Nelson’s victory – German courtsides with parrot in perch ruling

11 October 2004

KASSEL – Nelson the parrot can carry on squawking a hearty “Guten Morgen” to customers at a German chemist shop after a court ruling Monday ended a more than 10-year legal battle.

Authorities had originally wanted Nelson removed from the chemist shop in Langen near Frankfurt claiming the parrot was a health hazard.

But Hesse state’s supreme administrative court ruled the parrot could stay on its perch provided it was enclosed on three sides by a glass cage, with the only opening towards the shop window.

“That way customers at the shop can continue to communicate with the bird,” court spokesman Harald Pabst said.

The legal battle over Nelson had lasted more than 10 years after chemist Gabor Perl had got round an order to enclose the parrot by glass on three sides by building a six-sided glass cabin.

Pabst said authorities had originally wanted the parrot removed from the chemist’s, saying the dust and dirt it caused was a risk to the sick and people suffering from allergies.

But Perl said Nelson was a blue-headed amazon which was not noted for feather dust, and in any case had lived in the shop since 1973. He had taken on the parrot along with the shop in 1989.

“No epidemics have broken out in the country,” he said.

“Nelson’s been living here since 1973. Neither the bird nor the people who like him would have been done any good by making him move.”

DPA

Subject: German news