Missing Parrot Found

By Teresa Rochester

After 20 agonizing days of separation, an ailing Simi Valley man will be reunited this afternoon with his stolen parrot, Boogy.

Rick Green received the good news from Simi Valley Police Detective Doug Pedersen in an early morning phone call today.

"This is just a miracle come true," Green said. "I'm going to go out and treat her to whatever she wants. I'll take her to Spago, whatever."

Pedersen drove to Valencia this morning to pick up the 2-year-old yellow nape Amazon parrot from a woman who spotted the bird sitting on a chair outside of the Starbucks on Tapo Canyon Road on Oct. 29.

The woman thought the bird had been abandoned, said Sgt. Joe May said, police spokesman. She placed her on her shoulder, got into a car and drove away.

Green was in the coffee house at the time ordering a drink. He had left Boogy on the chair after fetching it tortilla chips from Baja Fresh because it was not allowed inside the store.

Meanwhile, the woman who took Boogy left her in the care of a family member and went on a cruise. When she returned, she realized the bird had an owner.

"It is not being treated as a crime," May said. "It's still going to be investigated."

During Boogy's absence, Green, who has fibromyalgia, diabetes and other ailments, launched a frenzied search throughout Simi Valley. He put up posters citywide and set up a fund at a local bank. He received a flood of support statewide.

"I'm just elated about all the support I've received," he said. "Even the Boy Scouts were going to come out and help me make posters. ... I've just had tremendous support from Seattle to San Diego."