'They are not for humans to gawp at' - Thousands sign petition against Blackpool 'parrot experience' plan

A petition with 16,000 signatures has been sent to Blackpool Council by PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - protesting over plans for a parrot experience attraction.

The charity has slammed the proposals and is urging planners to reject the application.

Blackpool Council is in recepit of an application on behalf of Mr Przemyslaw Antonowicz to transform the ground floor premises at 64-66 Talbot Road into a large indoor space, with artificial ‘jungle’ foliage, where the parrots would freely fly around, and smaller areas where customers would be able to “interact with the birds individually”.

“Thousands of compassionate people have spoken and Blackpool Council must heed their concerns for animals by rejecting this proposal,” said PETA’s Vice President of Programmes, Elisa Allen.

“Animals are not objects for humans to gawp at.

“PETA is calling for this exploitative plan to be scrapped, sparing intelligent birds from a stressful and miserable life in captivity.”

The charity says that parrots are highly intelligent, sensitive animals who, in nature, would live in complex social groups, fly long distances every day and spend their time foraging, exploring and communicating with their flock.

But they say an ‘exploitative’ experience like what is planned, birds would be confined indoors and deprived of most everything that comes naturally to them.

A Blackpool Council spokesperson said: “Blackpool Council has received a planning application for the proposed premises.

“The activity will require a licence for the exhibition of animals. To date no application for has been made and it would not be appropriate to pre-empt a decision without the process having taken place.”