I want to have a bird as a therapy pet

[Tom]

You shouldn't get a pet unless you are very sure you are up to the task of taking care of it every day for many years. Lots of people get them and then lose interest almost immediately and the animal then often suffers a short lonely life.

Parakeets don't normally die in a month from drinking tap water. They have drank the same as us for centuries. Something may be wrong with that story and I would try and figure out the truth before getting another. Was it neglected, abused, sick?

 

[onlything]

While I messed up before, I am familiar with owning a bird, and I learn from mistakes. Things like major purchases (we buy games like hotcakes), noise management (I could just put a towel over a birds cage and he won't make any noise) are second nature to me and my family. I'm not saying any of you are wrong but once I'm determined to do something I do it.

We're not trying to discourage you. We only want you to really think it through before you decide. It's not about being determined or stubborn but about yours and your pet's good.

 

[UberScout]

Hey, i love animals. I'm not some stupid, snot crusted little kid who thinks animals are living stuffed beany babies. I care a lot about them, and i would never willingly hurt one just because i didnt know what I was doing. If you didnt see it before I was acknowledging that I screwed up before, and that now I know what to do next time.

I'm not stubborn. I'm determined.

 

[BraidedPony]

You think tap water killed your bird and blamed your mom.

 

[UberScout]

That's because i later found out it was filtered and had salt in it.

 

[AloneNotLonely]

Hey, i love animals. I'm not some stupid, snot crusted little kid who thinks animals are living stuffed beany babies. I care a lot about them, and i would never willingly hurt one just because i didnt know what I was doing. If you didnt see it before I was acknowledging that I screwed up before, and that now I know what to do next time.

I'm not stubborn. I'm determined.

Yes you are. You are behaving like a snot crusted little kid because you cannot take responsibility and acknowledge that you are at this point in your life incapable of taking care of a bird. Being an adult means you are capable of acknowledging limitations and doing the responsible thing rather than blindly charging ahead because "You want something". That is a child's mentality.

I want a bird myself, a cockatiel seems great. But I cannot give the bird the time and care it needs right now. I live on my own, I have the whole day and I have more than enough money to afford surgery 10 times over. But if something were to happen to me, I have nobody capable of taking care of the bird. My living situation is also uncertain right now and I will have to move within the next 5 years. So the wise conclusion is I do not have room for any pet, let alone a highly intelligent bird.

You are not living alone, you do not have great financial capability, you do not have someone that can care for the bird if something were to happen to you and your living situation is also uncertain since I'm assuming you are not going to keep living with your parents forever.

Since you are totally obsessed with birds (I'm joking) you could actually try to find others with birds such as Cockatiels and find someone that's looking for someone to take care of the bird due to illness/vacation/whatever. You could learn a lot and get used to caring for one so that you are perfectly prepared when you are ready. Perhaps there's a bird shelter near you that is looking for volunteers, that could also get you experience as a carer.

You might also get to see what happens to birds that aren't cared for properly or given enough attention and left to sit in a cage on their own the whole day. It isn't pretty.

 

[china autie]

Emotional Support Animals are NOT service animals.

Service dogs (and in a few cases those miniature ponies are trained as service animals) are NOT pets. They have to be specifically trained in at least one task to aid a disabled person. "He cuddles with me when I am upset" does not count as such a task. "She enters my apartment before I do and looks for the presence of others " or "He keeps people at a specific distance from me during a meltdown" or "She helps keep me balanced instead of suprapronating so I don't fall" might.

An Emotional Support Animal is a pet. They do not require training in at least one task to help a disabled person.

Yes, a bird or birds can function as an Emotional Support Animal. I know of one person who has a peacock for their Emotional Support Animal.

Reptiles, frogs, fish...as well as cats and dogs have all been Emotional Support Animals.

In the USA, an Emotional Support Animal is allowed to live in an apartment even if the landlord does not want them to. An ESA may NOT accompany an owner out in public like work or restaurants (unless the work or restaurant allows PETS). An ESA has certain limited rights to accompany someone on a plane.

Therapy dogs have to take classes and pass a test in order to be allowed to visit patients in hospitals, hospices, clinics or other settings. They cannot whine if separated from their owner by a closed door. They have to accept the presence of durable medical equipment. They have to have a certain temperment as well as training to become Therapy dogs.

What you actually want is a bird or birds that can function as an Emotional Support Animal. This is something that can happen for you if you go through the proper channels-- having a social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health worker evaluate you to ensure that you would benefit from an ESA, then write it up as part of your plan, and then issue a letter that will give you and your ESA a few protections under the law. [A landlord who charges extra for regular pets is not allowed to charge you extra money for your ESA for example].

If you or the people you live with own the place you live at and you are not taking your pet on a plane, then you do not have to declare them to be an ESA.

 

[Pats]

@UberScout I think I may make a lot of people angry with this comment, but if you want a bird, get a bird.

And if you do get a bird, get one from a reputable place. Often at pet shops you bring home a bird or fish or something and they don't last long because they are already diseased or sick. (which could have been the case with your previous bird).

 

[UberScout]

Sparky was pretty healthy when I got him, its the salt from the water filter that killed him. But I see your point.​

 

[BraidedPony]

The pet store should have told you to give bottled water to your bird. Many people have soft water filters that adds salt to the drinking water and who would think it’s harmful? People drink it, so they should have told you.

 

[UberScout]

They had told my parents, but I was too busy looking at other birds. Eg I wasn't listening.

They later told me what to give him, but I was too busy with video games and stuff so it was partly neglect that killed him.

However, as I have stated before I know what to do and how to do it now. Back then I only saw him as a living stuffed animal, now I realize there will be an actual, tiny feathered life in my hands, and I should take care of it like I would any other animal i've had. I'm actually practicing schedule management as we speak, so when I do get a bird it should be alive for 15 years or so.

 

[onlything]

They had told my parents, but I was too busy looking at other birds. Eg I wasn't listening.

They later told me what to give him, but I was too busy with video games and stuff so it was partly neglect that killed him.

However, as I have stated before I know what to do and how to do it now. Back then I only saw him as a living stuffed animal, now I realize there will be an actual, tiny feathered life in my hands, and I should take care of it like I would any other animal i've had. I'm actually practicing schedule management as we speak, so when I do get a bird it should be alive for 15 years or so.

Good luck then and I hope you find a good friend in the little thing as long as you know to do, what to expect and are sure you do want it, you can be a very good pet owner. I suppose that the last thing I can advise is not to get yout pets from a pet shop since these often tend to keep injured or sick animals in too little cages sustained on poor quality dry food

 

[UberScout]

Emotional Support Animals are NOT service animals.

Service dogs (and in a few cases those miniature ponies are trained as service animals) are NOT pets. They have to be specifically trained in at least one task to aid a disabled person. "He cuddles with me when I am upset" does not count as such a task. "She enters my apartment before I do and looks for the presence of others " or "He keeps people at a specific distance from me during a meltdown" or "She helps keep me balanced instead of suprapronating so I don't fall" might.

An Emotional Support Animal is a pet. They do not require training in at least one task to help a disabled person.

Yes, a bird or birds can function as an Emotional Support Animal. I know of one person who has a peacock for their Emotional Support Animal.

Reptiles, frogs, fish...as well as cats and dogs have all been Emotional Support Animals.

In the USA, an Emotional Support Animal is allowed to live in an apartment even if the landlord does not want them to. An ESA may NOT accompany an owner out in public like work or restaurants (unless the work or restaurant allows PETS). An ESA has certain limited rights to accompany someone on a plane.

Therapy dogs have to take classes and pass a test in order to be allowed to visit patients in hospitals, hospices, clinics or other settings. They cannot whine if separated from their owner by a closed door. They have to accept the presence of durable medical equipment. They have to have a certain temperment as well as training to become Therapy dogs.

What you actually want is a bird or birds that can function as an Emotional Support Animal. This is something that can happen for you if you go through the proper channels-- having a social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health worker evaluate you to ensure that you would benefit from an ESA, then write it up as part of your plan, and then issue a letter that will give you and your ESA a few protections under the law. [A landlord who charges extra for regular pets is not allowed to charge you extra money for your ESA for example].

If you or the people you live with own the place you live at and you are not taking your pet on a plane, then you do not have to declare them to be an ESA.

I never assumed that birds are service animals, my purpose for having one has a pet is not to be serviced but to take care of one, I care about saving the lives of animals and preserving them just as much as I do my own friends and family.

If animals were meant to only serve people, they'd all go extinct before we'd come to appreciate them. A creature born only to serve is live the life of a slave.

 

[china autie]

I was reacting to your use of the word "therapy animal" and

service dogs just entered into my autistic spiel. I did not mean any offense to you at all. The differences are important because people will try to pass off their ESAs as service dogs and they really should not do that.

Actually, service dogs are not pets but they are also decidedly not slaves. Dogs who make the cut for being a service dog are very dedicated to their human.

In the USA, typically at around 18 months is when dogs are taken from their foster families and tested to see if they have what it takes to be guiding dogs for blind people. If they fail the test, the foster family is usually given the option of keeping them as a pet. I do not know the ages of testing for dogs to be in other kinds of service or working situations.

Many service dogs were not expressedly "bred" to be service dogs. They are rescued from shelters where otherwise they would be euthanized.

More and more, we are finding that dogs mixed with some sort of husky make wonderful seeing eye dogs. Terriers are often taken from shelters and trained to be hearing dogs. I have seen all kinds of dogs ranging from Stafs ['pitbulls'] to German Shepard Dogs to one Yorkie trained as PTSD dogs for veterans.

Most dogs require some sort of job-- even pet dogs. It is part of their way of being. Some pet dogs will even get into trouble looking for their own job if we do not create one for them. Some dogs like to carry around packs with their snacks and water in it. A few who were previously wild on a lead [leash] calm down once given this sort of job. Some dogs protect flocks of sheep or their humans by being guard dogs. Some consider the removal of squirrels from their backyard bird feeders to be their job [I've had two like that]. And so on.

The service dogs that I have met were all treated exceptionally well and were absolutely joyful to help their human. When they are retired, they do have to go through an adjustment.



It is not that animals are meant to serve people. Both the person and the service dog benefit from the arrangement.