Officials said a man tried to raise birds, but it ‘got out of hand,’ adding, ‘You simply have more babies, babies, and more babies.’
Hundreds of parakeets have been dumped at a Michigan wildlife shelter.
According to the Detroit News, the little, colorful birds were dropped off on Thursday night by the Detroit Animal Welfare Group in Romeo.
“We were shocked as well, but we couldn’t turn them away because they were all crowded into seven cages, suffocating one other and in desperate need of assistance,” the shelter wrote in the post.
The son of an animal hoarder phoned the group’s director, Kelley LeBonty, to say he was coming to surrender 60 to 80 parakeets from his father’s residence, according to the Detroit Free Press. On Thursday, though, he arrived with 497 parakeets in his vehicle.
“His kid said he just intended to breed a couple of them, but things spiraled out of hand,” LeBonty added. “The issue is that birds reproduce quickly. If you don’t take charge of the issue, you’ll end up with more babies, more babies, and more babies.”
Officials at the shelter claimed they sought assistance from bird rescue organizations. For the parakeets, temporary home was arranged, and food was supplied.
“These birds come from a terribly unhealthy setting, and the owner’s recklessness is appalling,” stated shelter authorities. “However, it truly takes a village to rescue these creatures, and we are grateful to everyone who collaborates to provide them with the care and homes they need.”
The birds must be quarantined for a period of 30 days. The Detroit News stated that adoptions will commence on January 23.