Shop owner 'spanked boy who made parrot swear'
A shop owner has been charged with assault for spanking a boy who he claims tried to teach a parrot to swear.
William Soper, who keeps eight pet parrots at his Clock World store in Statesville, North Carolina, says he was just defending his property.
He says one of the parrots, Sparky, began using expletives for the first time when a nine-year-old boy was at the store last month.
Soper says the boy and his 12-year-old brother were also spitting on the six-year-old female green-wing parrot. The boys deny it.
Soper says he grabbed the nine-year-old by the shirt, spanked him and told both boys to stay away if they couldn't behave. Their mother called police.
If convicted, Soper could face up to 60 days in jail and a fine.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_798498.html