Animal Rescue Shelter 'In Shock' After Man Drops Off 800 Parakeets

An animal rescue shelter in Michigan has been overwhelmed after a man dropped off over 800 parakeets.

The Detroit Animal Welfare Group said a man dropped 497 parakeets last week. He had earlier called the center to inform them that he will be surrendering 60 to 80 parakeets that were at his father’s house.

"We were in shock also but could not turn them away as they were all crammed in 7 cages," the rescue group said on Facebook.

"A very tight fit," Kelley LeBonty, director of the animal welfare group told USA Today. "They were kind of on top of each other and smothering each other. ... They were very very stressed. They were barely moving. We had to get them out and into different cages."

A day after Christmas, the man dropped off another 339 colorful birds in a couple of boxes at the rescue center. The center received a total of 836 parakeets.

As the animal welfare group got overwhelmed with their new guests, three local shelters, Jojos Flying Friends, Birds and Beaks and East Michigan Bird Rescue came to their rescue and took some of the birds in.

"Three bird rescues working together today to help over 800 parakeets surrendered. It takes a village! They are all in good hands and will be getting the care they need. GREAT job everyone!" the animal rescue group said on Facebook.

According to LeBonty, the man’s father kept the birds in cages in a room and only wanted to breed a few of them. The father allegedly had been spending $1,200 a month to feed all the birds.

"His son said that he just wanted to breed a few of them, and it got out of control," LeBonty told USA Today. "The problem is birds breed easily. And then you just have more babies and more babies and more babies if you don’t control the situation."

The birds have to be quarantined for 30 days, the Associated Press reported. They are expected to be put up for adoption in January 2022.