Caged Birds.

A lot of the popular captive breeds form lifelong bonds so you cant find them another "good home" without emotionally scarring them

Agree it is absolutely unacceptable.

Funny because mine doesn't seem to be emotionally scarred at all in fact she gives every sign of thriving, so you can successfully rehome them. In fact she settled in completely within a couple of days, came out of her cage willingly, made no attempt to bite and started talking to me straight away. So rehoming may not be ideal but I guess her previous owner had no way of knowing he'd develop asthma and be unable to keep her. I took her in and have done everything possible to give her a happy life. She interacts with all us everyday, she comes out of her cage when she wants to but is more than happy to go back in. Would she be happier in the wild? No one can say for certain although she'd probably be dead as they only get to be about 5 years old in the wild and she's at least 10. So all of those who think it's cruel and unacceptable don't seem able to offer a viable alternative.

I hate to see a bird in a cage. It is so very cruel. Birds are meant to be in flocks, and they would fly miles in the wild. I don't like to see any animal in a cage really.

We had 2 rabbits a few years ago - they had been pets belonging to my 2 GC, but their mother wasn't caring for them properly (and she admitted it), so I had them. I bought a brand-new double-sized hutch with 2 levels and a long run - but even that didn't seem right, so the hutch door was always open, and the rabbit had the whole garden - 80ft and secured all round - to explore. They loved it! They chewed our flowers, dug holes in the lawn, pooed all over the damned place, and terrorised out 2 cats!
But they were happy and free. Sadly, both have since died, but they had a lovely life.

I also dislike it when people have a dog, leave it at home, alone, all day. They are pack animal, meant to live in a pack with other dogs or at least with humans.

I don't like to see birds in cages either. I hate being lions or any big cat in a zoo, same goes for elephants etc

If people care for their animals properly, humans and domesticated cats and dogs have lived happily together for centuries. I don't agree that dogs need other dogs, or to live in a pack. Providing their needs are met properly, they're usually quite content to be part of the family pack. I do agree, dogs shouldn't be left alone for long periods on a regular basis. They are not solitary creatures.

They are however dogs. They are not fur babies. They are dogs, need to be treated, cared for a responded to as dogs.

What Iam64 said x 100.

I don’t like anything in cages , plus I don’t like those transporters where sheep, pigs and cows are driven to the abattoir all squashed together with no room to move, no water and no care. Any animal cruelty makes me sick.

crystaltipps, are you a vegan? That's a genuine question, not a dig. I ask because growing numbers of people are moving towards becoming vegan. Friends who've been veggie for years are exploring ways of eating less dairy, with a view to giving it up all together.
I eat meat a couple of times a week, sourced via my good local butcher . Even as a small child, I found it hard to understand why we eat meat, yet I continue to do so.
sorry for going off piste here -

Iam64...you say don't agree that dogs need to be with others or to be in a pack, yet you say they are not solitary creatures....confusing.

I think Iam meant that dogs are happy with their human family pack and did not necessarily need a canine pack Lynne.

Ism64 yes I am a vegan albeit of only a few months, though I’ve been veggie since I was about 10 after witnessing some horrible animal cruelty. It has been easier than I thought as there’s lots more vegan friendly foods available now.

Still no viable alternatives though, and funny how you're all experts on birds needs when clearly you know nothing about them. Not all birds would fly for miles given the chance as I said much earlier in the thread some would just hang about as close to the food source as possible. In fact if they all had a plentiful food source close at hand they wouldn't fly very far at all. It's the lack of food that make birds like cockatiels fly for miles every day not the joy of flying.
As for letting rabbits run around your whole garden well you obviously didn't have foxes in the area. We let our rabbits out when we were about but they had to go in the shed when we weren't or else the foxes would have killed them and I didn't fancy my kids witnessing that.

Lynne59, as soda pops realised, I meant that dogs are perfectly happy living in a human family and don't need the company of other dogs to be happy. Some dogs prefer to be 'only' dogs. It's a shame when people believe that getting a companion dog will help their first dog stop feeling lonely and howling when left. All kinds of research shows that its more likely both dogs will howl when left, rather than snuggle up together feeling perfectly at ease.

Thanks crystaltipps I'm not surprised to hear you're vegan. I'm not surprised its a lifestyle that's increasing either. This, from a person who eats meat a couple of times a week.

I eat very very little meat really only a bit if chicken I am definitely looking into eating none again I was a vegetarian for about eight years got pulled in with some turkey one Christmas There is a definite movement towards plants based meals and I m heading that way fairly quickly
Hate anything caged, birds should be free to be in the open even if their life is shorter cats should be free to roam not stuck in a house, zoos and circuses should be banned, foxes should not be hunted and badgers should not be culled Nature will take care of everything if allowed

I don't agree that dogs need other dogs, or to live in a pack.
Dogs are quite happy to live in a 'family pack' with humans but they need to know who the 'pack leader' is.
Cats do their own thing and generally are in charge of their human families.

I was brought up accepting that having a pet budgerigar was the norm but I really dislike seeing birds in cages now.
Mine used to sit on my head when I was a child and was allowed to fly around most of the time but one day he escaped. They don't generally survive in the wild because other birds will attack them - however, he came home again, much bedraggled and worse for wear but recovered.

as I'd already said..........They are pack animal, meant to live in a pack with other dogs or at least with humans.

as I'd already said
I wasn't disagreeing with you Lynne, but making the point that they need to know who the 'pack leader' is otherwise they will take charge.