This bird has caused the feathers to fly between two former friends.
Allie the African Grey parrot’s owner believes the clever bird was sold for tik by his friend.
Scott Crighton, 45, says when he and his family lost their home, he entrusted his polly to his former friend.
The Mitchell’s Plain father says Allie was the only pet his two sons had and he asked his buddy to take care of the bird while they were finding their feet.
He boasts that his bird could say words like “hello” and “Assalaamu Alaykum”.
“He was a special bird, his neck was skew so he couldn’t fly, he would look at you upside down. He also has no toes and he was a Muslim bird who could speak English and Afrikaans,” says the proud owner.
However, Scott suspects his old friend who he used to smoke tik with sold the bird for drugs.
“When I moved to Mitchell’s Plain, I asked him how the bird was. Then I heard that he sold the bird for R1800,” he claims.
Scott says when he confronted the man a second time he became defensive.
“He later told me he pawned the bird but that I could have it back after a month. On April 30, I was supposed to get the bird back but he kept dodging me,” says the angry father.
Scott admits he used tik.
However, his friend says he told Scott he gave the parrot away.
“I had the bird for three or four months and he never came to check on the bird, he just left the parrot. I couldn’t get hold of him anywhere so after our house was raided, the bird was alone and I gave it away,” he says.
He says Scott had “personal issues”.
“He is talking bulls*** and I will speak to him myself,” he says in anger.
Scott is now appealing to the public to please return Allie to his family.
*This article was published in the Daily Voice