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Bird sanctuary owners charged with robbery for rescuing parrot, cockatoo

By Amy Clancy
By Amy Clancy
The owners of All Parrot Rescue in Graham have been charged with robbery for an alleged attack on a woman who adopted two of the couple’s exotic birds.

According to documents filed in King County Superior Court, Sonya and Steven Brewer went to the Federal Way home of Cheri Eir in July.  Eir told KIRO 7 she invited the couple to help trim the beak of the parrot she had adopted in January.  But instead of helping her groom the bird, the Brewers beat Eir and took the parrot and a cockatoo she had also adopted, according to court documents.

Eir said Sonya Brewer knocked her legs out from under her, then punched Eir in the chest with both fists when she refused to hand over the parrot.  She said Steven Brewer then pinched her until she let the parrot go.   The couple also took Eir’s white cockatoo.

“I loved those birds like crazy,” Eir told KIRO 7 on Friday.  “It was a deep love.”

According to the Federal Way police report, neighbors witnessed the fight and called police. The Brewers were not taken into police custody that day, but were eventually arrested, photographed and fingerprinted at the Federal Way Police Department on Aug. 6.  In early October, both were charged by King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg with robbery 2, which is a felony.

When reached by phone, Steven Brewer told KIRO 7 the couple did not commit robbery.  He said they were rescuing the birds, which he said Eir had abused.  Both pleaded not guilty during their arraignment at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent on Thursday.

KIRO 7 reporter Amy Clancy asked Eir whether she had abused the birds during the six months she owned them.  “No, I never abused either one of them.” Eir said.  “Animal Control and the Police Department investigated, and no one thinks I was abusing the birds except for the Brewers.  It was a horrible, horrible experience.”

Animal Control allowed Eir to keep the birds after the fight in July, but she returned them to the Brewers when they threated to sue her.  Eir said, the criminal charges that were just filed are vindication that she was right and the Brewers were wrong.

Eir has since bought a new parrot.

KIRO

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