Hundreds of parakeets dropped off at Michigan animal shelter

ROMEO, Mich. – An animal shelter in Michigan has been inundated with hundreds of parakeets.

The Detroit Animal Welfare Group in Romeo said in a Facebook post that the small, colorful birds were dropped off Thursday night, the Detroit Free Press reported

“We were in shock also but could not turn them away as they were all crammed in seven cages and smothering each other and needed immediate help,” the shelter said in the post.

The group’s director, Kelley Lebonty, told the Free Press that the son of an animal hoarder had called to say he was coming to surrender 60 to 80 parakeets from his father’s house. But he showed up Thursday with 497 parakeets in his truck.

Shelter officials said they reached out to bird rescue organizations for help. Temporary housing for the parakeets was found and food was donated for the birds.