Now he has to stay in a “cage”

Pet owner released eight parrots into the woods

The colorful bird had caught the eye of an observant cyclist.(Bild: Tierengel Austria Tierrettung)

A 38-year-old man had released eight parrots into a wooded area in early September. Almost all of the exotic birds—which cannot survive in this country—were captured; one was found dead. On Monday, the man, who has seven prior convictions, was sentenced in absentia to several months in prison in Upper Austria—the verdict is not yet final.

An observant cyclist set the case in motion back in September. While riding through a wooded area in Schlatt, she noticed an exotic bird that clearly didn’t belong in our climate. She contacted Tierengel Austria Animal Rescue, which launched a major public appeal. 

Anonymous Tip
Seven of the birds were eventually captured after a painstaking search. An eighth bird was found only at the end of October, about one kilometer away—dead. Long before that, however, an anonymous tip had been reported to the police. They tracked down a 38-year-old man from the Wels-Land district. 

Seven Prior Convictions
The man is no stranger to the law: He is currently on probation following a five-month suspended sentence for assault and property damage, and already has seven prior convictions. During questioning, the defendant was taciturn. At one point, he claimed that he had owned ten parrots but had sold them all. He then exercised his right to remain silent. 

On Monday, however, he had to answer charges of animal cruelty at the Wels Regional Court. According to the indictment, he abandoned the animals even though they were unable to survive under the local temperatures and conditions. Although the defendant, who has multiple prior convictions, failed to appear at the trial, he was convicted nonetheless: eight months of unconditional imprisonment, though the verdict is not yet final.