Freedom Eating Away At Freedom

It seems certain individuals cannot control themselves when given the freedom to express and say how they feel under the guise of ‘anonymous’.

I have allowed freedom of speech on this blog from the very beginning, regardless of where you ‘stand’ and what I really did not expect from anybody commenting on here were the childish comments, petty spats and diversion tactics being used.

I would like to suggest to those who are content to hide behind 'anonymous' and abuse these posts to either read or comment on material that is to your intellectual preference such as OK magazine, or simply refrain from commenting alltogether.

If childish comments are continued to be made on other posts I will have no choice but to move them here, where you can throw rocks amongst yourselves. I will also be left with no alternative but to remove the anonymous comment option, as I like everybody else am sick of reading the same old tosh.


"The fox knows many things, the hedgehog one big thing"

Responsibility And Morality

The Five Freedoms -

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.

2. Freedom from Discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.

5. Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

The Mylo and JJ situation.

What we have here is a simple situation which can be discussed in terms of Responsibility and Morality.

Responsibility –

1.) The State, quality, or fact of being responsible.
2.) Something for which one is responsible, a duty, obligation or burden

Morality –

1.) The quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct
2.) A system of ideas of right and wrong conduct
3.) Virtuous conduct
4.) A rule or lesson in moral conduct

Caron is responsible for Mylo under the duty of care, as Adele / UKPR are responsible for JJ. The responsibility for these birds has been split. What needs to be discussed is ultimately who will gain full responsibility for the two birds, as keeping them separate has been deemed unsuitable.

Adele originally declared that she would not be able to offer Mylo & JJ a permanent home, so Caron had been chosen to supply them with a home. Now UKPR were confident enough at the time to choose Caron, so the question still remains unanswered – If Caron and her home had been deemed suitable for both Mylo & JJ why is she and her home now no longer suitable?

Whatever personal differences you may have, there is no question that Caron cannot give both Mylo and JJ the care they both require. What has been raised is that Adele by her own submission was no longer in a position to care for Mylo & JJ on a permanent basis. Now I understand since first submitting that information, she since changed her mind. What had changed in the hours from when they were collected to be taken to Caron's?

Mylo arrived at Caron's in ill health, he is still in ill health as he continues to have an undiagnosed condition, and it is Caron's moral obligation to put the health of Mylo before anything else in relation to his care. It has been raised that to move him would be unfair and stressful which is one of the many reasons Caron made the choice not to move him. As JJ is in the care of Adele and UKPR they too have the moral obligation to put her health before anything else in relation to her care and this is where the biggest question comes into play - As Mylo & JJ were a bonded pair and the separation of these two seems to have had the worst effect on JJ (we have been informed that since the seperation of the two, her plucking has accelerated), is it not the moral obligation of Adele / UKPR to send JJ to Caron's so they can be re united and return to good health and happiness? After all this outcome was what was originally planned for Mylo and JJ.

The truth in the situation I believe is this - Caron is perfectly capable, experienced and suitable to provide both Mylo and JJ a forever home, the simple reluctance to send JJ to Mylo in Caron's home and under her care is purely based on a personal dislike from UKPR’s side. Is this really fair on Mylo and JJ? To let such a fickle matter stand so strongly in the way of what ultimately is a decision that is going to impact the rest of their natural lives really is not in the best interests of Mylo and JJ’s welfare.

Whispers In The Silence

I would like to think that there are many more individuals out there, questioning and thinking over the Milo & JJ situation and i would like to ask those who have kept quiet until now to come forward and voice their opinions as well as give their input , regardless of where they stand. It is vital we gain as much information, critisism and questioning as possible so we can move forward from this situation and really begin to make changes for the future of Avian Welfare.

Know Your Sanctuary

A useful guide put togther outlining legitimate, top quality rescue.

http://web.mac.com/fosterparrots/iWeb/FOSTER%20PARROTS/Identifying%20Legitimate,%20Top%20Quality%20Rescue%20%26%20Sanctuary%20Organizations.html

Avian Welfare Resource Centre

For those interested in Avian Welfare


An article on Animal Sanctuaries - http://www.satyamag.com/nov04/paquette.html


An article supporting an end to breeding

http://www.parrotchronicles.com/fall2001/rescuespotlight.htm

A Light In The Dark

I have been watching the madness that is the 'Milo and JJ situation' from it's birth, i for one am appalled and ashamed at the way this whole situation has been handled.

UKPR for those who do not know are an Internet Parrot forum that are 'handed' birds to re home through their chat forum. An idea, which in its purest form is of good and light, the Internet is a fantastic way of reaching people who may or not be looking. Their 'Leader', the individual in charge is a 'Vikky', i cannot comment from real experience on Vikky as i have never met her, but as she is the 'leader' of UKPR then all responsibility rests solely on her, such is life.

I am an ex member of UKPR, who made the choice to leave UKPR over the 'Milo & JJ' incident, Having worked for a number of Animal rescues, i am fully aware and awake to the 'Darker Practices' of Animal Rescue, leaving me vigilant ever more so. UKPR's decision to re home Milo & JJ with Caron, was probably the only realistic decision they ever made in my eyes, Caron was not what you'd call a 'buzz member' on the UKPR forum, which the majority of birds are 'awarded' to, Caron's life wasn't on display for everybody else to see, she always answered my open questions with great knowledge and confidence when nobody else would, which is a rarity on the forum, basically Caron has been the catalyst to make things happen, i truly believe that the majority of 'members' on UKPR feel as i do, inside they know that what has happened with Milo and JJ is wrong, simply due to Vikky, But are choosing to stick to the crowd, choosing to follow, following the Shepherd, and why...because they 'feel' they know Vikky, she's always about on the forum, she is the great leader, whereas they do not know Caron as she simply kept herself to herself, commenting only when she felt necessary. People are afraid of what they don't know, like the darkness,what you must see is that Caron has been a light, a shining example of morality, care and love.

Lets turn the tables on the whole situation then maybe those who are still unsure of which way to look may find the answer -

Now lets just say that for purpose of getting my point across Caron Is in Adele's Position and Adele is in Caron's.

So lets say Caron has been looking after Milo & JJ for six months now, she has been diagnosed with the early stages of a serious condition 'bird fanciers lung', so she chooses to re home the two of them along with their cage through UKPR

1. Adele is chosen as their new carer
   
2. Arrangements are made for Milo & JJ to be collected from Caron's and taken to Adele's
3. Transport arrives, the two birds have what has been called a 'serious' fight, with one taking injury, so Caron makes the decision to send one of the 'bonded' birds to Adele's
4. One bird arrives with Adele, stressed, alone and smelling of smoke
5. Adele does her best to settle the bird and comfort him
   
6. Adele then poses questions on the forum regarding the injured birds conditon and the whereabouts of their cage, which was supposed to be travelling with them
   
7. After various comments are passed back and forth over the forum with regards to the cage, Adele is then banned from UKPR by Vikky
   
8. Caron then decides she wants the bird that is with Adele back, stating that she can now house them appropriately in what was a spare bedroom

What would Adele have done? would she have handed Milo back to Caron? Would she have stressed that it would be best for the two of them to be together with herself, considering Caron has been diagnosed with the early stages of a serious condition and has made it publicly known that she has no regard for her own health, ultimately leading to no regard for the health or well being of her family, would she really hand Milo back knowing all of this while she has also been blackened by UKPR for asking very simple questions?

I really hope that every single person reading this, given the circumstances would have done the same as Caron as i know i would have, i have gone through a similar situation to this and have made it well known that i will fight to the death for the bird in question. I think even you Vikky, deep down, you know what has happened is wrong. For those who feel too weak to leave UKPR because it may be all some people have, there is life after UKPR.

Use UKPR as an example of what happens when there are no rules, no good leaders and no true thoughts.

Breeders Cannot Run A Rescue and have the true welfare of birds at their forefront. People breed animals for money, for status and to play god.

There is no sense in madness, it is like a man in his shop selling cheap alcohol to alcoholics, watching their lives fall apart then charging them to help them pick up the pieces, all the time continuing his circle.

“If most of us are ashamed of shabby clothes and shoddy furniture, let us be more ashamed of shabby ideas and shoddy philosophies... It would be a sad situation if the wrapper were better than the meat wrapped inside it.”