Dozens of exotic birds perish in weekend house fire

CTV Calgary: Parrot rescue society suffers loss Bill Marks reports from the scene of a Saturday afternoon fire which claimed dozens of exotic birds.

More than two dozen parrots died in a fire on the weekend and members of a local bird rescue society say they are devastated by the loss.

Birdline Parrot Rescue takes in birds in need of rescue or rehabilitation and was housing several dozen parrots at a home in the city’s northeast when a fire broke out on Saturday.

Firefighters were faced with thick, black smoke from a kitchen fire at the home on Memorial Drive when they arrived. They were able to put the flames out quickly but were unable to save several parrots inside.

Anna Lawrence runs the Birdline Parrot Rescue group and says the fire in her home on Saturday claimed 26 parrots.

Six others managed to survive and were rescued by her sons and firefighters.

“These guys survived because they were in a back room in a separate area and the door was closed and the smoke wasn’t as thick back there,” said Lawrence.

The surviving birds were taken to a veterinarian as a precaution and some are on medication to help them heal.

Since the fire, messages of support have been pouring into the charity from as far away as Holland and New Zealand.

More than $5000 has been collected so far and Lawrence says she will now look for a bigger space to operate the rescue society out of.

“Bigger and better than we were and still continue to take these guys in because they need us,” said Lawrence. “It’s a huge loss.”

Parrots can live up to 100 years and many outlive their owners and are surrendered to organizations like Birdline.

For more information and to help the society rebuild, click HERE.

(With files from Bill Marks)