IndianRingNeck.com

Ok, so we had a great time at the pet show last weekend, until i saw something that made me feel sick.
I was walkin around with the vid cam, lookin at all the purdy birdies, and i spot these 2 sleek, pretty ringnecks sittin in a cage, they looked pretty young, slightly bigger than arc, but the eyes... they didnt see fully mature to me, they looked nothing like babys eyes.
So here i am filming, staring through the lense at whats being captured, i raise the lens of the camera up to the roof of the cage to get their whole surroundings, and my heart stopped at the sign stuck to the cage.
Bird Club Raffle!
First Prize : These 2 ringnecks, in this patio cage, total value, approx $500
Tickets $1 each or 6 for $5

uhm im sorry. but WTF MAN!!! thats so damn wrong, i came home, googled it, and whaddya know, its legal here in aus!
Some US states have banned it, and undertandably if u check this page
http://avianprotectors.homestead.com/Raffles.html
Each of those points came to my head as soon as i read it, i do have the footage, but still yet to get to convert any of it. I emailed the office of fair trade, the suggested i contace the gaming regulation ppl, so i rang them, the woman sounded confused as to why i was ringing, of course its legal.. whats the problem she seemed to be telling me.
Im sorry about the rant, but even now i keep thinking about those poor irns and who they may goto, if theyll get proper vet care be fed right.. *sigh* and i dont know what *I* could do about it. Thought of contacting the RSPCA, see about mebbe gettin some sorta petition? but who reads em? Dad suggested contact local member.. but i dunno.

Do you guys have any thoughts, ideas, anything? or am i overreacting as other ppl seem to think, tellin me, well it WAS at a pet show, surely only some1 who wanted to win would enter, but what if they only wanted the 2nd or 3rd prizes, toys and stuff. urgh some ppl drive me insane i tell ya!!
*edit, i cant type haha*

I hope these birds go to a good home. I'm thinking the same. Would you enter a raffle if you didnt or couldnt care for these birds? But I dont think there is much we can do. Its legal. Doesn't mean its right. Many legal things aren't justified. I don't understand it.

Can you contact the event coordinators or whom ever was in charge of the event and the raffle, or even better find out who won them?

im not all together sure its been drawn yet, i think it may have been the 23rd, or at least closer to the end of the month. And im not too sure if theyd give the info out, i mean if u were running it some1 won 500 worth of birds and cage, would u give their info out?
its a hard situation, for sure

I just might have gone and purchased every ticket

I think lots of folks enter raffles just to win (anything). I seem to remember a big fuss about a charity auction with someone donating a purebred dog here, think a celebrity bought it to be sure it had a good home....big kerfuffle (though you can tell how much stuck in my mind). Would it help to write letter to local papers or try to get them interested in anarticle about care & feeding, why a challenging pet, etc.... maybe the reporter could interview the winner (or at least contact them with the info?)

An article about the raffle win could be good, with an article on how amazing ringnecks are and how to care for one is a good idea.

or

If there is nothing you can do to stop raffles because its deemed legal, maybe you could write an info sheet or find one yourself, or even just print out from an info sheet online and ask for it to be sent on with the birds. Tell them you know all about these creatures and would love to help out with the info to go along with the birds. I am sure they would appreciate it.