Bird Flu is Back in the News....We as Parrot Owners should be worried!

[pecks]

You must be kidding. This happened only a handful of years ago? In this day and age? Goodness' sake, that's truly barbaric. I can't believe that would happen in the USA and no one complain about it. Did they at least give owners an alternative to slaughtering their beloved pets? This is disgusting. :pale:

For the guardianship vs ownership issue...I am firmly entrenched in the Ownership camp. I don't want Big Brother "loaning" me my pet. I don't want Big Brother saying how I can or cannot care for my pet. I don't want Big Brother's nose in anymore of my business than it already is. Should there be some standards? Yes, and there is. But for crying out loud, I don't need Big Brother taking a dislike to me and stealing my beloved pets from me because someone disagrees with how I care for them.

We already have a system in place for animal neglect and abuse. Let's not further strip away our rights with the Pandora's Box known as Animal Guardianship.

[NaniOokami]

As lovely as it would be to want the voluntary support of owners, it's something that just wouldn't happen. Whether it be for financial reasons, fear that their bird might actually be infected, ignorance about the disease and the 'this can't happen to me' attitude, or any other reason they feel it's not the "Government's Business", there would be a lot of owners who wouldn't comply. Having only a select few isn't going to cut it, and with such a devastating disease, something needs to be done.

I'm sorry, but I'd like to know that my family and I are being kept safe. I want to keep my birds safe, too - but if I had to choose between the fids and kids... well, I'm going with my own flesh and blood.

Ownership vs. Guardianship will not matter when it comes to something that poses an honest threat. As we've all seen with 9/11, certain rights can and will go right out the window if it is felt that it's truly needed.

Not that it hurts to know that Bird Flu is in the news again, but the culling of many chickens in India is hardly a reason to fly to the defense of our pet parrots here in the U.S. It's much too early to be concerned, considering this happens at least once (and sometimes several times) a year over there. Starting panic over it will do more harm than good.

[Ashling]

That's exactly what was on my mind- if anyone comes to get my birdies. We're taking a few down with us. I have three dogs. Big ones. And a carving knife.

Originally Posted by kellywess

That is just horrible and unbelievable to think it would come to that. I'd be damned... no actually anyone posing to do harm to my beloved pets would. I have a gun. A big one.

[MicahEspudo]

Originally Posted by Ashling

That's exactly what was on my mind- if anyone comes to get my birdies. We're taking a few down with us. I have three dogs. Big ones. And a carving knife.

Same here... I have three semi large dogs. Two of which are pitbulls... but all they'd do is lick the people to death!
But I do have a couple weapons that would come in handy.
But I was totally thinking if I mess up a couple of 'em....more will come

[Kachina]

While it's noble to talk about how they'll have to pry your birds out of your hands, they will eventually get them if they want them and any action like that will only get you jail time on top of heartbreak.

The best defense is to stay on the offense. Educate yourself about these diseases and protect your birds now. Have a local parrot club or rescue? Work with them to get a seminar going about the importance of protecting our companions against these diseases.

[alwaysontimneh]

If someone tried to come and get my Mr. they would have to arrest me first. I would take someone down if they even tried. I have a dog that is strong and powerful and would do anything for me, if I tried to get someone one out of my house he would do it for me. I can see it now on the headlines... Full sized grown men beat down by petite woman for trying to take her pet.

[melin]

My mother works for a Health department in NJ. She has been to many meetings in regard to the bird flu. The reason she has been to these meetings is to discuss what to do when the flu gets here. Not how to prevent it but what to do!

Anyway my mother told me to tell everyone to go to this website: CDC - Avian Influenza (Flu) | Current H5N1 Situation

It is the Center for Disease control. They are IT so to speak. They are the people who are called if anything suspicious from small pox outbreaks to bird flu outbreaks. They are also connected world wide. Take the information from their website not an animal rights group.

Although as I am reading some of the posts I am wondering if we are discussing more than one type of virus and many different situations.

[NaniOokami]

Although as I am reading some of the posts I am wondering if we are discussing more than one type of virus and many different situations.

I think so. The post started about Avian Flu, but then mentioned how parrots have been culled over here for other diseases, and somehow deviated to the ownership vs. guardianship of parrots.

It also involved a lot of people jumping to conclusions about things.

What people do fail to realize is that the government is not 'out to get' our birds. If they were to cull our parrots, it's because they feel there is an honest danger to the health of humanity. These motions can be extreme, as if I'm remembering correctly, Avian Flu has never been found in Psittacines - but it's more of a 'take no chances' approach. Nobody can possibly know how the disease will mutate.
IF it were to happen, no amount of education on keeping our birds healthy would matter to the government. And education is not the perfect prevention. All it would take is one. minor. slip-up.
IF it were to happen, do you really think your guns and big dogs would intimidate people that much? You'd only be putting your dog in danger as well. Wouldn't you feel ashamed of yourself to have your dog shot and killed because you were only resisting the inevitable?

We're passionate about our birds on these forums, but we also tend to jump to a lot of conclusions without really thinking things out, too.