Pet shop in a flap over bird flu

Vicky Marshall's children Leanne and Christopher were told they could not buy a budgie because of the bird flu outbreak.

08 May 2006 09:59

A mother was left in a flap after a pet shop chain refused to sell her a budgie for her children because of bird flu — the day after they had sold her a bird cage.

Vicky Marshall had hoped to get the bird as a consolation for Leanne, 10, and Christopher, eight, who had recently lost their pet hamster.

On Saturday she took the excited youngsters to Pets at Home in Hall Road, Norwich, to buy an aviary and all the necessary accessories with the view to getting the bird the next day once its home had been set up.

But when husband Robin, 46, went to buy the bird from the chain's shop at Norfolk Retail Park, Costessey, staff sent them away empty handed claiming the company had put a halt on the sale of all caged birds in the wake of the avian flu scare.

Today, housewife Mrs Marshall, 44, said she was furious with the company for not telling her about the policy before she splashed out more than £50 and raised the hopes of the children.

Before getting the aviary the children had been with her to the library to read up on budgies and had got really excited at the prospect of having one at the family home in Jex Road, North Earlham.

“The kids are utterly broken-hearted,” said Mrs Marshall. “I can't put into words just how furious I am with that shop.”

When Anglian Windows worker Mr Marshall called his wife from the shop to tell her the news she phoned the Hall Road store immediately and demanded answers.

“The assistant had just turned round to him and said 'we're not selling birds because of bird flu, sorry',” she said. “I could hear my kids crying in the background.

“I got straight on the phone to the first shop and asked them, 'why wasn't there a notice on the side of the cages to say that you are not selling birds?' but the woman on the phone just said that were not allowed to advertise it.

“I mean I have never heard so much rubbish in all my life.”

A spokeswoman from Pets at Home today apologised for selling the aviary to the Marshalls and causing the upset.

“Because of the recent outbreaks we decided to temporarily take birds off sale as a precautionary measure. They will be back on sale from today,” she said. “Selling the aviary to this family was an accidental mistake.”

A spokesman for Defra said they had not issued any guidance advising pet shops not to sell birds.

“It is very difficult to see how pet shop birds could contract the disease,” he said. “They are not at risk because they do not come into contact with wild birds.”

Meanwhile, chickens across Norfolk are being tested for bird flu after it emerged that up to 20 farms in the county were exposed to carcasses from an infected poultry outlet.

On Saturday animal health experts from Defra began testing birds at farms in the Dereham and Wymondham area, which had been visited by T J Kent on March 30, and imposed movement restrictions until premises were given the all-clear.

Has the bird flu outbreak affected you? Telephone Evening News reporter Hugh Bowring on (01603) 772447 or email hugh.bowring@archant.co.uk

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