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R.S.P.C.A.

collierboy

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I contacted the RSPCA today about the Harris Hawk I found last week. After finally getting past the
fund raising and shops departments the " animal man " who was eventually summoned to the phone
said " just let it go ". I hardly think that leaving this bird lose to starve to death is in some way,
Preventing Cruelty.
 
Wouldn't it survive like any other hawk, by catching & killing rodents, rabbits and sitch? I mean, it's not likely to find a mate in the UK, but wouldn't a trained bird follow its wild instincts and run down the prey that it had been trained to kill? Or would it be too dependent on being fed by its trainer? o_O
 
I contacted the RSPCA today about the Harris Hawk I found last week. After finally getting past the
fund raising and shops departments the " animal man " who was eventually summoned to the phone
said " just let it go ". I hardly think that leaving this bird lose to starve to death is in some way,
Preventing Cruelty.
What???????
Is he out of his mind, besides the fact the bird is not native to the UK?
There are so many scenarios where someone gets hurt or maimed trying to pick the bird up.
What happens when a couple of 11yr olds throw a coat over her and try to take her home?
Sheer madness..
 
Wouldn't it survive like any other hawk, by catching & killing rodents, rabbits and sitch? I mean, it's not likely to find a mate in the UK, but wouldn't a trained bird follow its wild instincts and run down the prey that it had been trained to kill? Or would it be too dependent on being fed by its trainer? o_O
I reckon it would CH just look what its last kill was, some mangy Cockrel in South Wales. :rolleyes::eek:
Only jesting my friend. :rofl::rofl:
 
You would be surprised how many non indigenous hawks / falcons there are flying free in the UK, you only have to look at the lost birds section on the IBR site, they`re the reported one`s, from genuine people wanting there birds back.
As for loss or purposeful release of any social or full the imprinted bird into the wild can be dangerous.
Harris hawks being naturally gregarious, living, hunting, breeding in communal family groups, will always want company.
The imprint process can never be reversed, worst being a full / food imprint which think they are human, see you as a meal ticket then normally become dangerous when reaching maturity, breeding age.
Its not an indigenous appendix 1 bird, you have a choice.
 
Just release it " a practice that is illegal under the Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981)." Look how it went with the parakeets down south.
I had an inkling it was illegal to deliberately release her. The RSPCA were asked three times if this was so, and three
times they said just leave it go.
 
@collierboy, a mate of mine has birds his latest is a Goshawk, but he's had Harris' and has all
the paperwork.
Do you want me to ask him or are you keeping Her?
Cheers HC. The Perriswood Archery and Falconry Centre down the Gower have stepped up and offered to take her.
I don't think I'll fly birds again but if I did it definitely would not be an imprint female Harris. As RWS said, they are
far to unpredictable at best, at worst a total liability.
 
Wouldn't it survive like any other hawk, by catching & killing rodents, rabbits and sitch? I mean, it's not likely to find a mate in the UK, but wouldn't a trained bird follow its wild instincts and run down the prey that it had been trained to kill? Or would it be too dependent on being fed by its trainer? o_O
I'm not sure it would CH. I'm convinced she's a full imprint, something which was backed up when I learned that just prior to
murdering my very valuable cockerel, a potential prize winner and probable sire of many expensive chicks, she tried to attack
a pup on the towpath not far up the canal. Luckily someone chased her off. Normally Harris hawks are very wary of dogs
because in the wild they are predated by foxes/coyotes.
 
Glad you found a solution and not the humane choice (as not indigenous), obviously its isn`t the birds fault, the owner want f###in.

1996 saw ad in cage & aviary, female Harris hawks 26 weeks old Anglesea (will always remember his name :sad:).
Guaranteed parent reared, biggest female Harris brood ever etc etc, many many phone calls, payed by check, had her Amtrak`ed, (shows how long ago).
Baited breath delivery day, box going mad, bashing about angry, took into garage, shut door, visor, gloves etc etc, opened up, she jumped out, screaming, jumped on side of box then onto shoulder then fist, screaming.
:poo: totally stitched, Imprint, I didn`t need to cast her, she stood (screaming) I fitted furniture & bells, I was not f####n happy. my mews are nearly 100m down the field from the house and you could hear her screaming day and night.
Always knew one way to confirm if a true imprint, stare it in the eye, PR would look away, try to get away, yep she came straight for me, f##k me I was lucky, turned away and she sank her talons in my neck & shoulder, she died approx 10 seconds later.
I had previously contacted Cage & Aviary (day I got her) and a solicitor (family friend) had taken video of bird, and the breeder / guy.
All finally went to court, breeder found guilty, ordered to payed all court expenses, re pay £650 + large compensation for bird + damages, C&A then prosecuted him on further complaints raised form other buyer.
 
Cheers HC. The Perriswood Archery and Falconry Centre down the Gower have stepped up and offered to take her.
I don't think I'll fly birds again but if I did it definitely would not be an imprint female Harris. As RWS said, they are
far to unpredictable at best, at worst a total liability.
A very good solution to a tricky situation.
I hope you report that dic*head animal specialist :rofl::rofl: from the RSPCA, for all of his specialist :rofl:
advice.
Now that she's finished with your Prize chicken :rolleyes: you can go and tar and feather him.
Well done my friend.
 
Glad you found a solution and not the humane choice (as not indigenous), obviously its isn`t the birds fault, the owner want f###in.

1996 saw ad in cage & aviary, female Harris hawks 26 weeks old Anglesea (will always remember his name :sad:).
Guaranteed parent reared, biggest female Harris brood ever etc etc, many many phone calls, payed by check, had her Amtrak`ed, (shows how long ago).
Baited breath delivery day, box going mad, bashing about angry, took into garage, shut door, visor, gloves etc etc, opened up, she jumped out, screaming, jumped on side of box then onto shoulder then fist, screaming.
:poo: totally stitched, Imprint, I didn`t need to cast her, she stood (screaming) I fitted furniture & bells, I was not f####n happy. my mews are nearly 100m down the field from the house and you could hear her screaming day and night.
Always knew one way to confirm if a true imprint, stare it in the eye, PR would look away, try to get away, yep she came straight for me, f##k me I was lucky, turned away and she sank her talons in my neck & shoulder, she died approx 10 seconds later.
I had previously contacted Cage & Aviary (day I got her) and a solicitor (family friend) had taken video of bird, and the breeder / guy.
All finally went to court, breeder found guilty, ordered to payed all court expenses, re pay £650 + large compensation for bird + damages, C&A then prosecuted him on further complaints raised form other buyer.
I feckin hate bast**ds like that, it's the same with these shady puppy farms they need a
good kicking, then locked in a sh*t filled 4ft cage.
 
All finally went to court, breeder found guilty, ordered to payed all court expenses, re pay £650 + large compensation for bird + damages, C&A then prosecuted him on further complaints raised form other buyer.
Sorry to hear of your bad experience but glad of the outcome. I got caught around the same time buying a
supposed breeding pair of Harris's from a guy up in Cumbria. Met him half way in an M6 services, the upshot,
after wasting a season and a half was I'd been stuffed. They were not a breeding pair and never would be, I split
them up and sold them as flying birds to at least recoup some of the £1000 laid out. Once bitten twice shy, the next
pair I bought came from Treharris ( Harris Town, honestly ! ) but I did my homework this time and bred many chicks
with them over the following ten years, eventually selling them and that years brood to Griff at the Welsh Hawking
Centre.
 
I hope you report that dic*head animal specialist from the RSPCA,
Reporting someone from the RSPCA is unlikely to get anywhere, the general public have a very blinkered pro-view of
them. The reality is it takes most of the publics donations just to pay the fat cats running it. On a personal level I've
had a few encounters with RSPCA inspectors over the years, mainly because an anti lived nearby who wanted to
cause trouble. Here is a pic of an undernourished Lab I was reported for. ( her name was Belle and she could catch
50 rabbits a night ) I sometimes wonder how many she'd have caught if I'd fed her a bit.
 

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Reporting someone from the RSPCA is unlikely to get anywhere, the general public have a very blinkered pro-view of
them. The reality is it takes most of the publics donations just to pay the fat cats running it. On a personal level I've
had a few encounters with RSPCA inspectors over the years, mainly because an anti lived nearby who wanted to
cause trouble. Here is a pic of an undernourished Lab I was reported for. ( her name was Belle and she could catch
50 rabbits a night ) I sometimes wonder how many she'd have caught if I'd fed her a bit.
Before you go shouting fire, make sure you know what flames look like, not smoke.
Nasty little know-it-all.
 
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