Under-the-weather Macaw puts owners in financial distress due to costly vet bills

Under-the-weather Roo — described by his owner as “a lovely girl who likes to sing and dance” — is one of many exotic birds looked after by Robert Summers at Step Up Aviary Uk in Kimberworth.

Robert said he had bought Roo by auction in October but his condition had started to deteriorate quickly.

“He was in such a sorry state when I first saw as she looked emaciated and was clearly unwell,” he said.

“It’s clear her previous owner hadn’t taken the best care of her. It’s very common for people to keep macaws as pets without knowing how to look after them properly.

“This didn’t stop me from wanting to help him and give him a chance and I instantly knew I had to get him.

“When I took Roo to the vets, they checked him over and said that he was malnourished and that I’d need to gradually increase the amount of food he was having.

“The next day Roo was being violently sick and breathing heavily so we went back to the vets again and they put him in an oxygen chamber to calm his breathing down.

“It was a really emotional time for me with a lot of sleepless nights.”

Robert said Roo’s health had improved over the next few months and become a “loveable companion” but he had taken another turn for the worse on last month.

“The vet said he’d still not put the weight on they would have liked to have seen despite us giving him all the love, attention and food he needed,” he added.

“He’s had blood tests, x-rays and faecal tests, which show that Roo could have aspergillosis, avian TB or cancer.

“At the moment, Roo’s on a course of pain killers and tramadol.

“It’s heartbreaking because he is a lovely girl who likes to sing and dance.

“His bill stands at over £1,900 so any help we can get to keep helping exotic birds in need.

“We just want the best for him and to give him a good life.”

You can donate toward Roo’s treatment at https://tinyurl.com/Roo-Macaw.