Plea for the Safety of the Troy Parrots

The following is a plea written by Rigdzin Zeoli, caretaker of the Garuda Aviary Parrot Rescue and Sanctuary:

Doug Ratcliff of Union Township was not an animal hoarder. He is trying to start a parrot mill. The horrific photos that brought the world’s attention to Union Township were not unfamiliar to me. The sight of parrots living and dying in filth and squalor is often what you find in a parrot mill.
As an experienced parrot handler and primary caretaker for Garuda Aviary parrot rescue and sanctuary, I recognized Doug Ratcliff’s methods as being consistent with other inhumane parrot breeding “facilities” deemed parrot mills. An associate of mine who was on the scene in Union Township during the rescue phase of the horrific “Troy Parrots” story confirmed my suspicions by reporting the presence of rows of “breeding boxes” where the parrots were kept on Ratcliff’s property.
Parrot mills are very similar to puppy mills in that the breeding animals are denied basic health care in an attempt to increase profits. If one of the breeding animals get sick or injured, the breeder will often let it die rather then pay for it’s medical care.
Doug Ratcliff is trying to regain custody of the 10 parrots currently under the care of Dr Brauer at the South Dayton Veterinary Clinic in Kettering. It is no surprise he wants these birds returned as they represent the core of his breeding population.
Returning these parrots to Mr. Ratcliff would be a unconscionable crime. He has multiple animal cruelty and neglect violations in his history of parrot keeping.
I have seen parrots kept in inhumane negligence. The conditions seen on Doug Ratcliff’s property were probably the worst conditions I’ve ever encountered. It has been extremely difficult for Dr. Brauer to keep some of these birds alive and to get them to some semblance of a healthy state.
With all of the negative press Ohio has received recently regarding the inhumane treatment of animals, the LAST thing the people of Ohio would want in their area is a parrot mill. Anybody with even a vague interest in the humane care of animals would regard this as proof that Ohio’s perspective on animal welfare is cruel and archaic.
I am sending this plea out to anybody who might have relevant authority regarding this issue.
Dr. Brauer is filing an injunction to gain ownership of these 10 parrots still under his care so that he may find the proper rescue facilities to continue their recovery.
On my hands and knees, I beg, BEG you to help Dr. Brauer gain ownership and deny Mr. Ratcliff these very special exotic birds.
If these parrots are returned to Ratcliff, they will suffer in filth and illness and many will die. There is NO reason to believe otherwise when one sees his past record of criminal negligence.
PLEASE do the right thing and help see these exotic birds to safety.

Thank you
Christopher Zeoli
Garuda Aviary

If you would like to add your voice to the call for protecting these precious lives here is some contact information:

Send a letter via http://governor.ohio.gov/Contact/ContacttheGovernor.aspx

HSUS Ohio State Director
web form: http://www.humanesociety.o​rg/forms/states/contact_oh​io_director.html

Prosecutor Gary Nasal
email: [email protected]

Mayor Michael L. Beamish
email: [email protected]