A Sad Story - Congo returned to Owner

[TheFrantom]

This may be a repeat for some, but I though I would add it to this forum too. A friend told me about this circumstance which happened recently....

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Rocco, the African Gray was lost in August 2009 in Parma, Ohio. He was returned to the happy owners (M/M Livingston)almost a month later by a very honest lady.

This is the story. Amy spotten the African Gray high in a tree at night. She located a ladder, was in a dress, but still climbed up 20 feet to grab the bird. Thankfully both Amy and bird returned to the ground safely.

It so happened that Amy just healed from one minor operation and was scheduled for 2 major operations a few days after she found Rocco, so this young lady was not well. But she was an animal lover, had an African Gray of her own, and did her best to rescue the lost African Gray high up in the tree. She actually would have liked to keep Rocco as a buddy for her own Gray, but she did the HONEST thing to try to find the owners and return their bird.

It took a friend of hers to help her search the ads and the internet a few weeks to locate the owners. Mr. & Mrs. Livingston were offering a nice $250 reward for the return of their precious bird.

The owners, it turned out, lived close to Amy in Parma, Ohio. They raced over to get their African Gray. They were very grateful, grabbed their bird, and left.

Sounds like a happy ending doesn't it??? Wrong.

It turned out that the happy owners stiffed Amy on a reward. Amy received nothing for all of her efforts. A friend called to congratulate the Livingstons on the return of their bird and Mrs. Livingston claimed that Amy
"refused" to accept the advertised reward (not true) so they just did not leave anything for her when they left. But they "might" get her a gift card later.

To this date Amy has NOT heard from these people.

Advertising a reward for a lost animal, getting the bird back happy and healthy, and then giving the rescuer nothing in return I think was absolutely shameful.

(I will gladly print a retraction, if Amy ever receives the promised "reward".)

I think this circumstance will ruin it for the next person who loses a valuable item.....

Moral of the story: It is possible to get your lost parrot back. But when you advertise a reward -- PAY IT to the honest person who returns the parrot back to you. That is money well spent!

[lotusflower777]

That is awfull, I as an act of faith, I ALWAYS offer a reward if somthing is lost of value to me AND COME THROUGH with it, if the item is returned.

Its not often that people are honest enough to return anything VALUABLE, So rewarding them what you have offered is the very LEAST you can do.

[Kachina]

Parma huh? Sounds just like a scumbag and his mom I know that live there, and they had a grey or two last I knew. I wouldn't be surprised at all to hear it was them.

Any way it goes, that's just disgusting. Thankfully she didn't hurt herself.

[chinniechantel]

Wow, that would make me so mad. It actually reminds me of a law school hypo, and if I remember correctly, that money is legally hers. If they advertised it, and she read it before she got the bird, that is legally her money. I would have Amy bring her to small claims court. Even if she does not win, and I think she would, it would be nice to make that family think about what they did. I can only imagine a judge would think that is disgusting behavior.

[RubyMuse]

Posting a reward is an official thing. Amy can take them to small claims court to hold them to the reward if she has a posting she can offer as proof. Even if she does not want the money - she can donate it to a rescue. It is the principle. Not paying the reward is actually fraud.

[TheFrantom]

Follow-up: The owners were contacted by a friend of Amy who tried to appeal to their "conscience" Evidently they have no conscience..... They "claim" Amy turned down the reward but it was their father's bird. But they were going to run out and get her a gift certificate of some kind the next day. Well its been 2 weeks, Amy's husband just had an operation now, and NO contact from the gray's owners. Amy and her husband could really use that $250.00 reward. It makes me mad everytime I think about this. Is there any wonder why others may not get their valuables returned the next time? This cheap couple in Parma just ruined it for the next guy.

The lost and found websites seem to have a disclaimer that they do not get involved in promised "rewards". It would be good if a court would up hold a published advertisement of a reward. I would like to know if anyone else ever sued and won in an similar instance. Personally, I would think this was '"false advertising". (BEWARE: If you ever lose a parrot, pet or any valuable item, this same thing could happen to you!)

All the lost and found websites warn about bogus "finders". Well, this evently is the "other side of the story".

Moral of the story: When a "finder" notifies the "owner" that they have their item, make sure the "owner" knows that you expect their advertised reward BEFORE they get their item (or pet) back. And don't ever believe you will get it later.... You will never hear from the owners again.

It is a shame when creeps take advantage of good hearted people.

As mentioned before, I would be glad to make a retraction if Mr./Mrs. Livingston in Parma, Ohio (the african gray's owners/representatives) ever come thru with their advertised reward for Amy returning their parrot.

[r2rusmc]

Oh I can tell you a much worse scenario for someone who found a lost grey.

[LovelySydney]

I feel, as I think most others do, that if you offer a reward for something you need to follow through. For some lost pets, getting their family members back are slim to nothing odds. For those of us who dont have children, me, my pets are my kids and I would do anything I could, offer anything I could, to get them back. On the chance that you DO get your pet back you would think one would be so excited and moved that they would give the reward because they have peace and solace knowing their pet is home safe.



*sigh* Its really quite sad.

[chinniechantel]

I am an attorney and from what I remember it is not false advertising but it is a breach of contract. If she knew about the reward offer and then took time to find the bird, and detrimentally relied on the offer, that is a contract. Not paying that is a breach of contract. She would have a very good case and the judge would almost definitely be sympathetic to the situation.

[asulli]

Very shameful! I hope that Amy and her husband are doing better. I also hope that their kindness is returned to them sevenfold!