I have received news that the House of Lords has refused Harry Sissen the opportunity of a final appeal hearing. This was the last legal remedy available to him. He has now asked for all the birds confiscated from his property to undergo a DNA test before the court hearing on their future disposition.

This will take several months with the Foot and Mouth disease situation in the U.K making matters more difficult. Veterinarians are occupied countrywide in examining farm livestock and supervising their slaughter and incineration if infected. Most of the confiscated birds are in zoos, which are closed to protect their deer and antelope from casual infection with the virulent Foot and Mouth virus. Veterinarian visits to take blood samples of parrots will therefore not be welcome.