Bindi Irwin slammed for 'pathetic and useless' response after fan asked her for help
Bindi Irwin has been slammed for her 'pathetic and useless' response to a farm owner who asked her for help with avian influenza.
The desperate farmer, Taylor Blake, took to Twitter to reach out to Bindi for help after she suspected that her much-loved emu Emmanuel caught the virus.
As part of her plea, she offered to pay for the flights of any members of Australia Zoo's team who might be able to help out to the farm, where 99% of her birds have already died of the virus.
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She wrote: "I have been a fan of your family for as long as I can remember, I am reaching out to you in total desperation right now. I need help saving my emu, Emmanuel.
"I will pay to fly anyone to us, if they can help, no questions asked!"
While Blake's plea did not go unnoticed, she did not receive the kind of help she was hoping for at the Knuckle Bump Farm in South Florida.
Bindi explained on Twitter that her team had never treated any animals with the avian influenza before and therefore she was unable to help, but she did send her 'love and prayers'.
This did not go down well with social media users, who thought that Steve Irwin's daughter should have done more to try and help Emmanuel.
"What a pathetic, useless reply," wrote one social media user.
"Zero effort to help when you're in a supposedly unique position to use your influence and contacts to actually help her. Thoughts and prayers are cheap. You are unimpressive and that's being polite."
"So you don't know of anyone in your network who could help?" questioned a second. "One would assume it wouldn't be hard for you to ask around or spread the word in the hopes someone with the right experience comes forward, rather than writing this form[al] letter response pretending you care."
A third added: "Bindi, your father would be ashamed of your response. He would have bent over backwards to help them anyway he could. Taylor I hope your Emmanuel recovers soon."
However, while Bindi was criticised by some social media users, others said that her reply was kind and the best she could do in the situation.
One wrote: "If they can't help, they can't help. Australia doesn't get bird flu situations like we do."
"I'm sure just the response lifted spirits of recovery for Emmanuel," added a second. "That's all one could even hope for."
"I think it is so cool that [Bindi Irwin] replied," remarked a third. "Still praying for Emmanuel!"
Thankfully, the prayers for Emmanuel seem to have paid off, and Taylor revealed in an update that he tested negative for the virus and is 'getting stronger every day'.
Emma Guinness