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Rumors abound and no one knows the real reason, but Los Angeles and the surrounding area have been fortunate to have a beautiful “model citizen” parrot for decades.
But in recent years, a disturbing trend has been that many of these birds in the San Gabriel Valley are being found by residents, severely injured or even dead.
Cleo Watts, founder of Cleo’s Critter Care, a nonprofit animal rehabilitation center in Pasadena, has received several calls about friendly animals in the area being seriously injured or killed. He said he received it.
“We’ve been getting a lot of calls about birds being shot down,” Watts told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw. “It makes me so angry to know that someone would do something like this to these animals.”
Parrots have been injured or killed by suspects in and around the Pasadena area. (Cleo’s Creature Care)
Watts acknowledged that the colorful birds are a controversial topic in Pasadena, Altadena and other parts of the San Gabriel Valley. She said some people wish there were no birds in the area, as they can be noisy and somewhat annoying.
“We have leaf blowers, and we have people who blow loudly.” [car] Exhaust fumes, crying babies, barking dogs,” she said. “We don’t go shoot them. So why not them?”
This is not the first suspected targeting of these birds in the Los Angeles area. Just last year, someone placed nets in trees in Temple City, resulting in the deaths of several birds.
This time, Watts said it appeared someone was “shooting” the bird using some type of weapon. As many as 11 parrots have been killed or seriously injured in recent weeks.
Parrots have been injured or killed by suspects in and around the Pasadena area. (Cleo’s Creature Care)
The surviving injured birds were taken into Mr. Watts’ care. She took some patients to specialists so they could receive intensive care if needed.
Watts said one parrot she rescued was missing half its wings.
Anyone with information about suspects in these crimes is encouraged to contact police. Anyone who finds an injured bird is encouraged to contact Watts at cleoscrittercareca@gmail.com.
