Frankie flies free

Analysis and reflections from Fundación Loros

Frankie came to my home as a birthday gift for my second son. No one in the family had realized that keeping a wild animal at home — no matter how well cared for — is not the true expression of the love it deserves. Even though Frankie wasn't kept in a cage and was looked after with care, whenever he heard parrots flying near the house he would stop and listen — and remarkably, he never flew away, even though we never clipped his wings.

A few years before the pandemic, my daughter and I adopted two puppies almost at the same time. One of them, Ginebra, was an excellent hunter, which meant we had to keep Frankie confined to his cage almost constantly. One day Daniel, a wildlife veterinarian, came to visit and convinced me to give Frankie back his freedom. I was worried that, having been raised as a pet, Frankie would end up dying of loneliness — it was his habit not to eat if I stayed out of the house too long. Even so, I have no regrets about letting go of the idea that Frankie was happy with us.

I always gave him my love and attention: he let me hold him, pet him, and he would even fall asleep in my lap. He learned to call out my daughter Sara's name, and his first words were profanities and bursts of laughter that startled visitors. He never trusted men, but he trusted my daughter and me. Through my connection with Fundación Loros, I was able to see him free again. I am moved to tears every time I watch those birds fly. I finally saw a photo of Frankie free, preening beside his mate, and I knew I had done the right thing.

Today, as a teacher of young children, I speak up for the freedom of wild species. In my classes I repeat that these birds are not pets, and that children can help their families understand why. I hold on to the hope that more people will learn to protect our wildlife. Since that day, I have hung Frankie's empty cage on my terrace, in plain sight, with a phrase I love:

"This is not an empty cage; it is a bird in freedom."

Frankie taught me, without question, that true love is freedom.