Sad sad sad story. Do not be afraid to "inform" on people who you think need a welfare check.

My neighbor has been concerned that her friend who hadn't been answering/returning phone calls for a week.
I suggested yesterday that she call the police and have them do a welfare check.
Her friend was dead. She may have been there for a week.

We'd heard rumors that she was a hoarder (never been to her house), and our worst fears on that front were confirmed.
I've not been over there, but my neighbor has now, and was horrified.

She had 5 birds.
The cockatiel predeceased her by a few days. She'd said she was keeping it in an ice chest until the ground thawed. It hasn't been found. It was such a special little fellow - that alone must have broken her heart.

Still don't know how many of the other birds survived, but not all did. SPCA took in the one(s) that did.
(She had a finch, 2 parakeets, and a lovebird.) I just feel sick about those poor animals - how they must have suffered with no one there to feed them. And I know that she would have been torn apart by the idea that any of them would suffer from neglect. This was a 71 year old woman with a bad back and no running water who would lug in bottled water so that she could clean and water them - their cages were apparently the only thing she cleaned in the house.

I've already broken the news about our friend's death to my 8 year old.

And then broke the news that not all the birds made it.

My 8 year old was particularly fond of the cockatiel and the blue parakeet. (They talked.) Not up to breaking the news that the cockatiel is definitely dead. Still absorbing it myself. And kid's had a tough week - found out Tuesday that her best friend is moving. Now she has to process that the nice old lady with the birds is dead.

It's so sad it ended this way. I'd called the town last fall about the lack of electricity and running water in the fall, because she'd gone for over a year without, and at that time I'd told them that it may well be a hoarding situation, and that I was concerned about how she and the 5 birds would make it through another winter. Having only well water is against town code anyhow (it's not potable here). (PSEG at least fixed her power line in January.) I realize that it's impossible to help someone who doesn't want help, is scared/ashamed to admit they need help, but the only thing I'm glad of in all this is that I did make that call, that there's a record somewhere of there being something amiss. I just wish I'd been nosier and followed up. This is someone who definitely needed the aid of a social worker, and had her living situation been healthier, she and those birds might still be living.

As it is, we are trying to figure out how it could be possible to have a funeral. She has no family (unless one counts 2nd and beyond cousins), and it's unclear whether she has a legally valid will, so a lot's up in the air. She'd always said that she'd want her birds provided for...

Just sickened by all of this.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Sorry for the loss of your friend, even worse that there were animals caught in the middle. Sad your daughter had so much bad news this week. You did try to help as much as you could, unfortunately it is sometimes just about impossible to do anything if the person doesn't want help.

Thank you for your kind words.

I'm sure E. would die of shame (if she weren't already dead) over what happened to her birds. Our last conversation (2 weeks ago today) was about another acquaintance who had just lost 3 out of 4 turtles due to neglect (left without heat lamps on - not the first time). She was very emphatic that the pets should come first, because they depend on their human caretakers.

*sigh*

Do you think the SPCA would be at all interested in the survivors' vet. records? I would think that it'd be useful to info for whoever is caring for them.

I'm so sorry to hear all of this. She sounds like she was a good person.

As for the vet records, I'm sure the SPCA would love to have them. It is always helpful for them and potential owners to have a more complete history!

X2, I'd check with the SPCA if they want the vet records, they often do...if the birds are going to other rescues those usually ask for any background information they can get.

That is very sad. I'm sure there are many people living like that, and it shouldn't happen. I'm with you, we need to look out for each other.

What a tragic story. I am so sorry that this lady was not in the end able to care for herself or her beloved birds. It is a lesson for all of us. We need to become a more caring society again, although I don't imply that you didn't care for your friend or try to help. Sometimes we don't know how to.