Stolen cockatiel Jester returned to Friendly Pets in Exeter: 'Beloved baby has been found'

EXETER — Jester is back and ready for her forever home. 

The cockatiel, not yet a year old, was stolen from her nest at Friendly Pets on Portsmouth Avenue on Monday, March 4. Thanks to social media and help from the community, the bird was returned, according to Arline Gardiner, the regional manager at the store.

“We are thrilled to share the exciting news that our beloved baby has been found and safely returned to us,” Friendly Pets posted on their Facebook page on March 26. “We cannot express enough gratitude to all who shared our posts and provided valuable information that led to her safe return. Your support and love mean the world to us, and we are forever grateful for each and every one of you.”

Gardiner said the bird theft was captured on the store’s security cameras, which they shared on social media on March 25.

She said the video showed a middle-aged woman walking into the store just past 1 p.m. 

Gardiner said the woman spent a long time in the store before inquiring about adopting Jester. 

“There wasn’t really any reason for us to think at the time that there was any malice intent involved,” she said. 

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However, when an employee went to grab the paperwork for the adoption, Gardiner said the woman fled the store with Jester in hand. 

“She had put the bird into a reusable shopping bag and had just left the store with it,” said Gardiner. “It all happened in a really short span of time.”

Gardiner said they alerted police of the theft. While police identified the woman from the surveillance feed, she said they had trouble locating her.

That's when Gardiner went to social media seeking the public’s help in bringing Jester home. She said she was inspired by the community's effort to locate the thief who had stolen a gold bracelet from Exeter Jewelers last month.

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Gardiner said her social media post was shared multiple times and Jester showed back up the next morning.

“We had some guests coming into the store that had seen a cage in between the walkthrough of our store,” said Gardiner. “Someone had come by with the bird and dropped it off inside the cage and left it there.”

Gardiner said Jester “was doing really well.”

“We wanted to thank the community for helping us and for really jumping on it,” she said. “I don’t think if it wasn’t for the community helping that we would have her back.”

Police Chief Stephan Poulin said the incident is still under investigation and could not comment further.

Located at 81 Portsmouth Avenue, Friendly Pets is a locally owned business with two locations in Lee and Exeter. The Exeter location has been open for nearly eight years, offering pet supplies and animal adoption.

Aside from birds, Gardiner said the store also offers fish, reptiles and small animals such as hamsters.

A native to Australia, Gardiner said cockatiels are “extremely popular” and the “top” pet bird that most people opt to adopt because of their super friendly personality. 

Gardiner said the store's focus is to ultimately find Jester a loving home. She said the price of adopting a bird varies, and interested parties should visit the store in person.

“Animals are a really good comfort for people, and the idea of having them is great – maybe she just really wanted the bird,” said Gardiner.