Combating Craigslist parrot scammers

[yehudasf]

BS"D

I keep a close eye on my local Craigslist pet area. To often I've seen the same person spinning some sob-story about wanting a parrot, but having no money (and how were they going to pay for toys, cages, play areas, food, vet. etc. etc.??) and having gone through some horrible trauma (abuse, divorce, car accident, work accident etc.) but somehow able to provide the parrot they seek with a "loving high-quality home". Below is a copy of the post that I put up every time I see one of these ads. The reason I do this, in concert with the Animal Care & Control office I participated in a "sting" to catch one of these low-lifes trying to get a bird, only to turn around and head for a flea market right away to try to sell it. Needless to say the scum was arrested & thank G-d actually put in the county jail for 14 months for theft-by-deception, and avoidance of sales tax. Please watch the craigslist in your city and feel free to borrow my post.


Please be very cautious when thinking about "donating" or "re-homing your pet parrot to an "Adoption or Rescue" centre, or some individual who make the pitch about desiring a parrot, but not having any money. It has been sadly shown time and again that many folks are just out looking for the main chance to pick up an expensive parrot for free, in order to turn a quick buck either at a flea-market, or some scrungy petshop. In the event that your life has changed to the point where you and your little "psittazen" must part ways, consider carefully, if the person who is all eager to get their hands on your little one cannot afford to pay a reasonable fee (in the 100s of dollars, not the 10s), what possible chance is there that this person would be able to provide the necessary, routine &(as we all know) expensive veterinary care that all parrot require? Again, the healthy diet a parrot requires is also not cheap, nor the cages, toys, and out-of-cage play areas.

Some of the tell-tale tip-offs are requesting multiple varieties of parrot,(but only of the expensive sort, never a budgie, cockatiel, or even a rosella), a heart-tugging tale of woe, usually including stories of disability, spousal abuse, unexpected death or theft of previous pet.. etc. etc. Refusal to sign a notarised contract giving the original companion the right to reclaim the bird in the event of abuse, fraud, or the inability of the adopter to provide a suitable home for the parrot.

When a parrot loses their primary companion & caregiver, they suffer a severe trauma. The least that we, their companions can do, is to exercise great diligence in making certain that the new home they go to will be just that, a home, not a way-station on a journey of abuse and torment.

[cgrite]

Well said......

People as such I just despise, which is in fact the reason such postings are not allowed on this forum....sad....

[mamalovesrico]

Yes, this is sad. Glad to hear your keeping an eye out in your area and doing something about it! :eusa_clap

[Callistobass]

HEAR HEAR!


I am from Chicago and I see these a lot, I'll post this often!


My Lola came to me from a Craigslist ad - but she definately wasn't free :icon_eek:

haha!

Great post! :eusa_clap


edit: I just posted it on the Chicago Craigslist page

[Cheeky beaks]

I had no idea this was going on. I really thought these ads were from people who just weren't thinking about the other expenses of keeping a parrot. Thanks educated again. Joan

[iggysbirds]

I had never heard of the craigslist. I checked it a minute ago and found it very interesting that one post is advertising giving a parakeet with cage to a good home and then like 5 days later they advertise to take in any unwanted birds!! Makes you wonder why they are giving away one if they are so willing to take in all others with problems huh?!

Stephanie

[Lisa B]

THAT is EXACTLY why I intervien(sp) with some adoptions, and offer help to people who need to rehome. Being the president of my club for so many years, I watched in person these beggers and thier wild stories.....
I also stopped many adoptions to this perticular person!

[Tiki]

We don't have craigslist here either but it appears to be a sort of classifed section?

Good job, Yehuda on looking out for the welfare of birds in your area and preventing the scammers from taking advantage of them! :eusa_clap

[Callistobass]

www.craigslist.org

it is an online classifieds

you can select your city, or at least a city nearby... it is bigger/more widely used in certain places and less used in others, but it is worth using usually (especially when you don't want to deal with EBay or the hassle of shipping stuff)

[nene142]

I LOVE craigslist lol!