AN exotic bird held at Heathrow since August because of a paperwork blunder gives his owner a peck after being released thanks to The Sun.
Four-year-old rose-breasted cockatoo Charlie was caged in a windowless room when his export permit vanished while being shipped from the US.
Jon BondCharlie the Cockatoo has been held at the Animal Facility at Heathrow Airport since August[/caption]
Jon BondYesterday, Charlie was finally at home with his owner Jess Adlard, 33, in Loughborough, Leics[/caption]
But after we highlighted Charlie’s plight, Border Force crumbled and released him.
Yesterday, he was at home with his owner Jess Adlard, 33, in Loughborough, Leics.
Jess, originally from Pennsylvania, said: “It’s like Christmas and my birthday on the same day. Thank you to The Sun for getting him out.”
At home the bird, who craves his toys and human attention, loved looking out of the window to watch the birds.
But staff had told the Adlards that the stressed cockatoo had been chirping, “Wanna see the birdies” over and over again.
In one disturbing video Charlie is seen dragging his head side to side against a wall inside his cell.
Jess, who moved from Pennsylvania last year to join her husband in Britain, said his seizure was “ridiculous”.
“We applied for and were granted every permit; we had him checked out by a vet and met every requirement before shipping him from the US. In total it has cost us £6,000 to get him here.
“But somehow the paperwork went missing in transit. They had a photocopy but said they needed the original which was ridiculous.”
The couple applied for Charlie to be returned under a process called restoration and they received his release letter by email on Monday morning, less than 48 hours after our story dropped.
Pharmacy technician Jess, 33, said: “I couldn’t be happier, and thank you to The Sun, Charlie would still be languishing in his prison without your help.”
Settling Charlie back into his huge 10ft x 7ft enclosure at home, Jess said she can’t wait to spoil her pet and get him back in to a routine.
“I’m looking forward to sharing meals with him, cooking meals for him; we shower together; I can take him on walks, we do everything but sleep together.
“He will be getting spoiled that’s for sure. I’ve got avocado, mung bean, broccoli and cauliflower, turkey breasts, almonds, all his favourite things.”
Shipping clerk Joe, 36, said: “Seeing Charlie here in the flesh is fantastic, when we collected him I was tearing up. We can’t wait to get him settled in at home.
“This whole thing has been a classic case of red tape and bureaucracy gone mad.”
Jess, who leans on Charlie for emotional support, agreed that the past three months have been “incredibly frustrating”.
Jon BondCharlie’s owners are looking to shower him in treats following his ordeal[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
