Sweet reunion: Missing pet bird named ‘Sunny’ found at her favorite handout spot, an ice cream shop

Digital Curator

(Video/photo credit: WABI, Bangor Police Department, CNN via CNN Newsource) —

Police in Maine reunited a family with their lost pet bird after she turned up at her favorite hangout — a local ice cream shop and mini golf business.

The reunion happened after Sunny, an 8-month-old cockatiel, was spotted by staff at Fielder’s Choice in Bangor, WABI reported.

“One of the employees came and got me because I was the manager on duty at the time, and they said two customers had approached the mini golf window with what looked to be a pet bird,” Callie Tennett, an employee at the ice cream shop and mini golf course, said.

Worried the bird had flown away from home, Tennett called Bangor police.

Kay Cote told WABI that she and Sarah Pinette, who are Sunny’s owners, often bring the bird outside when they let their chickens out in nearby Hampden, Maine. One morning, their beloved cockatiel got away, and they reported her missing to Hampden Public Safety.

After doing some research, Cote and Pinette learned that pet birds, when they escape, often go to a familiar place of comfort four to five days after they leave home. So, they had been searching within a mile or so from home, but had no luck finding Sunny.

Then, after Sunny had been missing for about four days, Cote and Pinette were alerted when their dogs started barking because they heard people coming up their driveway.

It was officers with Bangor police.

Luckily, a little bird had told the officers that Sunny’s owners often bring her to the popular ice cream and mini golf spot — which is around 3 miles from their home.

In a lighthearted Facebook post, the Bangor Police Department explained that Officer Tyler Rusby and Lt. Aaron Brooker responded after getting reports of the bird being found.

“Lt. Brooker was able to the subdue to suspect, who voluntarily flew to his outstretched hand,” the police department wrote. “The bird was briefly placed in protective custody as officers determined its origin, as it could not immediately produce identification.”

The officers learned that Hampden Public Safety had recently posted about a bird being missing and worked with the neighboring police department to get Sunny back home.

Officer Rusby told WABI that Sunny’s owners “were ecstatic” when she was returned home to her flock.

“Sunny has been reunited with owners Sarah and Kay and is enjoying nice bird treats,” Bangor police wrote in their post.

Tennett told WABI she was relieved the bird’s owners got Sunny back after days of searching, and said it was a “happy ending” for everyone involved.

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