PROMPT action by Bradford-based trade experts have come to the rescue of a stressed parrot and diffused an international misunderstanding.

Ruben, a five-year-old African Grey parrot, was released from quarantine after export specialists from Chamber International in Little Germany stepped in after being contacted by his owners in Bahrain after customs officials at the kingdom’s international airport refused to release him from quarantine over a bureaucratic technicality.

Ruben, an endangered species, had been sent to Bahrain by Kris Ottley, an office manager at London and Essex kennels and cattery in Essex, through British Airways at Heathrow Airport with all the appropriate documentation.

Kris said: “Sending animals overseas is one of our services. We send dogs and cats all over the world. London and Essex have exported birds before, but this was the first bird I had exported. We had double-checked all the documentation but when Ruben arrived at Bahrain International Airport they claimed that some information was missing and refused to release him.

“After a day went by, both Ruben and his owner, who was trying to collect him, were getting very stressed and another parrot, kept in a travel box in quarantine, died which must have upset Ruben further. I double-checked with officials at DEFRA who said that they had exported five birds to Bahrain in the last month but had never been asked for the requested information.

“I got in touch with Chamber International after the owner searched the Internet for organisations that could help. They were quick to react and we’re grateful for that."

CI officials discovered that the certificate of origin being requested by customs was not needed because Ruben was a pet being sent to its owner rather than the commercial export of livestock .

Alison Holmes, Chamber International trade procedures manager, said: “We received quite an agitated call from Kris. We’re so pleased it had a happy ending as Ruben is from an endangered species and are delighted that he is re-united with his owner.”