This is a desperate cry for help!

[snooky17]

Hey y'all,

Okay, so here is the deal. I am a student in Austin Texas who owns a blue headed pionus. Recently, I ran across a baby Timneh African Grey at Gallery of Pets (Austin) and after checking it out with Cooper (my bird) I put a down payment on it. With all of that said, on January 6, 2008 my boyfriend went to check on my baby and it wasn't there.
A lady in her mid 50s to 60s was playing with my bird and amidst the hustle and bustle of this pet shop, managed to walk out with it in her jacket. The lady who was in charge of the birds said that this lady had come in all the time, she had never purchased anything, and played with the birds. (Normally they don't allow people to touch sold birds, supposedly.)
Here is what I know: The bird was stolen in the early morning, and the pet shop didnt even contact me until my boyfriend told them that he wasnt calling that they would have to. A police report was filed, so I called the detective and the secretary was rather impolite and told me that they weren't going to do anything because of lack of evidence. Third: The video camera system was down, so there is no recorded pic of the woman, they did, however, discover that the camera in the part of the store where the timneh was..was disconnected.
Sorry for such a long post, but after calling every petshop/breeder/and avian vet in Austin, in addition to contacting KXAN news and persuading them to write a story about it (they finally interviewed me and put me on the news! It's titled "the trend of bird-napping") I have run out of options. I am really upset because my baby (who was two months old and being hand fed in the pet shop when it was stolen) is about five and a half months old now, which is about the time when he could have come home with me. What can I do? I am just mortified that no one can help me! Any thoughts?

Thanks for taking the time to read this!
-Courtney

[CALVINS MOM]

This situation happened in NJ in two different stores. Both stores had every news station run a story about the missing bird. They interviewed personnel from each store and the personnel pleaded for the return of the baby as it would die without its formula. Both birds were thankfully recovered.

Aside from that, you can only hope and pray that the thief knows how to handfeed. Also, they should watch to see if she comes in for formula and get her license plate number. Have the police run it and go to her for questioning. I would be careful not to let her know that they are watching her. This is only in the event she comes in for formula. Perhaps they can also contact other stores in the area to be on the look-out for this woman buying formula.

My heart goes out to you.

[Tinker]

I hope you got your downpayment back from the store! It's their fault for not having better security after all. I really think you are probably going to have to give up the bird as a lost cause - I doubt you will ever see it again.

[sspingler]

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do short of getting your money back. I would however have a long talk with the store manager about their lack of security for letting a $1200 bird walk out their door. You said that the woman is a regular? Then the employees should know her and be on the lookout for her in the future.
I truly feel for you.

[dunklekatze]

Jesus H.

:( I know you've probably done a lot already- but please, get on their *ss!!!! They should reimburse you and do a bit extra for causing such grief! Please keep us updated, I'm so sorry hun!

[SDavid]

This sort of thing happened recently (about a month ago) at a bird store local to me called "For Birds Only." A man walked in and out several times. Each time with a different bird in his pocket. In total he took 3 baby cockatiels and 1 baby sun conure.

It ended up on the local news radio station (1010 Winns). And several other local news TV stations. Thanx to the surveillance images the man was caught and the birds returned. Actually it was his own family that turned him in.

Stores really have to get more vigillant. I'm sorry for your experience with this and I hope this person gets caught and your bird returned safely.

[snooky17]

Oh goodness, thank you all for responding! I recently got a phone call from the pet store saying that they were getting in some african grey congos (two babies) and that I could get first pick. Then, she casually mentioned that they each cost $1500.00!! I plan to ask for a discount...but I don't want to be unreasonable...any ideas? I just feel insulted that they haven't offered to help me at all...furthermore, I haven't been able to get hold of the owner. For such a small pet shop, I think she should have called.

[snooky17]

I guess what I am trying to say is that I have been super nice about the whole ordeal...and it has gotten me nowhere...To be honest, I think I could sue them for deceptive trade practice--I'm not, of course, because it is kind of a mom and pop store. But seriously, I feel that I deserve some sort of compensation-and the more I think about it the more enraged I become! I asked them when I bought the bird if I could get my deposit money back if i changed my mind...she said absolutely not (which I understand) but I think that the policy should go both ways.

[Amie]

What was the price of the first bird? Because I would DEMAND that the new bird went for the same price. That is NOT unreasonable. It's their fault that they lost the bird, so they should eat the loss to the breeder.

$1500 for a CAG? Is that about average in Austin? Because you can drive here to New Orleans and get a bird (and the gas!) for less than that! At the bird fair this weekend, the most expensive CAG I met was $900 (and they tried to go down to $700 so I would buy the baby, even though we are looking for an older bird!)

[snooky17]

Oh goodness, here I go again...but aside from the pet-shop issues, I really would like to catch the woman who did this. They don't have any video tapes of her or anything, but everyone in the store knows what she looks like...this might sound crazy, but I want to hire a sketch artist or something...I need an ace ventura!! Haha, Any other ideas...I don't want to just let this go!