Ontario police break up 'domestic dispute' between man and pet parrot

An Ontario man ran afoul of provincial policethis week after spending a night at home with his pet parrot.

Police in Brighton, between Toronto and Kingston, said they wereoriginally called to a home at 8 p.m. on Tuesday after neighboursheard what they believed to be a domestic dispute.

Northumberland OPP Const. Steve Bates said the neighbours knewthe home was usually occupied by a couple, but police found only oneperson when they arrived.

"They heard him yelling and saying, 'I hope you die,'and so onand so forth," Bates said. "So we attended and we located the maleof the household alone in the house screaming at his pet parrot whoapparently was 'beaking off' at him, in his words."

The man had been drinking, Bates said, adding that the parrot didnot appear to be hurt in any way.

Police did not lay any charges.

Bates described the call as a "very interesting" one forattending officers, adding such incidents sometimes create awelcomediversion.

"These are the kinds of stories that police run into all thetime," he said. "It just adds some levity to the job."