Most of us enjoy hearing stories about loyal pets, but this one takes things to a whole new level. A parrot found itself in police custody after alerting its owners that a police raid was coming to the house.

True story. Police in Brazil were moving in on the abode of some suspected drug dealers when the parrot began to shout, “Mamãe, polícia!” in Portuguese over and over again. The phrase means, “Mama, police!”

The green-feathered accomplice’s efforts did not help the suspects escape or get rid of the goods in time, because police confiscated crack, marijuana, and other paraphernalia at the scene. Two people were arrested: an adult man and his teenage daughter.

Officers believe the parrot was specially trained to be a lookout, because he did not begin to yell the warning until he saw them closing in. It almost thwarted the undercover operation, and for that reason, cops saw fit to “arrest” the bird for obstruction and drug trafficking.

The parrot was taken down to the station and held for questioning but refused to snitch. According to police, it did not talk to them at all. However, an attorney for the two people arrested says this version of events from the police must be false.

They claim that it seems dubious given the fact that the parrot was not afraid to shout or be a chatty lookout. Why would it all of a sudden go silent? According to The Guardian, a local reporter and vet confirmed that the bird would not speak to the authorities. He exercised his own right to remain silent.

Since the cops were unable to get the loyal bird to utter anything else or repeat its warnings, it was released to an area zoo, where they still visited and attempted to coax information from it. It didn’t work.

Many members of the public and environmental groups were calling for the bird’s release, saying it should not have been in police custody. The zoo plans to train the bird to learn how to fly before sending it back out.

This isn’t the first instance of a bird or other animal being used in the drug trade. Nearly a decade ago, a parrot named Lorenzo was arrested by Colombian authorities for being a lookout. More than 1,000 other birds were confiscated during the raid for being trained in the same job.

Other incidents involved carrier pigeons that transport Ecstasy and other drugs on behalf of drug dealers, or exotic animal enforcers such as tigers or alligators. Sometimes, they get caught.

But it seems like parrots have a special proclivity for sounding the alarm. To get a look at this crafty parrot, hit play below. Notice the look on its face as he sits in the holding room. Some of us might like to have such a friend.

Do find this story humorous? What do you think of the parrot’s actions during and after the raid? Would you like to a have pet like this?

Sources:

The Telegraph