Luxury shisha bar agrees to hand over parrot after animal rights activists' feathers were ruffled because bird was being kept in glass box

Published: 08:06, 12 June 2026 | Updated: 08:11, 12 June 2026 A luxury shisha bar has agreed to relinquish a parrot it was keeping following complaints from animal rights activists that the bird was being kept in a glass box. Gardens, a self-described 'luxury dining and shisha experience' near Manchester city centre, became the subject of a massive internet backlash after videos shared online appeared to show a live parrot housed in a glass box in the restaurant.  The clips shared by Gardens, which opened only one week ago, were met with hundreds of comments condemning its decision to cage the animal in such a manner, with animal welfare advocates claiming it was 'completely inappropriate.' An earlier video posted in the lead-up to the restaurant's opening showed the blue-and-yellow macaw, named Rio, in a portable cage, before two later clips posted on Instagram showed him kept in a glass box. Among the first to raise alarm bells over Rio's enclosure was vegan food blogger Paul Jennings, who contacted not-for-profit campaign group Protect the Wild. The group, based in London, then launched a petition urging the venue to 'Free Rio' - which more than 10,000 people signed.  Now, Gardens said it has 'heard the concerns of the people of Manchester' and agreed to hand Rio over for free to Protect the Wild so he can be rehomed in a sanctuary or large aviary.  A member of the restaurant's management team said the parrot, which they alleged cost £3,500 to buy, was selected by the co-owner's daughter and business partner's son.  A shisha bar has agreed to relinquish a parrot it was keeping following complaints from animal rights' activists that the bird was being kept in a glass box Gardens, a venue near Manchester city centre, faced backlash after videos online appeared to show a live parrot housed in a glass box They said it was felt the animal complemented the 'natural environment' created through the venue's interiors, and that £5,000 was spent on the glass tank fitted with a filtration and ventilation system.  He insisted the parrot's welfare was a 'priority' for the restaurant, and that it was fed each morning and by the venue's chefs.   He also claimed the RSPCA visited the venue but no concerns were raised surrounding the bird's wellbeing, alleging the charity said it was 'cared for better than 99 per cent of parrots in the UK.' The RSPCA confirmed they visited the premises following complaints, however, said they could not comment on the specifics of Rio's case.  The member of Gardens's management added he believed the restaurant 'adhered to standards' but admitted they now understood the opinion that macaws belong in the wild rather than kept as pets. He said the team now believes letting Rio go would be 'beneficial' for all concerned. Charlotte Smith, from Protect the Wild, said Gardens did 'the right thing' in surrendering the animal and praised those that signed the organisation's petition. She said: 'Today, Rio will be surrendered, and we could not be more relieved. We want to acknowledge The Gardens lounge for engaging with us and making the decision to surrender Rio. Gardens said Rio complemented the 'natural environment' created through by its interiors A member of the resturant's team said they now believe letting Rio go is  'beneficial' for all concerned 'We know it was not easy, and we respect that ultimately, they chose Rio's welfare above all else. That matters, they did the right thing and it should be recognised. 'To every single person who signed, shared, and spoke up, Thank you, you did this! 10,000 people in under 24 hours showed Manchester that the public will not stay silent when animals need help.' Stephen Smith, from the Manchester Animal Rights Network added that macaws were 'highly intelligent birds and should not be kept in shisha bars and restaurants.' He said: 'They are very easily distressed and lots of vibration from the music and being around so many people is likely to cause stress.' In a statement issued before the venue confirmed their intention to release Rio, an RSPCA spokesperson said: 'We are aware of this and have visited the premises. Unfortunately we are unable to discuss specific complaints and what action may have been taken. 'We understand that is frustrating for animal lovers but releasing information could prejudice a future prosecution or lead to us being fined. 'We're very grateful to people who report concerns about animals to us and we would like to reassure people they will always be looked into. 'A lot of the time issues will be dealt with by advice and education and it is not always appropriate to publicise this information for legal reasons.' A Salford Council spokesperson added: 'The Council is aware of public concerns that have been raised regarding the welfare of the bird. 'Salford City Council officers will be visiting the premises. At this stage, we are unable to comment on any actions that may result from the visit. Anyone who may have any animal welfare concerns, please report them to the RSPCA in the first instance.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. 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