Re: Gibber and Polly


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Posted by Peter H on March 30, 2006 at 18:11:28 from 81.153.237.0 user Peter_H.

In Reply to: Re: Gibber posted by Andy Clayton on March 30, 2006 at 17:39:29:

So now owning exotic pets is a whole different game.

It certainly is, Andy. I find myself thinking of that, every time I see a mention of Polly in the stories. Of course, AR's age was a more innocent one, and for a child reader, having a real live parrot in the story really does add colour. But for an adult - oh dear! The importation into Europe of tropical birds from Africa (mainly) and Asia is a desperately cruel trade. The birds are usually consigned to Belgium, which has lax wildlife import restrictions. Once there, the birds can be sent to anywhere in the EU.

The birds are netted by African boys (working for a pittance). They are crammed into crates and taken the long journey to the nearest airstrip. Over 50% of the birds die during the journey. The ones that survive are destined for an isolated life, in a cage in a stuffy room, having to eat the wrong type of food. Most types of parrot are gregarious. It is all unspeakable, and it worries me a bit that modern child readers of AR might pester their parents to let them have a parrot, like Titty. The answer has to be 'no'.


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