Techie in Mambalam undertakes paid social media campaign to trace beloved pet parrot ‘Pepper’

“I received the parrot as a gift from a friend nine months ago and named him Pepper after spending some time on Google. Also, my wife’s name (Padma) as well as mine starts with the letter ‘P’. He is like our son and mimics my wife very well,” Prithip Kumar of West Mambalam told DT Next.

Pepper, who can open and close the cage latch himself, flew out through an open window on Sunday, ironically, on the country’s 75th Independence Day. Prithip also has a dog, Max, who too misses his good friend Pepper.

“We are doing paid advertisement campaigns on Facebook, Instagram and have distributed flyers and notices around West Mambalam. We have been speaking to bird breeders, pet shops, other shop keepers and general public besides announcing a cash reward for anyone who gives a credible lead,” he said. The couple is also trying to get a police case registered against the missing parrot.

Incidentally, another African Grey Parrot reared by his friend in Velachery, flew away recently and he too has been searching for the bird. Another family from Nanganallur who lost their African Grey Parrot in May this year managed to trace it after 21 days raising the hopes of Pepper’s aggrieved family.