Gratitude, a Grouse, and Birdsbesafe

Why did the Ruffed Grouse cross the road? 1) To get away from a housecat. 2) To get away from a hungry pilgrim. 3) Or just to find out what's on the other side.

Here in Vermont, we're getting ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow, which has given us a moment to reflect on what we are grateful for. We're actually grateful for the Ruffed Grouse because it was the day that our cat George hunted and harmed a (large) Ruffed Grouse in our woods that was the same day we foiled George's future bird-hunting efforts by inventing the Birdsbesafe® cat collar system.

If you know our story, already, you know that we were desperate to stop George, aka "killer", who was bird-obsessed and so lethal he did capture a grouse as big as a chicken, and bring it indoors. Sad! But then, a little bulb went off: "Don't birds see bright colors extra well?" And as quick as I could say, where's my sewing machine, I had put a ring of color around George's neck, and he was immediately and forever changed into a non-threat, as he no longer could get close enough to birds who saw him coming. Instead of several kills a week, he caught 1-3 in about two years, including two summertimes. We know because he had never failed to drag in his kills through the cat door (including that grouse).

We are Grateful to our customers of 4.5 years who have helped us with our elaborate refinements to our product, helped us test it and improve it, helped us sell and promote it, helped us with their testimonials, photos and quips about how silly their cats look--but how happy they are to stop the bird carnage. We are grateful to our manufacturing helpers, the scientists studying Birdsbesafe, and to my family who has supported my long hours at work saving birds. Thank you, one and all.

Birdsbesafe LLC, the little company that never quits, is humbled to think of all the birds saved so far, world-round, and all the birds yet to be helped.