Man Wants to Question Parrot in Court

AP / Yahoo ^ | 10/06/2003

[dighton]

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A man claims a woman wrongly adopted his lost parrot — and he can prove it if given a chance to question the bird in court.

Loulou, an 11-year-old African gray parrot, flew out of David DeGroff’s apartment on April 12 after a guest who wasn’t wearing her glasses accidentally walked into the screen door leading to the balcony.

On May 11, Nina Weaver, of Newburg, Pa., adopted an African gray from the D.C. Animal Shelter. DeGroff, convinced the bird is Loulou, filed a lawsuit seeking an opportunity to depose the parrot. He is seeking $15,000 for pain and suffering if the bird turns out to be Loulou.

According to DeGroff, Loulou’s vocal repertoire includes whistling the theme song to “The Andy Griffith Show” and saying the phrase “Daddy’s gotta go to work.”

Immediately after Loulou left, DeGroff said, he started calling every animal agency in the area, including the D.C. Animal Shelter.

DeGroff said he again called the shelter in mid-May. A receptionist told him that an African gray had recently been adopted. DeGroff used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the adoption records.

DeGroff said he drove to Weaver’s home, but no one answered when he knocked on the front door. He said he saw a bird through the window and felt a connection.

“She seemed like she tried to communicate with me,” DeGroff said.

DeGroff was unable to determine if it could whistle the “Andy Griffith” tune. Frustrated, he returned home.

Weaver declined to speak with a Washington Post reporter who visited her house. “We have no comment,” she said. “We’re not going to fight this in the paper.”

[martin_fierro]

guffaw

[Chad Fairbanks]

A Parrot Ping!

"Bye-Bye!" heh heh heh

[John Beresford Tipton]

A Monty Python skit?

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[dighton]

Stop wisecracks, says judge at Hague dead parrot trial

[RightWingAtheist]

Sure sounds like it!

I wish to make a complaint!

[steveo]

Clip your bird's wings stupid!

[xsmommy]

don't look at me, i am a member of the DC bar, not the VA/Dr. Doolittle bar....

[jjbrouwer]

BTTT

[Only1choice____Freedom]

What does he know and when did he know it?

[kaboom]

DeGroff used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the adoption records. DeGroff said he drove to Weaver’s home,...

Here's where I have a problem.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I think I'd just give it back. (I don't want anything that throws food at me in my house, anyway.)

[Chad Fairbanks]

Well, it didn't throw food at ME... ;0)

[boris]

Polly want a lawsuit?

[trebb]

Seems that with an exotic pet, there should be some sort of vet records and possibly a way to identify it - if it was his, he should get it back.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

You and me both. What are they doing giving out this type of information?

And who is this guy suing anyway? The shelter or Weaver?

[paulklenk]

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Oh no, of course not. YOU get the "sign of affection"!

It's the story of my life... ; )

[Chad Fairbanks]

heh heh heh...