African grey court battle sparks debate on parrot welfare and pet safety

The Citizen

a day ago

Allowing parrots to live with other animals can put their lives at risk, warns Mieke Steyn, an avian specialist and a manager at Cheeky Beaks Parrot Rescue.
Cheeky Beaks is a non-profit organisation dedicated to rescuing and re-homing parrots across the country. Steyn, who has 20 years of experience with parrots, not only wrote an article about the harms of cohabitation with other animals in 2024, but reiterated the fact in an interview with Lowvelder: 'Mammal saliva is toxic to birds (including human saliva) and it is a cause for concern. If your bird ingests this, or a wound is inflicted, whether intentional or not, it can prove to be fatal.'
In her article, Steyn elaborated: 'If a predator pet plays with a bird, it can lead to wounds or scratches that go unseen underneath a bird's many feathers. Even a small scratch can be lethal due to the possibility of bacterial transfer going unnoticed. Coupled with the fact that birds will always try to hide their injuries or illnesses for as long as they can, chances are you won't know something is wrong until it's too late.'
The well-being of an African grey with two names, Zazu and Zippy, has captured the attention of readers since an article about the custody battle between Crystle Pachos and Obert Ntuli appeared on the front page of last week's Lowvelder.
Pachos – whose bird Zazu flew away in early 2020 and was found in May 2021 – remains determined to reclaim her beloved 'boy'. After three rounds in court, she maintains the African grey is hers and she can prove it.
Ntuli, a local attorney, maintains the bird is his. In an unopposed court proceeding, he obtained a court order in April to have 'Zippy' returned – through the order was not based on ownership.
In Pachos' home, 'Zazu' had a cage filled with toys and daily interaction with Pachos. At night, the cage was covered with a blanket.
In Ntuli's home, 'Zippy' roams freely in an enclosed area with a big tree. The bird shares the space with two other African greys and five toy pom dogs, and sleeps in the tree, in the one cage or 'with the dogs' in the two dog shelters provided.
Opinions on cohabitation differ
SPCA Nelspruit's opinion on the matter was addressed by its chairperson, Jason Blockley, who said: 'Lifelong confinement deprives African grey parrots of the ability to express natural behaviours and can lead to serious physical and psychological harm.
'Cohabitation arrangements are assessed on the welfare, safety, and species-specific needs of all animals. In this case, the dogs have adequate shelter and space, and the birds can move between the outdoors and the indoor area.'
Steyn disagrees: 'We have had numerous cases of birds coming into our care after an incident in a multi-pet household where they were left unsupervised and the bird had sustained some serious injuries. In these cases, whether the birds are surrendered or not, the vet bills can be staggering. It is entirely possible to have a multi-pet household; however, predator and prey animals should never be left together unsupervised, even if a bird is locked in a cage or you trust your other pets unconditionally. Accidents can still happen.'
The SPCA said Ntuli confirmed the birds had access to the house at all times, sheltering them from inclement weather, including rain, cold temperatures and thunderstorms.
Blockley said an inspector of the SPCA visited 'Zippy' at Ntuli's house and found no actionable contraventions of the Animals Protection Act. 'We have made further recommendations regarding diet to ensure optimal nutrition.'
Parrot behaviour a lot like humans
Steyn specialises in avian behaviour and collaborates with experts in the field worldwide.
She studied the videos used in Lowvelder's article and shared her opinion:
'I can confirm that most African greys choose one person as an owner. They are a lot like humans. They might like more than one person, almost like extended family, but they will usually never be as close with them as their person. There are exceptions, and some may not be extremely close even with their chosen person, but the bond is still very clear.
'When I studied the videos and photos of the bird with Pachos, he was on her head and shoulder and showed extreme hormonal behaviour. The parrot's bum was flat against her head and shoulder with open wings, showing his affection.'
By contrast, Steyn said that 'Zippy', in the videos of his release, didn't display positive behaviour.
About 'Zippy's' interaction with Ntuli, Steyn commented: 'He was not happy. He kept walking backwards while the man was swirling his hand around him. He did not lean into the behaviour; he rather opted to take a step back. Some birds would like this type of interaction, but they would behave differently and lean into it or engage back.'
According to Steyn, only time will tell whether Zippy will adapt well to his new environment.
'Birds adapt. It is their instinct to do so, but one can't determine how well it will go. He might follow the lead of the other parrots, as we often witness when introducing a parrot into new surroundings. It is stressful for the bird, and if he is not happy in the long run, it could lead to self-mutilation.'
Cheeky Beaks supports birds living more freely: 'We aim and educate bird owners to let their birds live as close to nature as possible. When people buy birds, they don't always have the knowledge to give them the proper, comprehensive care they need.
'However, they can't simply be released back into the wild if they were bred and raised in captivity, as they no longer have strong survival instincts. We encourage owners to allow their birds as much time outside their cages as possible, avoid clipping them if feasible, and provide ample foraging opportunities, along with a nutritious diet,' Steyn added.
Social media storm
A social media storm erupted after the parrot saga was published.
Maria Cato directed her comment at Ntuli: 'The bird is clearly not yours. I don't know what you try to accomplish by taking the bird away from his/her owner. Why is there an assessment done if the court ruled in favour of the wrong owner? I have an African grey and let me tell you one thing, I will fight till I die to get my bird back!!'
Mandie Fouche defended Ntuli and posted: 'Sorry folks, unfortunately not all the information and evidence has been posted in this article, thus it has created a biased opinion among readers', but did not provide further evidence after being probed by other social media users.
Caging birds is harmful – SPCA
SPCA Nelspruit reacted to the social media posts with: 'We'd like to clarify that the Nelspruit SPCA is first and foremost opposed to keeping wildlife as pets and, secondly, firmly opposed to the caging of animals, including birds such as African greys.'
It further stated that Ntuli's birds have coexisted peacefully with dogs for a long time without incident. Their instincts allow them to move away when they feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Lowvelder asked the SPCA why, if the organisation believes birds should not be caged, it has not intensified attempts to curb their sale.
They replied: 'There is a clear distinction between our law enforcement capability and our policy position (ie, our belief system in terms of our statement of policy). The SPCA operates under the Animals Protection Act No 71 of 1962, which empowers us to act in cases of cruelty but does not regulate the sale of animals. Where contraventions are identified, action is taken in terms of the law.'
On Tuesday afternoon, a petition to bring 'Zazu' home and protect the emotional welfare of African grey parrots was launched on the Support Change.org website.
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