10/12/2024
Something to think about... I saw this comment posted today. If you need to read this more than once to understand, please do, then do better .
'If someone caged any other animal than a bird and never let them out, everyone would go off their heads, but if it's a bird it seems it's acceptable. The one animal that freedom means the most to seems to mean the least to humans.'
This really resonates with me. I realise that plenty of small animals are kept in cages that are largely unsuitable, but there is something fundamentally different about bids. They are not domesticated. They have the ability for the most movement, and instincts and intelligence to match. To deprive a bird of this and keep it in a cage perhaps a few times the size of its wingspan... That sounds like some kind of torture.
This is NOT saying that people should release pet birds. Pet birds would generally not survive in the wild if released, because they don't understand how to find food and shelter or evade predators. Birds who are released go through extensive rehabilitation for successful transition into the wild.
This is simply saying that birds have specific needs, and in many ways they are the most neglected and abused pets due to this physical, mental and psychological deprivation. It is so important for anyone with birds to research their needs, observe them in more natural habitats and try to replicate this as much as possible.
While this post is about birds, I would like to emphasise that ALL animals kept as pets (and otherwise) should have the freedom to do what is natural and necessary for their wellbeing, including having suitable housing. And sadly, there are so many animals that don't have this.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/8CSoBPBzvf6QvvT5/