CAGE fight: Watch commander Pete Yeoman with Rocky and owner Sandra
Hewitt
by Paul Britten
A parrot called Rocky left his owner in a flap after getting a claw
trapped in a metal bell in his cage.
The African Grey got his claw stuck in his toy and screamed the
house down when he couldn't free it.
Owner Sandra Hewitt tried desperately to help him then phoned the fire service
in desperation. A crew from Ashton made a mercy dash to Sandra's house with
trepidation - as Rocky hates men and often swears at male visitors. Fortunately
for them, Rocky behaved himself and they were able to use a pair of small
wire cutters to release his trapped leg. Rocky was then taken to a vet who
was forced to cut off part of his injured claw Pete Yeoman, watch commander
at Ashton station, said it was a bizarre rescue. He said: "We've rescued
dogs down sewers before but never a parrot with its leg stuck. We had
a bit of a laugh and a joke about it but it is one of our humanitarian duties
to come to the aid of an animal in distress. 'Apparently the parrot doesn't
take to men and isn't used to seeing them but it didn't say anything to us
it didn't swear anyway" Owner Sandra said she was confident Rocky would bounce
back to his usual cheeky self. Mother-of-two Sandra. 66, a retired social
worker from Richmond Street, said: "He is a real character but he gave us
all a scare. It was quite frightening really "Rocky was screaming and shaking
and his leg was twisted right around. "He does not like males. I do not know
why but they say parrots take to one sex or the other "The fire service arrived
and it was quite embarrassing. There were four men here with cutting equipment.
But they did a great job and I want to thank them so much. Rocky is going
to be fine." Sandra, who has had four- year-old Rocky for two years. said
he became trapped as she lifted a blanket over his cage so he could sleep.
Sandra said: "The bell is his favourite toy He was playing and the claw just
got stuck in one of the holes. "He just could not get it out. He must have
been in real pain. "I'm just glad he didn't swear at the firemen." |
