beautiful story everyone should get this book.

[jenseits]

Originally Posted by xafsmom

I read the book and I also was moved to tears. Angry tears. It made me want to shake the author and ask her why she would be so ignorant, so inconsiderate of what that bird really needed to survive. In the end, what did this person do? Preyed upon the emotions of bird owners and animal lovers by writing a book she now profits by.

*SPOILER ALERT*

Ditto. I had trouble sleeping for days after I read that book - I was SEETHING in anger at the author. I had no sympathy for her, and I almost wrote a scathing letter to the publisher about what an irresponsible, awful thing this woman did... and how dare she write a book that attempts to portray *her* as the victim. She did nothing to protect those two birds (remember, after the macaw, the female of the bonded pair flew off too), she made no attempts to train/tame them so they could live happier lives within her household -- basically did everything she could to ensure they would die horrible, painful deaths, then she justifies her actions and tries to make it seem like she did the right thing for the birds and that we should feel sorry for her.

This woman did everything wrong (from encouraging her untrained/disabled bird to fly away to letting the animals run wild through her house to feeding them garbage), but her tone makes it sound like she thinks we should admire her.

Ugh!.... I'm still really PO'd.

[macawgirl]

omg, see i only read parts, because i am training to work barnes and noble at home, so i only got to read a bit here and there. im glad i posted this up here and you let me know how the story ended, because now i feel sick to my stomach, and i wanna cry after hearing what happened and how she died, im so glad i only got to read what the ebook did. i clip my birds wings just in case, i would never let them just fly, because of what happened to sarah. im fighting tears now knowing the ending. omg.

i may have to take tony in to have him clipped, the previous owner did clip him for me, he is getting used to me but not sure how he is gonna be in the next month or so when its time to clip again.

Originally Posted by jaded1313

I would read the reviews on amazon before you get the book...(spoiler)

Amazon.com: The Parrot Who Thought She Was a Dog (9780307406286): Nancy Ellis-Bell: Books

"First, I must state that I own an African Grey parrot who is the light of my life, and I protect her life everyday by giving her the best care possible. I was very excited to get this book, but after reading it, I have been upset to the point of writing this review. The macaw named Sarah was "rescued" by a novice parrot person. The bird was deemed untouchable, and no attempt was made to rehabilitate her in this regard, but she was still given free reign of the house and was never caged after the first few weeks. She was allowed to "be a bird" within the home even though every attempt was made to bird proof the house and keep her safe. But then, because the "rescuer" felt bad that this wild caught bird had been caged, Sarah was allowed to free fly outside which was in a forest. Eventually, Sarah took to the trees, where she perished after a week in the driving rain because she would not come when called. She was found dead on the ground outside her home, where she had eventually tried to return. The writer describes watching Sarah, high in the trees, sinking in demeanor day by day, until she lost track of her. I feel terrible that this beautiful bird was caught, injured in the process, and then sent to the U.S. to be kept as a pet. But I feel much worse that she ended up with a person who was so emotional about this fact, that she tried to re-introduce the bird to an outside environment completely foreign to the bird after years of being in a cage. This poor bird was doomed, and I cannot stop thinking about her. She starved to death up in those trees, and the weather probably caused her to be miserable and sick before she finally died trying to go home. It goes without saying that all birds deserve to fly free, but if you come upon a parrot who has been raised to be a pet, you are beholden to care for it, not expect it to know how to be wild. Even though the book was entertaining in parts, I cannot get past the injustice done to this sweet soul. I will never forget Sarah and what happened to her. I cry every time I think about her. "

[macawgirl]

actualy i didnt read the whole story, i only read what the free ebook what let me. of course it gives you the good stuff, and you are like omg, how sweet to take this bird in. i didnt know about the awful ending. im truely sick to my stomach, and glad i didnt finish reading it. i couldnt imagine loosing my birds to a preditor or dying because they dont how to come back home. its awful. its been 5 yeares since savannah died and i still cry over here. omg.

Originally Posted by perchingbird

... parrots released into non-native environments are a THREAT and NUISANCE to the NATIVE ANIMALS that live there.

Who's going to speak up for the wildlife? :p

... but I'm glad the OP enjoyed reading the book. :D I do get fiesty when misinformation is published though.

[silvercb67]

So very sad!

[LoveMyBeak]

Originally Posted by r2rusmc

There is a member on this forum that has done the same thing and lost the clipped bird to a predator. He improved his technique and plans on releasing the rest of his flock.

That was his last update a few months ago. He left in a huff when he did not get support. Look up the posts, they are a tragedy in the making.

Ya I remember this fool, I wouldn't be surprised if he is married to the author of that book. Remember how angry he made me? Man! the total ignorance he had for the well being of his macaws.
I came accross this certain book at B&N and got to flipping through it and basically taking it all in as a sumary, when I got to the part where the Macaw died i went all the way back to where she was insane enough to just let it be outside without any kind of restraint, and then she wanted the reader to feel sorry for her for losing Sarah, sorry- I ended up feeling sorry for Sarah and not for her.
That night I accidentally slipped up and Hannah got away I stopped at nothing to get her out of that forty foot tall tree, I was being ignorant and wasn't paying attention to safeguards that keep such a thing from happening..............................NOW I DO
It would just tear me up knowing if any of my fids ended up like that out in the wild, I was almost going to buy that book and after I read the last part I pretty much almost threw that book in anger.
Now I will get back off of the soapbox