BARNEY THE CUSSING MACAW | DOGS CAN AND DO GRIEVE

Nuneaton Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary - Animal Sanctuary - Portfolio

Barney used to belong to a lorry driver, and used to drive around with his owner. His owner emigrated to spain and this is when Barney came to us.

We had a conservatory and his cage was in there, where he could see and speak to every one that went by..

Until one day when we had some Brownies visiting and he shouted out and told them where to go, in his very own special way. This is the first time we heard Barney swear, he had only been with us about 3 months.

He had to be moved into the house where he couldn't shout abuse at any one else visiting.

Or so we thought, he has in the space of a year told a lady mayor, a lady vicar and two police where to go... Impolitely obviously.

To say the least Barney has got a very colourful vocabulary.

"What did the foul-mouthed parrot say to the vicar... and to the mayor? A parrot with a remarkably coherent line in invective has been given a private pen at a wildlife sanctuary, after swearing repeatedly at distinguished visitors including a mayor, a vicar and two police officers.

Barney the five-year-old Macaw can now be seen only on special request, like the British Library's collection of erotic books, in case he rounds on potential donors or gives a dreadful example to visiting children."

-Martin Wainwright - The Guardian

“Barney’s other side was revealed when a civic party came on a tour of the sanctuary and Barney spotted the mayor's chain and a woman vicar's dog collar. He told the mayor: "**** off," before turning to the vicar and saying: "You can **** off too."

The sanctuary's owner, said yesterday: "To their credit they didn't take offence and laughed it off - and luckily so did two policemen who were told: "And you can **** off, you w******." "He is a very funny parrot, with a lot of character, and he does say thank you whenever you give him a treat. ”

-Geoff Grewcock