Profound Sadness!

[Kiwibird]

Little psychopathic serial killers in the making if you ask me. Killing animals is the first step towards killing humans. "Boys will be boys" applies to knocking over some trash cans or TP'ing a house, NOT using live animals as target practice. That is a serious issue right there. These guys should have gotten jail time and mandatory time with a psychologist. Give it a few years until they move on to bigger and more terrible acts and everyone will be crying about "but there were no warning signs, they were just lovely boys"

I am very sorry to your friend that he lost his longtime companion over absolutely nothing. I am also sorry he got no real justice for his loss. Shame on the judge and court system for FAILING MISERABLY to PROPERLY deliver justice.

 

[OOwl]

Something just doesn't seem right with this story. If that had happened in my city, I think it would be on the news (less serious abuse, where the animal lived, was first-up news story for days at a time on other incidents). Did this story not make the news down where it happened? I would have expected it to elicit outrage. Sometimes public condemnation is actually a more effective punishment than the law. I know if my neighbor kid is on the evening news for abusing an animal that I'm never looking at him or his family the same way again.

At the very least, if the bird IS considered "property" then a B&G macaw is a couple of thousand dollars at my local bird store. That should be enough for your friend to sue the parents to give some kind of consequences. . . and I certainly would.

I hate posts like this that offer just a horror and no resolution. Loving all animals the way I do, it just makes me feel helpless. I just refuse to believe that "it happened and nothing good can ever come of it. . . it's just the way it is." If that's true, we need to change it.

 

[Anansi]

I'm so sorry for your friend's loss, Mark. The message sent here absolutely disgusts me. "Boys will be boys"?!? It's tragic.

That bird deserved better. His life mattered, as does the grief of your friend. The lack of concern for life, respect for elders, or even common decency shown by these kids is appalling.

And believe it or not, those kids have been done an injustice as well. Given that they moved on to theft so short a time later clearly illustrates the lesson they took from all of this. They figure it was no big deal.

The rod was likely spared far too often in the case of these kids, and perhaps one day it will finally register that going easy on their punishments did them no favors.

 

[Giggleagain]

Sometimes I don't really want to be part of humanity anymore. This is one of those times. How horrible that kids have no compassion in their heart. How horrible that parents have not instilled in them a respect for life.

 

[Mariar]

I have no words to describe my anger and sadness. Purely sick to my stomach right now.

 

[mh434]

These days, our society seems to be all "rights" and no "responsibilities". And people wonder why I love spending time with my pets so much...

 

[Birdman666]

Did this story not make the news down where it happened?

NOPE. NO NEWS COVERAGE. I RAN INTO HIM AT THE PET STORE. HAD MY MACS WITH ME, AND HE GOT ALL CHOKED UP, AND FOUGHT BACK THE TEARS... THEN I FOUND OUT WHAT HAPPENED...

At the very least, if the bird IS considered "property" then a B&G macaw is a couple of thousand dollars at my local bird store. That should be enough for your friend to sue the parents to give some kind of consequences. . . and I certainly would.

HE DID. BUT MONEY WON'T BRING BACK A BONDED BIG MAC, AND EVEN GETTING ANOTHER BIRD JUST ISN'T THE SAME...

I hate posts like this that offer just a horror and no resolution. Loving all animals the way I do, it just makes me feel helpless. I just refuse to believe that "it happened and nothing good can ever come of it. . . " If that's true, we need to change it.

SORRY.

DEATH IS FINAL. THERE IS NO BRINGING HIM BACK. HENCE THE TITLE "PROFOUND SADNESS."

THERE ARE ALREADY LAWS ON THE BOOKS FORBIDDING THE DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, AND AGAINST SHOOTING YOUR NEIGHBOR'S PETS.

THE KIDS WERE CAUGHT AND WERE PROSECUTED UNDER THOSE LAWS.

THEY GOT A SLAP ON THE WRIST, AND THE LITTLE MONSTERS ARE STILL RUNNING LOOSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UNTIL THEY DO SOMETHING EVEN WORSE NEXT TIME, THAT SENDS THEM TO THE SLAMMER...

WHICH APPEARS TO BE THE DIRECTION THESE KIDS ARE HEADED.

AND PARENTS WHO ARE SIMPLY NOT DOING THEIR JOBS AS PARENTS!

I've been wanting an outdoor flight for years. Now?! I'm not so sure it's safe anymore... even in my own backyard.

 

[Birdman666]

These days, our society seems to be all "rights" and no "responsibilities". And people wonder why I love spending time with my pets so much...

I don't understand those parents... AT ALL!

 

[Birdman666]

Sometimes I don't really want to be part of humanity anymore. This is one of those times. How horrible that kids have no compassion in their heart. How horrible that parents have not instilled in them a respect for life.

Not humanity, just certain humans.

You have to tell yourself, this was an isolated incident. Most people wouldn't do something like that.

Otherwise, you'll end up in a shack in the woods writing a manifesto... !

 

[Birdman666]

I think a damages lawsuit would have been the next course of action if that had been me. Hit them in the pocketbook. THEN they care if it costs them. Maybe then their parents will reign in their little darlings and hold them accountable for their actions instead of letting them run wild hurting and stealing from other people.

He is.

And they may yet go to a jouvenille facility for burglary, and violation of probation (in possession of a firearm, they stole guns after theirs were taken away.) WE CAN ONLY HOPE. But even that is just profoundly sad... at that age to screw up your life that badly.

 

[Birdman666]

Mark, can you call and talk to the prosecutor in your area and see if what you were told is true? Maybe if enough of us contacted him/her with alarm, concern, outrage, disgust it might change things? Animals are so beloved, I think if this situation were more public, the outcome might be different than "boys will be boys." Those boys need to receive the counseling and consequences that fit the crime (surely the court system won't just do nothing). Harming animals at a young age is a warning sign of dangerous behavior to come as adults. I hope they get the care they need to turn them around. I don't want to live next door to one of those boys someday.

And I'm very concerned about that elderly gentleman. Having a trauma like that and subsequent sadness, it could affect his physical and mental health. Have you made contact with him? Maybe spending time with him with your birds might be a good idea, depending on how he's dealing with his loss.

Forgive me, but when something like this is posted, I just want to do SOMETHING. Is there anything you think any of us could do?

He used to play with Maggie from time to time when I ran into him. He didn't even want to hold her. He was choking back the tears. Just said "I can't. I don't even want to hold a macaw anymore. It hurts too much."

 

[Scott]

And I'm very concerned about that elderly gentleman. Having a trauma like that and subsequent sadness, it could affect his physical and mental health. Have you made contact with him? Maybe spending time with him with your birds might be a good idea, depending on how he's dealing with his loss.

Forgive me, but when something like this is posted, I just want to do SOMETHING. Is there anything you think any of us could do?

Given Mark's subsequent disclosure of his friend's grief, he won't be at peace anytime soon. I cannot imagine how I would react in similar circumstances, but would move heaven and earth to exact a balance of punishment and rehabilitation against those vicious delinquents.

I'm afraid the 800lb gorilla is the unspoken legal and ethical stance towards animals. We can appreciate their affection, companionship, and even acknowledge their awareness, but equating the highest functioning with personhood will not happen in our time. That would send us tumbling down the slippery slope of our voracious carnivorous tendencies. A worthy challenge of our time is to strike a compromise.