Parrots are among the most abused animals in the pet industry. Let’s end their exploitation on International Parrot Crisis Awareness Day.
Right now, thousands of little parrots are trapped in dirty cages in Texas and Oklahoma. They cannot fly, flock, or even feel the sun’s warmth on their faces. Soon, they’ll be packed into plastic shipping containers and sent to PetSmart and Petco stores across the country—all this cruelty just so people can keep parrots in cages.
Bird Mills
Parrot species such as budgies (parakeets), conures, and cockatiels are some of the most exploited bird species. They’re bred in mills with thousands of other birds to supply pet stores. The largest mills are in Oklahoma and Texas, though many bird mills also exist in Florida.
Investigations of bird mills have revealed severe cruelty. A 2024 US Department of Agriculture inspection of a large bird mill in Oklahoma found dead birds inside a barn with a heat index of 110.7 Fahrenheit. Other birds showed signs of severe heat distress.
Parrot Sales Fuel the Wildlife Trade
Whenever a parrot is purchased, whether legally in a store or illegally on the black market, it fuels the demand for more parrots. Due to habitat destruction and the pet trade, nearly 60% of parrot species are declining, and 28% are globally threatened.
Bird Sanctuaries Are Overwhelmed
There are few accredited parrot sanctuaries in the US, and most rescues don’t accept birds. The rescue community is overwhelmed with requests from people who want to surrender their parrots. That’s because birds don’t belong in cages. Parrots are meant to fly and live with large flocks. Isolated and caged in human homes, many parrots develop extreme behaviors such as self-mutilation (feather plucking), screaming, and biting. Foster Parrots, one of the largest accredited sanctuaries, receives 700 to 1,000 surrender requests annually. Sanctuaries can’t keep up with current demand, and the pet industry breeds millions of new baby birds every year.
The First Annual International Parrot Crisis Awareness Day
Our friends at the International Alliance for the Protection of Parrots (IAPP) launched #ParrotCrisis Awareness Day to expose the abuse that the pet industry inflicts on parrots. The IAPP is a coalition of rescue and conservation organizations, advocates, and veterinarians working to end the breeding and sale of parrots. Unlike many groups working to end the illegal parrot trade, the IAPP recognizes that no parrot belongs in a cage. Whether illegal or legal, every sale of a parrot is cruel.
Participate in International Parrot Crisis Awareness Day
- Post on social media using the hashtag #ParrotCrisis.
- Work with your city or county legislators to pass a ban on selling parrots and other animals in pet stores.