Family's plea over mising parrot
Lorraine Tinney Lorraine Tinney - 1626 • Published 28 May 2008 16:30
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A WEMYSS Bay teenager is pining for his pet parrot which flew off two weeks ago.
Gianluca Varese got Tino, an African Grey worth around £500, as a late Christmas present and is distraught at his disappearance.
The baby bird with the red tail nestled into the hearts of the whole family after only a few months.
Gianluca, 13, said: 'I feel sad. He used to whistle because he was too young to speak and I was looking forward to teaching him.
'When we were eating, he"d fly towards us and try to take our food. He liked mashed potatoes, peas and grapes. I always wanted a pet and I thought a bird would be good, then my dad suggested a parrot. I would love him to come home.'
The Notre Dame pupil lives with his parents, Liana and Angelo, and brothers Simone, 19, and Alessandro, 16, in Leapmoor Drive. They were so smitten with their new pet they bought a small cage so he could sit outside with them in the good weather.
Liana, 45, said: 'We didn"t want to leave him in the house on his own. But it was when my husband was taking him out of the cage to put him back in the house he flew away.
'He landed on the roof of a conservatory and then we lost sight of him. Tino"s brought such joy to the family.
'He greets us when we come into the lounge in the morning and jumps up on my husband. He"s a lovely, lovely bird. Tino completed the family and we miss him so much.'
Tino has a tag on his foot and if anyone sees him they should call Allison Black at Inverclyde Animal Rescue.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 28 May 08
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