How do you spot a homeless bird? They’re the one pushing their nest along in a shopping trolley.

In the last week or so I’ve noticed a collection of pet-related products gathering in our cubicle farm. Had no idea what they were for, and didn’t really care, however I spotted a notice posted above the growing pile this afternoon and it is a collection to be donated to abandoned Christmas pets. Aww how nice… two issues.

First, I’m not a pet person, maybe that’s sad but that’s the truth, probably comes from not having pets as a kid because we moved too often. Plus I live in an apartment so pets aren’t really an option, except maybe fish, I could probably handle fish… although I’d probably also manage to kill them. But I’m not an animal hater either.

The fact that so many families buy pets as Christmas presents only to dump them shortly after is a little disgusting. That whole advertising campaign “pets aren’t just for Christmas, they’re for life” is true and the people should pay attention. I can understand how the ‘simpler’ folk can pick out a cute puppy from the local pound with the greatest of intentions without thinking about any of the numerous costs involved with owning a pet. But I would imagine its not just the ‘simple’ folk who are guilty of abandoning these animals.

I wonder where {insert pet name} went, I really hope they didn’t accidentally fall into that sack of rocks that I threw overboard when I was out on the river yesterday afternoon…

I also suspect a lot of these cases are where Mummy and Daddy do the ‘nice’ thing and buy their little kiddies a pet for Christmas. Undoubtedly kiddies are thrilled and bound to throw buckets of love towards their new pet. So what happens two weeks later when ‘nice’ Mummy and Daddy decide they can’t actually afford to look after the cherished Christmas present that they bought their children? What do they tell them? “Oh no, {insert pet name} name ran away”? “Oops, I ran over {insert pet name}”? or “I wonder where {insert pet name} went, I really hope they didn’t accidentally fall into that sack of rocks that I threw overboard when I was out on the river yesterday afternoon…”. Which ever way you look at it, the ‘nice’ parents ain’t so nice, but their kids should probably feel lucky they haven’t been similarly discarded.

Back to the pile of goods to be donated. There are the usual thing like dog and cat play toys, collars, food bowls and the like. But then there is a bird cage, and not overly large one, probably the right size for a budgie. Really? A bird cage. Seems to me like someone just had it sitting around and thought this was an opportune time to dispose of it.

Now I’m not saying people aren’t going to abandon birds, because they will, but unlike with cats and dogs you’re pretty unlikely to see a stray abandoned bird fluttering around your local neighbourhood. How would you tell it apart from the thousands of other wild birds? And to be honest the bird is probably going to be happier in the wild than it would have been living in a square foot of steel mesh.

Finishing on a slightly darker not what’s the bird equivalent of stick a dog or cat in a back full of rock and throwing it into the river? Do you tie rocks to its feet so it can flap like crazy but won’t be able to take off? Guess that could work.