Body-Painted ‘Bloodied Bird’ to Blast Miami Beach Petco’s Cruel and Deadly Parakeet Sales
For Immediate Release:
August 3, 2026
Contact:
Alex Payne 202-483-7382
On Wednesday, a nearly nude PETA supporter body-painted as a parakeet with bloody wounds will languish in a 9-foot-tall cage outside a Miami Beach Petco to call on the company to stop selling birds. The spectacle—which will include avian allies holding giant images of crushed, injured, and dead birds next to a sign reading “Birds’ Heads Ripped Off at Breeder Tied to Petco”—will call out the horrific cruelty exposed in PETA’s undercover investigation into Creekside Birds, a parakeet breeding factory in Petco’s supply chain.
PETA’s three-month investigation also revealed workers crushing parakeets’ necks and leaving sick and injured birds to suffer for weeks without veterinary care. Nearly 10,000 parakeets were crammed into tiny, filthy cages—and nearly 1,400 birds were found dead in just 27 days.
“Sick and injured parakeets suffered for weeks in filthy, overcrowded cages at this squalid breeding facility while workers killed birds by ripping their heads off and crushing their necks,” says PETA Vice President Daniel Paden. “PETA is calling on Petco to help end this horror show by ending all live animal sales, and we urge everyone to never buy any animal from a pet store or breeder.”
Where: Petco, 1121 5th St., Miami Beach
When: Wednesday, August 5, 12:00 p.m.
Why: 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.
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.
