6 days Ago By Sid Garcia
Flocks of wild, bright green parrots are a familiar sight and sound all over Southern California. In recent weeks, several have been shot and many of those have been killed. Cleo Watts has been caring for some of the wounded ones at Cleo's Critter Care/Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation facility in Pasadena.
Sixteen were brought to the rehab facility. Fourteen of them did not survive. One parrot that's been recovering at the facility was shot in the wing in May.
"There's other things out there that are loud and annoying, but we don't go shooting them. I just feel that it's unfair that these guys are being singled out," Watts said. In recent months, Watts said she's been called out to pick up the wounded parrots.
Someone has been shooting them, but it's not clear who. The wounded birds have been found in the San Gabriel Valley communities of Temple City, South Pasadena and Pasadena. "A lot of the ones that we're getting in are either DOA, or severely injured with multiple shots, broken legs, missing wings, head trauma.
.. It's pretty gruesome.
" Whoever is shooting the parrots could be facing animal cruelty charges that range from a misdemeanor to a felony. The latter carries a sentence of three years in state prison and a $20,000 fine. Once the wounded birds make their way to Watts' facility, veterinary technician Kim Bacher does her best to mend them.
"If they don't die from a shot to a main organ, or broken wings and legs, they will die from massive infection," she said. In a statement, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife told Eyewitness News the parrots are considered a domesticated species so any reports or response would have to involve local animal control agencies..
