Bruiser, a traumatized Sun Conure, stuck at PetsMart in Tukwila. Help us help him!

Several days ago, the Founder of SMCPR received the following e-mail about a Sun Conure named Bruiser.  Please read his story:

"Dear Echo,

My name is *****, and I'm an employee at the Petsmart in Tukwila.  I was referred to you by a member of the Avian Avenue forum because of a sun conure, named Bruiser, who needs help.  Here's his story that I posted on the forum:

Bruiser is a Sun Conure who's somewhere around 2.5 to 3 years old. We call him a boy, though Bruiser could also be a girl. Bruiser's story as it was told to me when I first met him.

Bruiser came in on the last shipment of birds from a supplier Petsmart was no longer going to buy from, due to the consistently low quality of the birds they were sending. (In poor condition, either fearful or mean) They tell me that this supplier sent all the most aggressive birds in the last shipment. Bruiser was one such, and landed at the Petsmart Tukwila. Our pet care manager has scars from him, from when they first tried handling him. Even as a recently weaned baby he was rather vicious. He had cage aggression issues and could draw profuse amounts of blood when he bit. One he flew out of his cage in a panic while they had the door open, and injured himself in the small habitat room. He had to have stitches, get antibiotics daily, and wear a cone to keep him from picking the stitches out. He became fearful of hands then, instead of aggressive, and would fly away whenever you tried to get near. He was sold a few times over the years, and always returned, cause he bit the kids. *eyeroll* When I came to the store two years later, and met him for the first time, he sat on my finger for a moment before spazzing out and flying back into his cage. He really seemed to like our pet care manager the best, though. She would hold him and scritch him and take care of the pin feathers on his head. He was sold, apparently, again, and returned, when I wasn't in, and this time when I came back he'd had to have surgery on one of his toes (it looks like they had to remove a claw) and cowered and trembled whenever we came near. He doesn't bite anymore, which I suppose is decent- but I don't think he even lets the pet care manager hold him anymore. 

I try to take him out when I have time, and just hold him, but he always gets scared and flies back into his cage after a moment. 

No person in their right mind is going to buy a $600 special needs sun conure who's favorite past time is to scream non-stop. We can't even seem to give him away- I think the store manager would adopt him out to the right home if one talked to him right. One of our co-workers wanted to take him, she's very good with birds, but decided she has too much on her plate with work, college, and two dogs (one with special needs). We're having a hard time finding someone who will take him for free, once we describe his needs. *sigh*

I need ideas from you guys. This bird needs to get out of the pet store and go to a forever home where he can live a long happy life. Every time he's returned he gets worse. We can tell that he's craving attention and a family to bond to, but all he see's every day are strangers.

help? 

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     I'm currently trying to figure out a way to get him out of the store.  I may be able to convince the store manager to adopt him out- I may not.  If not, I am working on a plan to acquire him, though I can't pay for him all by myself, and am trying to think of a way to raise money if that is the case.

     If we do manage to get him out of the store, would you be able to take him and place him in a forever home?

  Sincerely,

*****"

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"Echo,

Thank you for the quick reply and the information.  I understand not being able to pay for him- I would not ask you to.  When I mention raising money I am thinking of trying to get a couple hundred dollars from outside sources to help me pay for the bird.  Once I have him paid for an out of there then I would go about placing him.  I cannot foster him, so he would have to go to a new home immediately.  I will give the store manager your information, and hope that he makes the right decision.  He is very unsure about what he wants to do. $600 is a big sale, and the store has probably well over a thousand dollars to vet bills alone.  Would you have a cage for him, or do should we get him one?

Thank you,

*****"

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After corresponding with her via e-mail, we attempted to see if the store manager would be willing to relinquish Bruiser to us so that we could provide him with extensive rehabilitation and get him ready to find his forever home. However, it didn't work out like we had hoped.  This was the next e-mail Echo received in response:

"Echo

I talked to the store manager about it.  He said that a couple might come back and purchase him, they were interested.  The people never come back though.  Even the ones that are "sure" they want him.  He also said that if Bruiser doesn't leave the store by the end of November, he's sending him down to Federal Way where they "sell two conures a week.  They'll be able to sell him down there."

:<  So it looks like the adoption thing isn't going to happen.  He's holding out for a sale.

I worked in Federal Way for some time, and if locals are buying conures at two a week then I feel sorry for the birds.  I'm really worried about him being sent down there, and then being returned or winding up in a home where he is neglected and abused.  They need to get over the money at look at this bird's history!  People buy him because he's pretty and then they return him when he turns out to be hard work.

It's so frustrating.

I hope we get the money together. I'll chip in as much as I can.  I'll call in tomorrow and see if I can get his medical records.

-*****"

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So, next we started the cry for financial donations to help save Bruiser.  To this date, we have $ 25 in pocket, and another $ 250 pledged.  

We also started a letter writing and phone call campaign to save Bruiser.  Conveniently, the store manager left the store early today after our phone call campaign started.

We also contacted Q13 Fox News, Kiro 7 News, King 5 News, and Komo 4 News to tell them about Bruiser and his situation.  

We also contacted the Seattle Times Newspaper, as well as the Tacoma News Tribune News Paper.  

We also have several people contacting the corporate office of PetsMart.

So far, no responses from anyone.  However, we found a gentleman by the name of Michael Cox, who has 47 years experience in rehabilitating abused and traumatized parrots, and he is willing to purchase Bruiser and make the 11 hour drive to pick him up.  The problem?  The store manager won't return his calls.  We've also contacted the employee who told us about Bruiser and let them know that we found a home for Bruiser, but need help getting the store manager to get on the phone so Michael can obtain Bruiser.

As of right now, that is where everything sits, and we are waiting......and waiting......