COMPLAINT FORM LETTER TO PET PRODUCT MFG.

One of the major problems those of use working to ensure the health and well-being of birds in captivity, is that people whose animals have suffered injury, disease or death as a direct result of using products that are inappropriate or unsafe for birds, or that have been misleading packaged, marketed, or pushed by pet stores, fail to write letters of complaint to the manufacturers (or stores, especially corporate superstores). Thus, stores and manufacturers claim to know nothing of any problems...and animals keep getting burned, suffer from fatal implications, or end up at the vet's costing hundreds of dollars to correct metabolic bone disease.

Here is very nicely written a form letter anyone can use--and that everyone who has a bird adversely affected by such products is encouraged to use. Below is the text of the form letter. You can print it out and retype it, or save it using your browser's Save As... feature, then import into your word processing program and set up with your own letterhead. If you do not have a letterhead setup, put your name, address, phone number and email address (optional) at the top of the page, followed by the date and the text of the following letter. Fill in the [suggested text] as dictated by the problem or situation you experienced.

[Date]

Mr. or Ms. [company rep's name]

[company name]

[company address]

Dear [insert name of company rep or company here],

I purchased a [pet product] for use with my bird, made by [company name] and used it according to the packaging instructions [make sure you used it according to packaging instructions!]. As a direct result of your product, my [bird species], [your bird's name*], received [describe injury] and had to undergo treatment consisting of [describe treatment].

Not only was this a painful experience for [your bird's name], but it was also costly for me to provide the veterinary care necessary to save [your bird's name] life. I have since found that a number of people who participate in an [e-mail discussion list dedicated to [parrots, cockatiels, african greys, macaws, etc.] and/or computer online service message board and/or Internet newsgroup], have mentioned similar injuries, and [company name] comes up repeatedly in conjunction with products that are known to cause these injuries [or illness] in the animals they are used with. This discussion [list/message board/newsgroup] has an international readership of several hundred, and many of our subscribers participate in an Internet newsgroups related to bird and bird care that have an international readership in the millions. In short, the recurring problems with your product lines marketed for birds have not gone unrecognized amongst people who keep birds and exotic pets.

I urge [company name] to examine its products and to fix or discontinue those that are unsafe for use with birds, and to provide clear and visible guidelines and warnings for use of these products on the packaging when necessary.

[Or, if you are a victim of the pseudo-full spectrum phenomenon, use the following paragraph:

I urge [company name] to heed to and abide by laws governing truthful advertising. I feel you are purposely misleading the people who buy your bulbs [or tubes, if applicable] for use with their birds who require Ultraviolet B radiation to synthesize vitamin D3 and, therefore, to live. I ask you to repackage [tube or bulb name] to more accurately describe its ultraviolet spectral output.

I am obviously only one of potentially thousands of people who have been similarly victimized, as evidenced by such reports as I have discovered in the bird veterinary, biological, psittacine and kept-bird literature. Clearly, this must stop before other animals are hurt.

Furthermore, I ask that [company name] reimburse me for the costs I have accrued as a result of injury to my pet, including veterinary office visit, diagnostics, and treatment. Attached is a copy of my receipt [or statement from veterinarian] for these expenses [remember to attach these!].

Sincerely,

[your name]

cc: [Send copies to the following people and agencies, indicating as such in the "cc" portion of your letter. Getting the word out to as many Powers That Be as possible is the first step in making a change.]

Your local Better Business Bureau office -- call Information or look in the City or County pages of your phone book to get their address(s).

Your state Consumer Affairs department -- call Information or look in the State listing of your telephone book to get the address.

Your local animal regulatory agencies -- call Information or look in the City and County pages of your phone book to find out who they are and how to reach them, then call to get their address(es). Your local bird society may also have this information.

The consumer affairs people at your local television station -- check Information or your phone book for their number (filed by the station call letters, i.e., KDKA).

Your vet's office for her/his information.

You're local caged bird society.

Humane Society of the United States (Reginal Offices)

Addresses for Corporate Offices for Superstores:

* Note, repeating your bird's name serves to "humanize" it to people who may otherwise not acknowledge that birds can also be loved. This is actually a basic courtroom/jury technique.

If you do send off a letter, I would be interested in the response you get. Perhaps I can post a running summary of which manufacturers have been contacted about what products, and what their response has been. Other bird and exotics owners may then take this into consideration when they consider buying those companies products. If you are interested, please send me a copy of the letter you wrote and of the response you received, or a summary of the situation and response.

Use Browser BACK Button

Pretty Birds: Copyright © 1997: Last Modified 07/07/04: Copyright Law and International Treaties protect these Web Site Pages. Warning: Reproduction or Distribution of these images, program, text or any portion of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under the law.