‘Caged’ and ‘Bloodied’ Courtney Stodden Leads PETA Rally Urging Petco to End Cruel Bird Sales

For Immediate Release:
September 23, 2026

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

“Let Birds Be Free!” That’s the message model and media personality Courtney Stodden—body-painted as a “bloodied” parakeet—sent outside Petco on Tuesday, when she languished inside an 8-foot-tall cage and led PETA supporters in calling on the company to end its live bird sales. The action comes after a recent PETA undercover investigation into Creekside Birds—a parakeet breeding factory in Petco’s supply chain—revealed workers ripping live birds’ heads off and leaving sick and injured birds to suffer for weeks without veterinary care. Photos are available here and video is available here.

“It was heartbreaking to see these frightened, injured birds trapped in filthy cages and treated like disposable inventory by staff who ripped off their heads,” says Stodden. “How many times does PETA need to expose the rampant cruelty behind the pet trade before Petco stops fueling this suffering and ends its live animal sales? Please never to buy any animal from a pet store or breeder.”

Parakeets—often called budgies—are small parrots native to Australia. They live in large flocks, are highly active, fly for miles daily, and enjoy climbing and bathing. They mate for life, show affection by preening one another, and in nature, only breed during the rainy season when food is plentiful to ensure survival. At Creekside Birds, nearly 10,000 parakeets were crammed into tiny, filthy cages—and nearly 1,400 birds were found dead in just 27 days.

Multiple PETA investigations into and whistleblower reports from facilities that supply birds, reptiles, rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, and more to Petco and other big-box pet store chains have documented widespread cruelty, suffering, and neglect.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a parakeet is a dog is a boy. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.