General Discussion

Omaha Steve

(99,718 posts) Fri Dec 14, 2018, 08:27 AM Dec 2018

70 live birds hidden in plastic hair rollers were seized at JFK airport in New York

By Lindsey Bever / The Washington Post

Federal agents found dozens of finches hidden in hair rollers inside a duffel bag at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said agents stopped a passenger traveling from Guyana to New York on Saturday, carrying 70 finches hidden inside small, plastic rollers. The agency said in a statement that the birds have been “detained under quarantine.”

The passenger was barred from entering the United States but was able to withdraw his application for entry so that he may reapply to visit in the future, authorities said. Although there are penalties, including fines, for smuggling birds into the country, authorities said there were no further penalties in this case.

Anthony Bucci, a spokesman for the agency in New York, told The Washington Post that over the past 12 to 18 months, agents in New York have seized nearly 200 finches.

FULL story: https://www.omaha.com/news/trending/live-birds-hidden-in-plastic-hair-rollers-were-seized-at/article_b3fc7903-c66d-5a21-8a33-4b3442fbe70d.html

14 replies

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Highlight:

70 live birds hidden in plastic hair rollers were seized at JFK airport in New York (Original Post) Omaha Steve Dec 2018 OP

But why?? dewsgirl Dec 2018 #1

So they sell them to the pet industry. GoCubsGo Dec 2018 #2

Not for the pet industry Dread Pirate Roberts Dec 2018 #4

Thank you. I knew it couldn't be financial. dewsgirl Dec 2018 #5

They most certainly are sold in pet stores in the US. llmart Dec 2018 #8

Oh, I agree. I believe they are between 20-40 for a pair. dewsgirl Dec 2018 #11

How does a human judge rusty fender Dec 2018 #14

They don't cost enough for it to be worth the risk. I'm shocked they dewsgirl Dec 2018 #6

They use them for breeding. GoCubsGo Dec 2018 #7

Gambling malaise Dec 2018 #10

It's a thing in Guyana Dread Pirate Roberts Dec 2018 #3

I did not need to read to know they came from Guyana malaise Dec 2018 #9

I'm surprised our DU punsters aren't on to this thread yet. tavernier Dec 2018 #12

That's a lot of rollers, rusty fender Dec 2018 #13

dewsgirl

(14,961 posts)

1. But why??

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Dec 14, 2018, 08:46 AM

Dec 2018

GoCubsGo

(32,093 posts)

2. So they sell them to the pet industry.

Reply to dewsgirl (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 14, 2018, 08:49 AM

Dec 2018

Dread Pirate Roberts

(1,896 posts)

4. Not for the pet industry

Reply to GoCubsGo (Reply #2)

Fri Dec 14, 2018, 09:01 AM

Dec 2018

as you can see from the article in the OP they were being transported from Guyana.

Ray Harinarain moved to New York City from Guyana in the 1980s. He brought a local hobby with him: Competitive finch singing. Harinarain and his competitors breed finches, then bring them to local parks for sing-offs (male finches naturally compete, through song, with each other). Judges count each time a finch misses a note, and the first finch to reach 50 dropped notes loses. Although the four-minute video from the New York Times doesn't explicitly say so, it appears the main benefit of winning is bragging rights.

dewsgirl

(14,961 posts)

5. Thank you. I knew it couldn't be financial.

Reply to Dread Pirate Roberts (Reply #4)

Fri Dec 14, 2018, 09:12 AM

Dec 2018

llmart

(15,552 posts)

8. They most certainly are sold in pet stores in the US.

Reply to dewsgirl (Reply #5)

Fri Dec 14, 2018, 11:40 AM

Dec 2018

They are used for breeding and selling in pet stores. The "oh how cute - competitive singing" is a cover.

It's animal cruelty to do this to the birds.