COMMUNITY COMMENTARY:
Feathers are ruffled over lack of birds in feature

By Frank Levine
Over the past two years that I have lived in Burbank I have resisted writing to the Burbank Leader on a number of topics such as poorly timed traffic lights and the entire Whole Foods fiasco because I felt my views were well represented, and that one more Letter to the Editor was fairly unnecessary. This time, however I feel that I just have to speak up.

Was your reporter Ani Amirkhanian even at the same Best Friends Super Adoption Festival that I was ("Day of dogs, cats," March 21)? Your reporter speaks about all of the wonderful dogs, cats and yes, even bunnies, but no mention whatsoever of the gorgeous and colorful Macaws (three birds each over 3 feet long) and the equally beautiful pure white Cockatoos.

These wonderful parrots were smack dab in the middle of the bunny area and even if you walked past them and didn't notice, how could you not hear them squawking, screeching and saying "Hello" to everyone who walked past.

The reporter also quoted a statistic that said that rabbits are the most popular pet in America, next to dogs and cats. Here are some statistics for pet birds: A 1998 article appearing in the Journal of the American Veterinarian Medical Assn., regarded as the most extensive demographic study of pet birds conducted to that date, estimated the U.S. pet bird population at 35 million to 40 million. While this estimate of pet birds is lower than estimates for companion dogs and cats, the population of dogs and cats has remained relatively stable over time while pet bird populations have skyrocketed in recent years. According to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, there were 60.8 million cats and 52.1 million dogs in 1990 and 66.15 million cats and 58.2 million dogs in 1996. In 1990, there were 11.6 million pet birds and 40 million by 1996 — an increase of 244.8%

These numbers have continued to grow over the past decade and some experts say that now parrots are the third most popular pet in the U.S. today. I don't wish to argue statistics, but rather to mention that there is a problem and also a group in Los Angeles working to educate the public as well as find homes for the beautiful, intelligent and, sadly, unwanted creatures.

Parrots First is a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding homes for these beautiful creatures and not making any money for personal gain in the process.

Parrots First is not a bird club. It is not a group of people acting as used-bird brokers. These people are dedicated to the welfare of the birds. They have to file a tax report each year with the federal and state governments, which is a matter of public record.

Parrots First is performing a valuable and much needed service to the Los Angeles County, Orange County and Riverside County area by cleaning up other people's mistakes and educating other people before they make those same mistakes.

It is time people started realizing that exotic animals do not really belong in homes — parrots belong in jungles and rain-forests and a few in the savannas of Africa, not your living room, or, even worse, your garage so you can get away from the noise or the mess. Even though we strongly believe that parrots do not really belong in homes, sadly, the ones that are here already would not survive being re-introduced to their natural habitats. Most of the birds under 25 years of age were born here and have no foraging or other survival skills and also many of their natural habitats have been, or are in the midst of being, destroyed.

It is great that the adoption festival made the front page of the Leader. It is just too bad your reporter couldn't write a complete article.

# FRANK LEVINE is a Burbank resident and co-founder of Parrots First.

Burbank Leader

Good for you!!! Sadly people often ignore what they know nothing about. Maybe next time this reporter will do a little research before he writes a story.