Parrot owner claims taking your bird for a walk cuts stress levels and remedies feather loss
Tuesday, October 30, 2012 at 0:53 
Frank Dennis takes his parrot for a walk in Drogheda.Photograph: Ciara WilkinsonHe may look like he takes a walk on the wild side but there is very practical reason for Frank Dennis taking his exotic wild bird for a walk every day.
“Well I thought that if walking and getting fresh air is good for us humans who not try it for my parrot to see it if helped her stress levels – and it did,” he said.
The 45-year-old has a number of exotic pets including two Congo African Grey parrots and one in particular – Joey – just loves walking through the streets of Drogheda, Co Louth.
“I get a lot of children pointing and waving from cars. I bring her out most days and it has helped her,” he added. Mr Dennis bought Joey from a pet shop at a point where she was so stressed by being caged up and without any sort of stimulation that she had pulled out most of the feather from her belly.
“She was bald when I got her. The vet suggested putting her on drugs but I didn’t want to so I brought her for a walk instead. Now she will try to tell him when she wants a bit of fresh air. “She will look at the door and then at me. If it’s not raining she will want to get out.”