Stolen Hyacinth Macaw

[Larry, Baby and Me]

On Charlotte NC Craigslist...

Our home was broken into while we were at dinner Sat night (May 3rd) and our beloved 14 year old Hyacinth Macaw, Mason, was stolen. He was the ONLY thing stolen, someone specifically came in to take him. None of his food, toys or cage was taken. His band was removed at the scene and found outside his cage. BIRD ENTHUSIASTS AND STORES PLEASE BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR ANYONE TRYING TO SELL A HYACINTH!!! Hyacinths are NOT very common in the general pet trade so be suspicious of anyone trying to sell a hyacinth, especially inexpensively!

Mason is MICROCHIPPED!!! In birds this is in their breast, please scan for chips! Mason has an AVID chip. Mason is a very good talker and will always say "Come in!" if you make a knocking sound. He is very friendly and will go to anyone. He has just gone through a molt and lost his primary tail feathers so his tail is a little short.

Mason is our only pet, our child, PLEASE HELP HIM COME BACK HOME! We are offering a $5000 reward for the safe return of Mason NO QUESTIONS ASKED. If I had a million dollars I would offer it for my baby boy back. Our house is so empty without him and I had to have my husband move his cage and gyms out of the living room because I couldnt walk past them and not see Mason.

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Here's a pic...

[Chrissy and Flock]

I would say that whoever took him had a buyer for him.

[bonnie]

That is so sickening. It is terrible that someone would do that. Ugh.

[Chrissy and Flock]

this is from craiglist Pensacola Fl. posted today... could it be coincidental or could it be the stolen bird...

Reply to: mleebirds@aol.com
Date: 2008-05-05, 12:24AM EDT


hyacinth macaw looking for new home rehoming fee will apply 850-830-1840


Location: fwb
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interestsPostingID: 668105096

[Chrissy and Flock]

I just sent an email for info on the bird, maybe I will hear something from them ..I just asked the usual questions ... gender age if it comes with cage or not.... and rehome fee... we shall see.

[bonnie]

I hope it's him... It would be great to get him home to his family. They must be devistated.

[bonnie]

did you email the owners? Ask for a pic?

[Chrissy and Flock]

That really would be great ... we can but hope and pray...u usually dont see hyacinths being rehomed for a small fee...

[The Nest Gang]

Man I live 40 miles from Charlotte, hadn't looked at Craigslist for a few days. Checked tonight she said they had a possible in Atlanta but after driving down there turned out it wasn't Mason. Said people have volunteered reward money which is now up to $7500. I am afraid like Chrissy said, they had it planned and already had a buyer. My heart is just breaking for that poor bird that doesn't understand what has happened and for the owner. How horrible people are. But he is microchipped and they can't remove that so maybe she has a shot at getting him back.

What's strange is his band being removed right there. Had to be someone who knew how to do it, like maybe someone from the vets office? We just had a bird fair here, wonder if she mentioned the bird while she was there and someone followed her home.

[CrystalinNC]

There is a bird fair here in Raleigh coming up...May 24th
not sure if they would risk holding on to the bird that long...
but I will keep my eyes open.
Is there anything in particular I should look for? Other than unbanded of course?
Are there phrases he knows?

[too&me]

We can all look for bird fairs, sale adds in newspapers & on line. Have they had any workers in her home lately? One of my daughters friends had her toy breed dog stolen & sold by the family maid, it was discovered when she returned it for the reward money. Recently some one else on the board had a friends birds taken by plumbers after they had been working in the house.

[Ashley_ChickensGodmom]

Dallas is sort of a far stretch from NC but I saw the following add on Craigslist:

"Very sweet and affectionate with adults, not comfortable around children and will try to challenge them and scare them. She has never bitten! But I do NOT trust her with kids!"

So I threw an email back to them asking what came with the bird and about fees, along with age, DNA sexing info and clipping info. Will post if I get a response.

[bonnie]

There is a bird fair here in Raleigh coming up...May 24th
not sure if they would risk holding on to the bird that long...
but I will keep my eyes open.
Is there anything in particular I should look for? Other than unbanded of course?
Are there phrases he knows?
I read her ad on craigslist. It said if you knock on something he'll say 'come in'.

[Chrissy and Flock]

I sent an email to the one on Pensacola craig list .. I have not gotten a reply as yet... if I do get one I will post it.

[Ashley_ChickensGodmom]

Well, I don't think it's Mason. I do think it's a scammer though. Here's the reply.

Hello, again
Thank you for your mail and interest for my baby. The Parrot is still available and ready to go. The baby is a DNA Checked with all health papers available, vaccines and veterinary disks updated.
By placing my parrot outside for adoption, I am looking for a reasonable person, who can provide tenderness, nursery with lots of love and kisses hugged. I am asking $450 for her including shipping.This adorable parrot, cute and beautiful is 13months old and would be the perfect match for you. It will be the best friend you ever dream's of . With his great personality temperaments and good with children and other pets, it would be the one to steal your soul. She comes with its discs veterinarian, and all her papers attached to her traveling package with lots of toys. You have nothing to worry about because I also join her book and food menu to her package. Here is my Full address,street Basa, Bonanjo, Douala, Cameroon 28 of the address. Address Post: P.O. Box 2622, Douala, Cameroon.
Telephone: +23794247412.
But promise me that you will shower her with lots of Love. And I never want my baby should end up in a shelter. feel free to ask me any questions and i will answer you. If you are willing to get her, please email as soon possible so that I cease all other contacts. If you have more questions to ask I will respond sincerely and honestly. Let me ask you some questions a few if you do not care.
1… you are a breeder? ?
2… you keeping pets? ?
3… do you have children at home?
4… are you going to keep it or give it to someone?
5… when you want to take the parrot?
6.Where are you located? ?
Get some beautiful pictures of Daisy in the attachments below.
Waiting for your kind reply.

Douala, Cameroon.? Yeah, I'm turning that email into Craigslist and Yahoo. They want me to mail them $450 bucks and then ship me a $20,000 bird...yeah. Right.

[too&me]

Go get him Ashley, but hey will just move to the next computer in the line up & do it again.

[Chrissy and Flock]

I just talked to the person about the one I saw on Craiglist... its female 13yrs old. Person is a breeder being forced to sell all birds for divorce settlement... he really sounded heartbroken about it.

[Ashley_ChickensGodmom]

Go get him Ashley, but hey will just move to the next computer in the line up & do it again.

Which is so sad. Just on the Dallas CL, there was an add for a Catalina that was removed, and now there's one for a BG macaw that I'm fairly sure if I responded to I would get a similar response and will probably be removed shortly. People who are really trying to re home a bird are probably getting flagged.

It's just common sense to the people trying to buy. The reply I got was fairly obvious that it was a scam, but a little more effort and someone could end up loosing a bunch of money. Then again, maybe they deserve to if they don't put the effort into exchanging it in person for the pet.

[Evelyn]

THis is ABSOLUTELY a scam.
Evelyn

Well, I don't think it's Mason. I do think it's a scammer though. Here's the reply.

Hello, again
Thank you for your mail and interest for my baby. The Parrot is still available and ready to go. The baby is a DNA Checked with all health papers available, vaccines and veterinary disks updated.
By placing my parrot outside for adoption, I am looking for a reasonable person, who can provide tenderness, nursery with lots of love and kisses hugged. I am asking $450 for her including shipping.This adorable parrot, cute and beautiful is 13months old and would be the perfect match for you. It will be the best friend you ever dream's of . With his great personality temperaments and good with children and other pets, it would be the one to steal your soul. She comes with its discs veterinarian, and all her papers attached to her traveling package with lots of toys. You have nothing to worry about because I also join her book and food menu to her package. Here is my Full address,street Basa, Bonanjo, Douala, Cameroon 28 of the address. Address Post: P.O. Box 2622, Douala, Cameroon.
Telephone: +23794247412.
But promise me that you will shower her with lots of Love. And I never want my baby should end up in a shelter. feel free to ask me any questions and i will answer you. If you are willing to get her, please email as soon possible so that I cease all other contacts. If you have more questions to ask I will respond sincerely and honestly. Let me ask you some questions a few if you do not care.
1… you are a breeder? ?
2… you keeping pets? ?
3… do you have children at home?
4… are you going to keep it or give it to someone?
5… when you want to take the parrot?
6.Where are you located? ?
Get some beautiful pictures of Daisy in the attachments below.
Waiting for your kind reply.

Douala, Cameroon.? Yeah, I'm turning that email into Craigslist and Yahoo. They want me to mail them $450 bucks and then ship me a $20,000 bird...yeah. Right.