Jan 29, 2008

Firefighters capture escaped exotic parrot

By Mark Abramson / Daily News Staff Writer

San Mateo firefighters had to use a 100-foot ladder truck to help a woman catch her parrot, "Cookie," after it flew the coop Monday afternoon.

The 1 1/2-hour capture operation started about 3:30 p.m. on the 1400 block of Yew Street. Initially, firefighters and Cookie's owner tried to use a 24-foot ladder to climb up to the bird, but the parrot got spooked and took off for a higher spot, said Acting Deputy Fire Chief John Healy.

"It was a long process," Healy said. "They had to keep an eye on it as it was flying away to see where it went next. A large crowd had gathered just to watch the whole thing."

Usually, the fire department does not do this type of rescue, but this case was different, he said.

"It was a large parrot that was valued at several thousand dollars. We wouldn't do it for a finch," Healy said. "It wasn't your little $5 PetSmart pet."

Once the ladder truck arrived, the bird's owner was hooked to a safety harness and allowed to climb up the ladder with the assistance of a fire department captain. She called out to Cookie and the bird came to her, said fire Capt. Joe Rupena.

Fire officials said Cookie is 15 years old, red and blue, and probably would not have survived the cold overnight.



E-mail Mark Abramson at mabramson@dailynewsgroup.com.