Parakeet gets ‘arrested’ for shoplifting and we can’t stop laughing at the police report

Trigger Warning: The following story contains themes of animal cruelty and abuse.

Imagine you are walking your dog in a park, and suddenly the police arrest your pet for their alleged involvement in shoplifting. Sounds like a fictional story, straight out of a best-selling crime thriller? As astonishing as it may sound, in September 2019, the Dutch police arrested an innocent pet parakeet. The reason? Well, the adorable little bird was sitting on the shoulder of the alleged thief, marking itself as an accomplice to the crime. In an official post on Politie Utrecht Centrum's (@politie_utrecht_centrum) Instagram page, police officials not only announced the arrest of the parakeet but also joked about how the bird had refused to plead guilty even after being directly linked to the theft.

"Hi, this bird sat on the shoulder of a thief we arrested for shoplifting. As we don't have a birdcage, this bird had no other place to stay than in the cell," the Dutch police informed while sharing a picture of the parakeet from inside the lockup. Further, the police clarified that they decided to put the bird inside the prison cell, meant for humans, only after his owner gave consent. When the parakeet's owner, held for shop theft, was released, his bird, too, accompanied him like a loyal partner-in-crime. "The bird has not been questioned and is, as far as we know, not guilty of any charges," the official revealed. Meanwhile, reacting to the post, @eduardoisbak commented, "Free my boy, he did nothing wrong!" Similarly, @acidnightshade asked, "Did you read the bird his rights?"

While this light-hearted story of a parakeet behind bars might have made you chuckle, let's take a second to remember the animals who are forced into captivity every day. From heartless people using their pets as mere breeding machines to the smuggling of exotic animals across the globe, countless innocent creatures silently endure the pain of confinement and neglect. According to a report by Asociación Defensa Derechos Animal, around 6,000,000 living animals are estimated to live in captivity, for human entertainment alone.

While a majority of poor animals die in captivity, only a few get to taste freedom after years of traumatic experience. For instance, Mare Noi, a giant elephant who was mostly used for breeding, as per Bored Panda, was rescued after 41 years of mistreatment in 2023 — all thanks to the Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary (BLES), Thailand. The sanctuary revealed that at one point, a breeder wanted to purchase Mare Noi, but their founder, Katherine Connor, refused the offer without a second thought. Mare Noi's journey from captivity to the sanctuary at present might sound very honky-dory, but the reality was far from being smooth.  

"The biggest challenge was raising the necessary funds in a timely manner. We faced a tight deadline," Connor told the outlet in an interview. Later, when she contacted Aaron Jackson, the founder of Planting Peace, the kind man flew out to Thailand to help Mare Noi relocate. Fortunately, within just 24 hours, they could raise funds that were enough to relocate Mare Noi to BLES. "We create a true sanctuary environment that prioritizes emotional well-being by allowing elephants to live peacefully," Connor revealed. 

You can follow Politie Utrecht Centrum (@politie_utrecht_centrum) on Instagram for more such updates.