Flock of abused macaws to fly to Florida facility
The Daily Progress/Andrew Shurtleff
Thirty-one recently rescued macaws at the Central Virginia Parrot Sanctuary, including these three, will head to a Florida shelter via a court agreement.
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By Bryan McKenzie
Published: July 18, 2008
ORANGE — Thirty-one macaws seized by animal control officials from an Orange County couple in May will be transferred to a facility in Florida and returned to the couple in 18 months, providing they pay nearly $20,000 in medical bills owed to local veterinarians.
According to an agreement approved earlier this month in Orange County General District Court, Danny Ray Crosswhite, 49, and Sally A. Crosswhite, 58, will regain possession of the birds, all animal cruelty and neglect charges will be dropped and all seizure efforts cease, providing the couple make the payments by Jan. 9.
On May 12, Orange County animal control agents seized the birds from a property at 28190 Old Office Road in Rhoadesville. Animal control officers said the birds were held under plastic tarps, susceptible to weather, and locked in small, rusted-shut cages with mounds of droppings beneath them.
The birds were taken to a Louisa County bird shelter, where they have been housed and fed since the seizure.
Matthew Paulson, a Virginia Beach attorney who represents the Crosswhites, declined to comment on the agreement.
Volunteers who have cared for the macaws since the seizure say many are in poor physical health caused by being fed improper or spoiled foods over a long period of time and receiving inadequate medical care. Many of the birds have responded to human contact, however, said Matt Smith of the Central Virginia Parrot Sanctuary.
According to court documents, the Crosswhites are to receive the birds from the Louisa sanctuary Friday. They are then to transport them to Luv Them Birds, a Florida company that breeds, sells and takes in abandoned birds for later adoption.
According to The Gabriel Foundation, the Crosswhites have agreed to pay $50 per month per bird for boarding fees. There are no provisions in the court agreement that would reimburse the sanctuary for costs it has incurred in caring for the animals.
The sanctuary has received no support from the county or the court.
A national organization, the Denver-based Gabriel Foundation was contacted by the Crosswhites’ attorneys to find a place to house the birds. Luv Them Birds is owned and operated by Gabriel Foundation board member Kathleen Szabo.
According to the breeders association and The Gabriel Foundation, the Crosswhites lost their home and moved the macaws to a neighboring property under temporary conditions. County animal control officers seized the birds before the Crosswhites could get back on their financial feet.
Animal rights groups have criticized The Gabriel Foundation for its involvement on behalf of the Crosswhites, who admit the birds were once breeding stock but say the birds are now pets. A national exotic bird breeders association set up a legal defense fund for the Crosswhites, with donations accessible through an Internet site, that criticizes Orange County animal control officers and the sanctuary.
Sylvia Wooters has fostered two of the macaws. She said the female will have no contact with humans and the male is still weak from neglect that has damaged his liver and left a large hole in his mouth.
“Once a week he goes to the vet and they anesthetize him, clean out the debris and the pus from the hole and give him an antibiotic shot,” Wooters said. “This happens every Tuesday. If he gets put into a population of a lot of birds and cannot have individual attention, I don’t think he’ll last long.”
Wooters and others at the Louisa sanctuary say many of the macaws are being treated for disease and infection. One bird has had a partial wing amputation because of an infection that could not be stemmed, she said.
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( JoeyOwnsMe ) on July 23, 2008 at 2:03 pm
This is horrible and probably the saddest thing I have ever read!
Stepping back and looking at the big picture, I think it’s obvious that TGF is just after a quick buck. They didn’t step in until AFTER the birds were vetted and the local vets of Virginia endured the expenses. They were already safe. No one needed TGF’s help at that point.
Think about it. The Crosswhites were ordered to pay $20,000 in local vet bills and $50 per month/per bird to TGF. That’s $1550 a month for BOARD, in addition to their normal living expenses. they couldn’t afford a house for them. Where would they possibly come up with this kind of money? TGF knows they won’t be able to on their own and my guess is they’re banking on that idea. They’ll have 31 macaws to adopt out and get to keep the adoption fees for themselves, while the local vets are holding the bills for the bulk of their care. If they charge $500 per bird, that’s $15,500 in their pocket for doing NOTHING. They get the money. Someone else gets all the costs. Sick.
What’s the bet that as soon as the media dies down on this topic, the ones in less than perfect health will be destroyed so that they can cut costs. Especially the one with the hole in it’s mouth.
It’s sad. So sad. I’ll never support TGF again. Ever! They should be ashamed of themselves.
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Posted by ( Ladybyrd ) on July 23, 2008 at 11:14 am
I am sickened by the decisions of the courts and the “help” given to the Crosswhites. TGF—what are you thinking?!?!
In my opinion the Crosswhites should have their rights removed from them and never allowed to have any type of “pet” again. They should also be ordered to live in the same enviroment, eat the same foods and endrue the same types of medical proplems that their “pets” have.
Folks—the medical issues this flock of macaws endured, the feces they lived in and the inadequate housing that was rusted shut didn’t happen over night. This is a long history of neglect and abuse from the Crosswhites.
There are people out there willing to help and take on the birds before allowing them to be left in the state they were seized in. The Crosswhites are cruel, heartless cowards and those supporting the return of these birds to them are less than human in my book.
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Posted by ( Ladyhutch ) on July 22, 2008 at 7:21 pm
This information about TGF is quite unsettling. To think that a “rescue” that is concerned about the overpopulation of parrots and their horrible suffering in captivity would sanction and welcome someone to their board of directors who perpetuates this overpopulation by supplying baby parrots to the pet trade is in my opinion not a “rescue”.
I think an explanation is due to all who have in the past supported TGF.
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Posted by ( BE2Cassie ) on July 22, 2008 at 5:35 pm
I’ve been following this story since it’s beginning. A very sad case to see the horrible living conditions that these majestic birds were induring. After the court proceedings I thought it couldn’t get any worse. The abusers are able to reclaim these poor birds in a minimal amount of time to continue their abuse. Now I hear about an organization that I held in high regard is not as it appears. It stepped in to help the abusers and offering sanctuary for the 18 months in one of their board members breeding facilities. I’m saddened, outraged and heartbroken for these poor birds. I’m also outraged that we were duped for so long by TGF. Is there anyone out there anymore who truely cares or is everyone out for the almighty buck?
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Posted by ( spinnyspoo ) on July 22, 2008 at 8:52 am
I am absolutely Shocked. I had a different view of the Gabriel Foundation. To find out that they have not only dropped the ball in a big way on this situation but also are involved in breeding programs is appalling to me. Absolutely appalling.
Word will be going out via the worldwide web. It will move quickly. They will not be allowed to pretend to be rescue while carrying on this kind of work. At least people will know the truth before they say, give a donation.
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Posted by ( Janny ) on July 22, 2008 at 12:49 am
This is really unsettling to me.The thought that a Rescue organization could also support and condone this tradgedy is such a contradiction. On one hand you have a foundation to help the poor birds that are discarded daily or being mistreated by the number and on the other hand you have then suporting the very beast that creates this problem.
What matters here???Obviously not what should and that being the lives of the majestic wild birds that are mistreated in the first place.I am at a loss for words…Humanity has been lost.
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Posted by ( SecondChanceBirds.com ) on July 21, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I always knew that TGF was only a rescue by name and not by heart. A TRUE rescue’s business is a hope to go out of business due to lack of need for rescues. The Gabriel Foundation however works hard to make sure that there will always be a need ... support breeding, birds will be surrendered, TGF stays in business! Man, what a racket! Breed them on the east coast, surrender them on the west.
Shame on any rescue that supports breeding after seeing the suffering that birds go thru in captivity. Sleeping w/ the Devil is what it’s called.
You are the worst kind of people for captive birds. A person who is a breeder is what it is ... but you are a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
As for the rescue that was involved not being paid for costs, that’s not really surprising. Rescues don’t save lives w/ the hopes of reimbursement (or they shouldn’t). There have been much larger seizures from hoarders or breeders and those rescues are not reimbursed for costs either. Many of those rescues shoulder the entire cost, this rescue was extremely lucky that most costs were paid by the county and they had foster homes. I’d like to also extend my thanks to those foster homes for stepping up to the plate; you all are often unsung heroes. Good Job!
If you are looking for a rescue to support DON’T support one that supports breeding! Look up TARA Foundation, Parrots-R-4-Ever, Lily Sanctuary, Bird Love, Bailey’s Foundation and many.
“If you must cripple a creature to keep it, perhaps you should reconsider its suitability as a pet.“
Way to go TGF for being a part of the problem and not the solution!
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Posted by ( Rhonda ) on July 21, 2008 at 4:19 pm
The Gabriel Foundation has assisted THE DEFENSE in a case of animal cruelty. Thirty one macaws will now be ripped away from an accredited parrot sanctuary where they are safe and well cared for, perhaps for the first time in their lives. They will be temporarily “boarded” at a Gabriel Foundation associated/recommended breeding facility, and then returned to their original abusers. Wow. I guess we know which side TGF stands on now. And it is not on the side of the birds.
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Posted by ( Charlie King ) on July 21, 2008 at 11:48 am
I suppose this removes all doubt about the “rescue, sanctuary” status of The Gabriel Foundation. I have been aware lately that they support “reputable” breeders and now one of the board members takes these birds to her breeding compound to add to a population that is supposedly over 1000 birds already. What a sad day for these animals.
Thank you to all the “real” rescuers and supporters that discovered, documented and saved the birds. Birds, and most animals” are just considered properties by the legal system. The fact that these Macaws can live to be 50-60 years old and have an extreme intelligence is lost when dollar signs enter the picture, which has just happened again.
I would also like to thank the DailyProgress for documenting this situation and bringing it to the attention of the public. It will be harder for these things to take place in darkness now. The public needs to be aware that these birds will once again be bred and end up in the hands of people that have no business with them. They are “winged” animals, for goodness sake, and essentially wild at heart. When will humanity realize the extent of their tampering?
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