At some point in your life you will have walked past a parrot and heard it screech ‘hello’ in a startlingly human voice. They are exceptionally clever animals capable of learning quite a vocabulary, but why is it they so easily imitate the sounds and words we use? Experts suggest parrots, like most animals, talk in order to communicate with others. If a young parrot is with its mother, it will of course learn the sounds the mother parrot makes, but if it is surrounded by human voices, it will consider its new environment to be home and start to mimic sounds.

Not all parrots are excellent speakers. Pet birds that are generally known for being capable of speaking are African Grey Parrots. They are capable of imitating humans to the point where they are almost indistinguishable from actual human speech. You have probably found yourself fooled by a parrot or two on some occasion!

Though parrots can use quite a list of words, they don’t understand the meaning to what they’re saying. Much like young parrots squawking for attention from their mother, parrots will make these vocalisations in order to evoke a response that grants them attention. They won’t understand the significance of the word itself, but they will understand the reaction or action that word results in.

If you would like to buy a bird that will talk, it’s a good idea to get a young bird and keep it alone in your home. Alternatively, find a bird that already knows how to talk! It’s much easier to teach them something new, compared with older, non-talking birds. They can be difficult to encourage to talk. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will get a bird that is willing to have a conversation with you. Some birds just don’t talk and you will have to accept that.  Just like any other pet, they deserve every ounce of love and attention, and not just for their oratory skill.

We understand what it’s like when you decide you’re going to get a new pet for yourself or for the family. It conjures the image of Christmas morning, the kids coming down to an adorable bundle of fluffiness raring for love and attention. Sadly, not many of you are even aware that there are thousands of pets that are either abandoned or given away that desperately seek new homes and new families to care for them. To say we are a nation of animal lovers, there has been a steady rise in abandoned pets over the past couple of years with owners offering myriad unjustifiable and often utterly bizarre excuses for the neglect and cruelty of their animals, anything from ‘my dog hurts my leg when he wags his tail’ to ‘my cat doesn’t match my carpet’

The recession hasn’t helped matters, and a staggering number of pet owners can no longer cope with the cost of keeping an animal. Thankfully, not all of these individuals will leave their poor pooch or cute kitten on the side of the road and they will do the right thing and take them to the RSPCA, but there is still the problem of finding them new homes.

The common misconception is that animals that have been left with the RSPCA have behavioural problems that make them aggressive and unpredictable, but this is not true. Many larger pets like cats and dogs find themselves in the hands of the RSPCA simply because their owner couldn’t afford to keep them any longer, or worse, because they have been mistreated and abused. It’s not just cats and dogs that find themselves in need of new homes, though. Various pet shops around the country provide a specific area that is exclusively for pets that have had previous owners and are in dire need of a new one. Rats, rabbits, hamsters and other small animals are often overlooked because they’ve grown up and no longer have the more appealing appearance of a baby. These animals are the ones that need a home more than any of the others. A life spent in a small cage in a pet shop without anyone to give them the attention they deserve is no life at all, so think twice before you decide to buy a baby. The chances are, a puppy, a kitten or any other young animal is destined to find a home very easily, but an older animal needs one more. Have a heart. They can’t take care of themselves…

Losing pets is always difficult, especially for children. We get so attached to our animals that they become an important member of the family that needs to be fed, watered, entertained, kept comfortable and kept happy. They play valuable roles in our lives and we know from experience that when they’re suddenly not there anymore, there is a startling void in their place. Like people, they can’t just be replaced. They have their own personality with their own fears, quirks and habits, likes and dislikes. Cliche as it may sound, losing one is like losing a friend that offered a lifetime of unconditional love. That’s the beauty of animals. They don’t expect anything, they don’t get angry with you, yet they can always seem to cheer you up whenever you’re down. They are always there for you, no matter what. They don’t have much to say, of course, but their presence is comfort enough.

There isn’t much we can say to make you feel better about the loss of a beloved pet, but know that you’re not the only person to ever experience this. Everyone – with a heart – understands how painful it is. It’s only human to mourn, whether it’s for a day, or for weeks or maybe even months. Anyone would be distraught when something important is snatched out of their lives by old age or illness so don’t feel bad about it. The most important thing to do is to keep yourself busy; work, family, friends, errands, trips out, maybe even a holiday. Try not to think too much about it, as impossible as it sounds. The longer you do this, the less apparent your grief will seem and sooner or later you won’t feel quite so terrible. That’s not to say you won’t still desperately miss your pet, but eventually you will be able to deal with it a whole lot easier. Try to always think of the fondest memories. Put a photo up. Regal your friends with stories of their antics and, most importantly, remember that they aren’t suffering anymore.