Bird died

[marje]

Don't know if this is the right place to put this but here goes.
My son's daughter bought what was described as a 'New Zealand parrot', from an advertiser in a local paper who only supplied a mobile number and insisted on bringing the bird to my son's. They said they were emigrating and couldn't take the bird with them.
Alarm bells should have made themselves heard at this point.
Unfortunately, I didn't know anything about this until after the bird had been bought for �150, or I would have been very suspicious.
Anyway when my son googled 'New Zealand parrot' on the internet, nothing came up and it transpired that it's some other kind of bird. I forget which.
The bird has just died after having been with them for only a day, so it was obviously ill when they were sold it.
I told my son to report it to the Police, the RSPCA and the local paper, who surely had to have had an address before allowing an advert to be put in their paper. Is there anything else anyone can think of which they could legitimately do? My granddaughter is very upset and this in itself makes me very angry.
I think my son and his family have probably learned their lesson now: Do not buy from anyone who will give only a mobile and will not allow you to visit their home.

[lankeela]

Sorry to hear this, it often happens also with dogs, although it is a case of 'buyer beware'. Never buy a dog or any animal without seeing where it comes from and being certain that the seller is legitimate.

Trading Standards are the people to contact, as the bird was not suitable for the purpose bought, i.e. to live long enough to be a pet. However unless they have details of the person who sold it I can't see what they can do. Good idea to contact the paper, tell them you will go public about them accepting duff adverts if they don't give some details.

[Ethel]

Tricky one as the paper is only selling advertising space, not endorsing any of the adverts in classified.

Trading Standards won't be interested as it isn't a business seller.

The police won't be interested as no crime has been committed. It would be impossible to prove the seller knew the bird was sick, unless you could find a vet who had advised the seller it was a sick parrot.

Bad luck.

[Fay Mousse]

Trading Standards only apply to trades - business sellers not private sellers like this one. That is why so many car dealers pretend to be private sellers.

It's a tough one - the paper can't be expected to be responsible for classified small ads and won't be able to supply you details because of Data Protection Act. The newspaper simply sold space, not actively promote the item.

The police won't be interested - technically no crime has been committed. They would have to prove the seller knew the bird was sick when he sold it.

It's a very nasty business.

[marje]

Thanks to you both for your answer.
I know it's a difficult one. I think my son was going to contact the RSPCA in the first instance, but if nothing can be done then it's going to have to be put down to experience and they'll be more careful in future.

[wildwood]

If it was in fact a parrot it must have been a kakariki (green with a bit of red/orange colouring on the head. True value about �25, unless it is a colour mutation or handreared one which can go as high as �100.

I am afraid I don't like the chances of getting any recompense. Buying a parrot and then saying after one bought it that it is some other kind of bird is the same as buying a whippet and after you have it home, realise that you bought a poodle. They have obviously been prime candidates for a hoodwinking and, to be perfectly honest, it is their own fault for buying a pet under those conditions.

The police have more important things to do. It can not be proven that an offence has been committed. 24 hours is enough for a healthy bird to deteriorate to the point where it dies. Take the feathers off a bird and you are left with an amazingly small animal. The only recourse you have is to take the seller through the courts yourself which is going to be a costly exercise. And you still have to find this person first. Is it too much to hope that this
http://pets-sale.vivastreet.co.uk/sale-pets+sh effield-s13/kakariki-parakeet3/1831896
was the seller?

lankeela - as above - and others have been warning people on here against exactly the kind of situation as you described when buying a pet. Sorry I can't be more supportive but I am not as diplomatic as others here.

[marje]

Don't worry about being diplomatic wildwood, I wasn't.

The advert has a landline number on it, the one selling the bird my son's family bought, didn't.

I doubt that they will get any recompense, but it's worth a try. I hate to think they'll get away with this con and wonder if they will do it again as it paid off, or if they've done it in the past.

If I'd known what my family were going to do I would have advised against it. I don't normally interfere in their affairs but in this case I would.

Anyway, we'll see what, if anything, happens.

Thanks all for your comments.