Parrots Flock Northern Indian Temple

Appreciate wild animals in their natural habitats. Don't hold them captive for your entertainment.

Parrots Flock Northern Indian temple

From BBC News , July 21, 2008:
Hundreds of thousands of parrots have flocked to a temple in northern India to feed.
The parrots gather at the temple in Indore for three months a year to eat sorghum grains left out by devotees. Click here to watch a video of the wild parrots!

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*NEWS RELEASE* Contact: Marianne Bessey (610) 733-1248


BIRD STORE OWNERS TAKE EXTREME MEASURES TO SILENCE CRITICISM

Committed Concerned Citizens Continue Compassion Crusade this Weekend

August 21, 2008, Burlington, N.J.: In their nonstop campaign to silence criticism of the multi-million dollar bird trade, representatives of Bird Paradise contacted the employer of one of the lead advocates to require removal of information from the website www.BoycottBirdParadise.com. Undeterred, advocates vow to continue their efforts to expose bird suffering with another demonstration at the store this weekend.

The most recent action was unprecedented: Employers of the advocates involved in the campaign to help raise awareness of the suffering of birds in captivity are unrelated in any way to the campaign, yet Bird Paradise representatives didn't hesitate to attempt to harass and intimidate demonstrators by contacting at least one employer to request that action be taken to require the removal of information from the website also known as www.BirdHell.com. The employer declined the request. It is unknown how many total employers were contacted.

What: Demonstration to Highlight Bird Suffering

When: Saturday, August 23, 2008, 3:00 p.m.

Where: Public Right of Way in front of Bird Paradise, 551 E. Rte 130 South, Burlington NJ

Bird Paradise's attempts to suppress free speech began in January, when store owners requested local police to remove demonstrators from public property outside the store. Continuing their campaign to squelch dissenting opinion this spring, Bird Paradise owners next filed a civil lawsuit in New Jersey Superior Court to prevent the next planned demonstration. When even this effort failed (the ACLU stepped in to represent the demonstrators and the lawsuit was dismissed), things turned ugly when one of the owners, Kathy Lance, assaulted a demonstrator during the first demonstration in April, causing cuts and bruises and requiring emergency medical treatment.

After she was videotaped attacking the demonstrator, Lance fled the scene but local police helped to identify Lance as the person who attacked the demonstrator, and assault charges were filed against Lance. Hours later, Lance filed a statement claiming the demonstrator "stepped on to the property of Bird Paradise with camera in hand" and filed charges against the demonstrator for assault, harassment, and trespassing. In court last month, all charges against the demonstrator were dismissed (the ACLU and esteemed attorney William H. Buckman donated their services to represent the demonstrator at no charge), and Lance pled guilty to a lesser charge. Ms. Lance's legal counsel requested the judge to prohibit communication of the guilty plea outside of the courtroom, but the judge refused.

"Bird Paradise is trying desperately to deflect attention from the true issue here, which is birds are wild animals that suffer greatly in captivity," said local advocate Marianne Bessey. "Even the most loving bird owner can't meet birds' needs to fly and flock. Stores like Bird Paradise continue the cycle of abuse by selling thousands of more birds, even when so many birds already suffering in captivity desperately need good homes."

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