Johnson, director of the sanctuary, had been trying to get Tyler, who lives in nearby Marshfield, Mass., to visit Foster Parrots for over a year in hopes of receiving support from the famous rocker.

"He reaches a much wider audience that does not read the parrot magazines," said Johnson.

In late August Tyler left a message on Johnson's answering machine inviting the Foster Parrots staff to an Aerosmith concert in Mansfield.

"He said he had just seen a segment on Foster Parrots on Animal Planet's 'Wild Rescues,' and I guess he thought, 'Maybe I better contact this guy,'" says Johnson.

During the concert, a photo of Tyler with several Foster Parrots birds was projected on a 50-foot screen behind the stage along with the sanctuary's Web site address and a message urging the crowd to support parrot rescue.

Afterward, the Foster Parrots staff went backstage to meet the band and spent 45 minutes chatting with Tyler about the plight of homeless parrots.


Steven Tyler of Aerosmith charms Cuddly Boy, a hybrid macaw not always fond of strangers.


Tyler has one parrot, a cockatiel, said Johnson. "He also has turkeys and chickens. He's an animal-sympathetic person."

Tyler met several Foster Parrots birds brought backstage, including Hobbit, purchased ill from a Petco store last year, and Lola, a greenwing macaw and poster bird for "The Lola Project," a campaign to help raise funds for a new facility.

All the birds warmed immediately to Tyler, said Johnson, probably because he seemed to genuinely enjoy them.

The singer soon will take three days off from his national concert tour to visit Foster Parrots headquarters personally, said Johnson.

"We don't know where all this will lead," he said, "but we're excited."

[Irish]

How cool is that?! Perhaps Mr. Tyler will even personally donate some funds. I'm glad he got to meet Lola. Hers is one of the saddest--then gladdest--rescue stories I've ever read about.

[Machelle]

Thank you so much for posting this! The story gave me chills. To show pictures of the birds and the website address during their concert is just awesome!!!!!!!!!

[LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam]

here's a link to the original article, which is a couple of years old.. I wish there had been some kind of follow up...

http://www.parrotchronicles.com/sept.../aerosmith.htm

[candi4me]

you know for a real skinney guy i have loved him forever... now this story fits in just fine with my lil day dream of what he is really like.
Candy