‘Never lost hope’: Geeveston woman reunited with bird after more than a decade apart

A Facebook post led to the long-awaited reunion between a Geeveston woman and her beloved feathered friend. But now the search is on to thank whoever cared for the parrot for the past decade.

Cassie Carver, of Geeveston, with her bird Buddy the Indian ringneck which went missing at Kingston about 10 years ago.

A Geeveston woman was gobsmacked to find her beloved feathered friend after more than a decade apart.

Buddy, an Indian ringneck parrot, was reunited with his owner, Cassie Carver, earlier in June thanks to a Facebook post from The Tasmanian Lost Pest Register.

Ms Carver said Buddy had escaped 10 years ago when he was being cared for by another family member at Kingston.

“I was just devastated,” she said.

“We tried our hardest to find him, but he was just gone. It was like he disappeared.

“But I never lost hope.”

More than 10 years had passed since Ms Carver last saw Buddy when her mum tagged her in a Facebook post about a bird that matched their long-lost pet.

“Buddy is missing a few toes on one foot, so it took Mum about two days to go through photo albums to find a picture that proved that he was ours,” she said.

“I just could not believe it. It felt like an absolute miracle.

“I cried happy, overwhelming tears of joy. Finding him was a major weight was lifted from our shoulders, knowing that he has been safe all this time.”

Cassie Carver, of Geeveston, with her bird Buddy the Indian ringneck which went missing at Kingston about 10 years ago.

Ms Carver said while she is overjoyed to be reunited with Buddy, she would like whoever has cared for him over the years to come forward.

“He’s settled back home well, but someone’s obviously been looking after him because he’s in nice, fat condition,” she said.

“They probably miss him as well, and Buddy would have had a bond with whoever they are, too.

“So as happy as I am to have him back, if someone can show they have been looking after him, and they want him back or they want to visit him here from time to time, I’m more than happy to work something out. I just want what’s best for him.”