They know who it belongs to...
They could, ya know, return it. Or hold it for the guy to pick up.
Out of curiosity, are they willing to pay him for the seizure of property, or shall we make an international incident of it?
They could, ya know, return it. Or hold it for the guy to pick up.
Out of curiosity, are they willing to pay him for the seizure of property, or shall we make an international incident of it?
The owner of the bird is responsible for the bird. Therefore, the owner is responsible for the bird illegally entering Australia in violation of local customs laws, just as a dog owner would be responsible should their dog bite somebody.
I'm all for returning the bird to the owner but from Australia's perspective, the owner committed a crime. It's ridiculous to suggest that the owner should be compensated for the consequences.
The bird should be returned upon payment of a fine and reimbursement for the costs of finding, capturing and transporting the bird back to the US.
Causing an international incident would be considered a bonus for the publicity it would create.
(not condoning this, just making the observation)