|
CHOOSE YOUR CHARITIES WISELY By John Geary Not all animal welfare organizations are created equal. At first glance, many organizations seem to be good ones, fighting against the illegal wild animal trade, advocating better treatment of animals, and lobbying for better enforcement of the existing laws regarding wild and domesticated animals are some of their purported goals - and all very worthwhile ones. But from a personal, subjective perspective ... I know there are some organizations that have funded or continue to fund efforts to make it illegal to keep parrots in Canada - even captive-bred parrots. Some organizations do not always understand that many people who keep parrots also support wild parrot conservation and restoration. Many animal rights groups often choose to paint all breeders (ethical as well as unethical ones) and pet owners with a broad brush, projecting a picture of owners and breeders as cruel anti-naturists. These groups often support the viewpoint "a few minutes of freedom is better than a lifetime of captivity." I have heard horror stories of activists illegally breaking and entering breeders' facilities and even private homes to release domesticated birds into the wild - to die - based on this philosophy. While the veracity of such stories is virtually impossible to ascertain, I have no doubt they have some root of truth to them. I do know one thing: neither this "better-death-than-captive-life" philosophy nor its subsequent actions stem from true compassion. Philosophies that advocate illegally breaking into buildings to release captive-bred birds are rooted in anger and rebellion, and in many cases, a desire to control and impose one's will on others who do not share the same philosophy. These kinds of actions do nothing to solve any problems; they definitely result in needless suffering on the part of the animals. As well, they can cause major havoc in the local environments, in essence, contributing to environmental degradation. These kinds of action are also EXTREMELY HYPOCRITICAL. Captive-raised parrots have no concept of how to survive in the wild, so to release them is tantamount to MURDERING THE BIRDS. It is extremely hypocritical for organizations to "fight against cruelty" while committing the cruelest act of all. This approach also fails to realize the valuable role captive-bred parrots can play in public education and support for conservation movements. While I do not state unequivocally that captive-breeding aids conservation directly, existing captive parrots can help promote conservation of parrot habitat in much the same way injured, non-releasable wildlife can be used as an educational aid in presentations by wildlife rehabilitation organizations. Like many EXTREMIST ORGANIZATIONS, those that engage in destructive, illegal behaviors in the name of some greater good fail to see the big picture, choosing instead to view the world through a set of very myopic glasses, refusing to look at the complexities of each situation on a case-by-case basis. I would suggest that rather than support destructive, illegal activities, animal welfare organizations should try to find some middle ground with aviculturists. Many aniaml welfare organizations do work with aviculurists and other bird-lovers; there are a few radical groups that do not. All sides working together - animal welfare groups, aviculturists, parrot associations and clubs and parrot conservation groups - to further the welfare of all birds and conservation of bird habitat should be the ultimate goal. That may involve the development of ethical breeding standards, although I realize that may go against the beliefs of some animal welfare advocates, some of whom would like to see an end to breeding exotic birds. However, there are many unethical breeders who give ethical breeders a bad reputation. As long as we allow breeding of exotic birds, we need standards to protect them from unethical, uncaring breeders WHO SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN. Rome was not built in a day, though. Neither anarchy nor legislation is the long-term solution to this complex set of problems. Education is the only hope for long-term, permanent solutions. Pursuing co-operative action would save valuable resources for both sides as well as meet the goals of instilling more ethical treatment of captive animals and conservation of wild animals and their habitat. There is, of course, a growing crisis of unwanted captive birds. I myself have resolved personally to purchase no more parrots from pet stores or breeders; if I add any more birds to my household flock of two African grey parrots, they will be birds that require adoption from homes that can no longer keep them. It should be noted that many animal welfare groups aim to "take away" existing parrots from loving home. Unfortunately, there are always a few individuals who, through their actions, create bad reputations for animal welfare advocates. This tends to create a fear among people who share their lives with parrots. What many parrot owners may not realize is the fact that many people involved in the animal welfare movement keep companion birds themselves. From discussions I have had with different animal welfare advocates, it seems apparent to me that many of them simply want to put a halt to the crisis of an overabundance of birds (that results in many unwanted, unhappy birds). That means, of course, halting captive breeding. There's that contentious debate raising its head again ... and both sides present enticing arguments. However, I do not wish to pursue the "to-breed-or-not-to-breed" debate further at this point in time, on this site. The sites listed below offer better insights than what I can provide. For more information and differing viewpoints about this extremely complex issue, visit:
Final Thoughts If you value your birds and want to ensure they have a good life, it is vital that you remain educated about laws and by-laws regarding the keeping of parrots in your community. Proponents of both pro-breeding and pro-welfare are guilty, to varying degrees, of disseminating some misinformation about bird-breeding, bird-keeping and bird welfare. My 20-plus years as a professional journalist have taught me that is the way it is in any issue with two polar extremes. All any reader can do is read as much as possible, then make informed decisions about the situation based on what each individual feels is accurate, correct and ethical. So read the websites listed above, decide which philosophies you think protect the best interests of the birds, then help in whatever way you can. As for choosing a charity, the bottom line is ordinary common sense. Before you contribute any money to an animal welfare organization, research it thoroughly to make sure your donation will be used in the best interests of both wild and captive animals, not the agenda of a radical, anarchist group. To
re-iterate what I've stated in my opening paragraph, not all animal welfare
groups fall into the category of "radical, anarchist group." Some do,
some don't. But it is important to be aware of where your support goes. It is
very important to educate yourself about all the facets in what is an extremely
complex issue. "The angry man will defeat himself in battle as well as in Life." - Samurai maxim For more of my thoughts about conservation vs. animal rights (the two are not always mutually exclusive), visit my Conservation? Animal Rights? Or Both? page.
|
||||||||
|
(The background music you hear is "Fly, Parrot Fly," written by Mike Schindlinger, sung and recorded with his brother Ron) |
||||||||
|
General Information About African Greys
|
