A bird has been detained at Heathrow Airport for "months" thanks to a paperwork issue as his family issue a desperate plea to bring him home.
Charlie the cockatoo, four, was supposed to be reunited with his owner Jess Adlard, 33, back in August after she relocated from Pennsylvania to the UK. She initially moved across the pond in November 2022 but was forced to leave her feathered friend behind for nine months.
After making the journey to Blighty, "cheeky chap" Charlie was set to rejoin Jess but was held at the west London airport after it was discovered a form was missing. Three months later and the much-loved pet is still being held in confinement.
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Jess, who spent a staggering £6,000 to bring her companion over from the US, said she was growing increasingly concerned for Charlie's well-being. "We haven't been able to see him but they sent us videos and pictures," Jess said.
She also said her pet has begun showing typical signs of distress in captivity. "He has been banging his head against the cage wall and crying for me," she added. "He has been plucking his feathers and asking if he is a good boy."
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Jess said the problems first began when her husband Joe, a customs clearance agent, flew out to the US to retrieve the couple's pet. She said the missing document had been with Charlie when he left the States and that she and Joe, 36, had tried to rectify the problem.
"We have sent picture copies over to them but they say they need to see the original but it was with Charlie," said Jess, originally from Loughborough, Leicestershire. "We haven't heard anything from them since September."
The former pharmacy technician said she hasn't been able to see or speak to the rose-breasted cockatoo, who she bought in December 2019, since his arrival. "We want Charlie home. We have a beautiful home for him."
The Home Office told The Sun officials at Heathrow are following domestic and international protocols. A spokesperson said: "We take the welfare of animals in our care seriously."
Jess and Joe have set up a GoFundMe to help cover their costs. The Daily Star has contacted the Home Office for more information.
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