Rescue

by Mickey Muck and Judith Archer
October 2001

You Can Help :: Red's Story ::
World Parrot Welfare Alliance ::
Helpful Hint :: Rescue, Rehome, and Sanctuary

You Can Help
by Mickey Muck

You can be part of the solution even if you are not a rescue organization. The problem of unwanted parrots is a concern to all of us. The only way the problem can be controlled is if everyone works together to educate schools, humane societies, pet stores, etc. 

Many rescue organizations have wonderful creative ideas and success stories to share with their communities. You can be a part of that. For example, some people take their companion parrots to a grand opening or special event. They talk to those who may not themselves want a parrot for a pet, but they may know a friend or neighbor who would be a great home or would like to volunteer at adoption facilities. Perhaps a neighbor or family member has a parrot that would benefit from the information learned at this event.

Many people do not really need to re-home their birds. All they need is a little education from an informed individual to help them improve their birds' lives. We need to reach these people. Some of the best stories are the ones where we helped a bird stay in its current home or found a great home as a second choice. 

Red's Story

by Mickey Muck
The story of Red touched me. One day, a lady called me from Children’s Hospital where her eight-year-old son was on oxygen. He had been there for a week and had severe lung and breathing problems. The allergy tests would not be back for a week, but every Doctor said her son could not go home with a bird in the house. She needed to find a place for Red, clean the carpets and ducts before he could come home. 

As she began telling her story I could hear the sincere pain in her voice. She truly did not want to part with Red because he was a family member also, but she had no choice. She had always dreamed of having a bird. She saved her money and for her birthday her husband paid for the rest. Red, a 4 month old Green wing macaw, moved in and became their forth son. Even from the first day, he was talking and playing like one of the boys. All I could think about while she was telling her story was how can I help so Red does not have to loose this wonderful family. I have seen many birds lose their homes unnecessarily because of Doctor's recommendations. We decided that Red would come and stay with me as long as necessary or at least until the allergy test came back. She was thrilled at the offer because she was not ready and did not want to find a new home for Red unless that was the only option. 

Red came and settled in very nicely. This was a true indication of what a great home he came from. They had the carpet and ducts cleaned and bought 2 large HEPA filters to help air quality. Then the tests came back, birds were at the top of the list. This was very sad news for Red and his family. They had considered adding on a room for Red that had separate airflow but the Doctors said it was still too dangerous for her son. 

Now the time had come to find a home for Red. I explained to her that I was not comfortable being in the middle of selling a bird when there are so many wonderful ones up for adoption. She understood, but because of the family’s high medical bills she could not just give him away. She also felt that someone might appreciate him more if they had to pay and did not get him for free. 

In the mean time I met a wonderful man who wanted to adopt another bird. He already had a Military Macaw and felt he was ready to add to his feathered family. 

When Red met them he was very comfortable and at ease. Red spent a weekend with them and they all got along great at his home. Because Red was in such a loving family and was so well socialized, it made the transition easier for him, he was very confident even at his young age. The next problem was that the new family was not comfortable buying a bird when there are so many waiting for adoption. It was not that he did not have the means it was more the idea of buying instead of adopting. Now the hard part everyone involved felt Red should go to this wonderful new home but the money was an issue. Then a wonderful idea came to us. Red came with a beautiful new cage so they would pay Red’s original family for the cage and makes a comparable donation to the World Parrot Trust in Red’s name. This way everyone wins, the macaws in the wild and especially Red. 

There are so many ways we can help people, through education, so that so many of these beautiful creature don’t have to loose their homes. We owe this to every bird who’s family calls and wants to find a new home for them. There are so many out there and some have no choice and are better off with new families. But for the ones who are perceived to be misbehaving, sometimes just a little patience and advice on our end of the phone can help the frustrated family understand a natural behavior and learn how to live with it.

The World Parrot Welfare Alliance (WPWA)

was formed in January 2001 by Stewart Metz and Jamie Gilardi of World Parrot Trust to bring together under one umbrella all of the Rescue and Sanctuary organizations. This wonderful group of people and organization has grown to a member list of 160 around the world. The WPWA will set standards and guidelines to ensure that psittacines receive proper care in pet stores, sanctuaries, on display, or wherever else potential problems might arise. Recently WPWA finalized and ratified a detailed description of standards and procedures which they believe could serve as an international set of guidelines. The WPWA eventually will also a directory of names of reputable organization from around the world. When there is a situation where a bird must lose its home or a community needs help with education, a competent person and/or organization will be available for reference. For more information about WPWA, including their Mission Statement, please go to www.WorldParrotTrust.org and click on Parrot welfare. 

Today's Hint: If you care for many birds in rescue, sanctuary, foster, or just your own, some grocery stores will donate day-old fruits and veggies. This means daily trips to the store but it can be a potential money saver. 

Rescue, Rehome, and Sanctuary
by Judith Archer

The Differences

Semantics can be difficult. Each person's perception of the meaning of a word is affected by his or her background and experience. However, it is already pretty widely accepted that "Rescue" comes in many forms.

• Rehome places a bird from one good home into another good home. The bird might or might not have behavior problems.
• Rescue removes a bird from an abusive or neglectful home into a good home. The bird usually has behavior or health problems.
• Sanctuary provides no potential for further placement. The bird may have mental or physical problems or it may be the policy of the organization to keep all birds it accepts into the program.

One trouble with any efforts to discuss this is that there are no reliable figures of any sort for anyone to quote. However, there are a lot of birds in need of new homes. Some are rescues who have been actively abused. Some are in a grey area where they have endured what might be called benign neglect. Others are just birds that have either not received proper guidance & thus have behavior problems, or who belong to people whose life circumstances have changed. Sometimes problems can be foreseen: eg: a large parrot is sold to a teenager whose parents aren't very interested in the bird themselves. Sometimes it cannot be foreseen.

When someone simply has a friend or neighbor who wants rid of a perfectly well behaved bird, this is a rehome. Some people are quick to characterize any bird from a previous home as a "rescue", but that is not necessarily always true. When people ask about my birds, I usual just say "Most of them are used and some were abused," which is accurate.

I try to do as many "direct placements" as possible after evaluating if the bird in question has behavior or physical problems, or is simply in need of an experienced home. I work with my avian vet to try to keep a list of potential new homes for "used" birds. I've also been contacted by online friends and asked to take on a bird with problems. Instead, I encouraged that friend to take on the bird him or herself when I think they are up to it. In these situations, as in any other "direct placements" I'm involved in, I offer to help the new owner walk through any behavior problems, but also will accept the bird if that person truly believes they are in over their head.

The "worst" birds come here and stay here. Some have ongoing medical
problems, some have taken years before they could accept handling. They
are in sanctuary here.

Some owners demand that their bird's placement in a rescue be permanent. I am often bemused by the fact that they won't keep the bird themselves, but they demand that the rescue do so. If after I've talked to them I have determine that the bird/s in question simply need an understanding and experienced home, I offer to help them find one that is suitable.

Real-life Examples

Are these rescues? Adoptions? Re-homes? 

• Scarlet macaw that has lived its 18-month life in a decent pet store,
  but which has learned, and learned well, to bite anyone and
  everyone who approaches it? (Price to a specific owner $1500.)

• Scarlet breeder hen, age unknown, who became sterile and had her mate taken away. Bird has removed all body feathers from neck down, along with all wing feathers down to the bottom row of yellow. Has an attitude and knows how to use it. On her way to the auction block, $400 reserve for a naked non-breeder, non-pet. (Click on photos for a larger view.)

• A 5 year old Blue and Gold who was fine until age 12 months, when he reached 1100 grams. Then went into a serious decline with gut problems and neurological troubles. Endless testing fails to find the problem and the bird get s a "process of elimination" diagnosis of PDD, only he lives. Four years later, he is a "Blue and Black" from stress bars, still weighs only 600 grams, is in a huge, tall cage in an unheated garage in northwestern Pennsylvania in late November. Bird has no tail or flight feathers, all have been smashed off in falls.

• Paired with the Blue and Gold is a stunted Umbrella hen, very frightened. Owner of these birds has been living with an abusive boyfriend (to her and to the birds) and has MS. "Birds must go as a pair. Free to good home."

• 3-1/2 year old Blue and Gold, world class screamer who is
  also attacking everyone in sight. $900 with cage.

• 18-month old Moluccan hen, still unweaned, living in a basement, a nice basement, but a basement. "Free to good home."

• A 15+ year old wild caught Green wing macaw weighing over 1800 grams, caged in a 2 x 2 x 4 cage in a pet shop for over ten years. Its only "toy" is a piece of lava rock on a chain. It eats "parrot mix" from food/water bowls on cage bottom. Bird does not appear to ever have been tame and is quite aggressive. $1,000

• Wild caught Moluccan male went directly from quarantine station to strip mall pet shop, untamed ever. Placed in small cage in the middle of an open floor where generations of kids have been allowed to tease and torment him to make him display. No toys, metal rod for perch, usual poor diet. Bird is plucked, mutilated, and essentially catatonic. $500 as a "package deal" with an equally plucked Umbrella who at 3-1/3 years old, has also spent her life at this store.

• 11-month old macaw, the result of breeding a Green wing x Buffons back to a Blue and Gold. Parent raised to 4 months, then placed alone in a a cage with virtually no human contact since she is being "held back as a breeder."

• Wild caught never tamed Eleanora cockatoo breeder, in captivity 13 years. Mate was killed when the breeder wanted to candle eggs, hen wouldn't get off the nest so owner banged on the metal nest box until the hen came out and pitched over dead. Bird has chronic sinus infection.

• 3-year old Galah cockatoo with a serious beak injury and infection. The bird is totally nuts and apparently exposed to crack cocaine. Purchased with the two birds above for $900.

• 18-year old wild caught Scarlet hen, never allowed or taken out of her cage for all 18 years of captivity. Fed peanuts & sunflower seed only. Name is "Bird." Has never made a sound.

• Blue and Gold macaw, documented fifty years in captivity. Lived fifteen years in a bar, then 30 years with a family. On the mother's death, her children call the local shelter & ask to have him put down. 

• Baby Green wing macaw, pulled at two weeks with such a massive beak deformity the breeder has doubts it will ever be able to eat on its own.

• Baby African Grey, in Superpetz store with broken leg and extensive soft tissue injuries. Store has called a "non-avian" vet and been told "Just keep an eye on it" which is what they do for 2 weeks while the bird stops vocalizing, playing, eating, and loses over 25% of its body weight. $1,000

• Former "free flight show" star at a theme park in California has a "bad feather day." Trainer loses a finger. Bird is sent to be euthanized, but vet slides it out the back door. 

• Bird (Greenwing x Buffons around 30 years old) lives in a chain link cage in a garage for fifteen years, along with a Blue and Gold. Birds are never handled, fed dog kibble, trail mix, sunflower, and "treats" of chorizo and 'Nilla wafers. Both are wild as snakes, both have gut infections, one has chronic polydipsia/polyuria.

• "Breeding pair" that are the parents of the GW x Buffons x B&G mentioned above. Birds are approximately 30 years old. Not tame.

• 4-year old Blue and Gold seeks fifth owner. Present owner seen hitting the bird in the face hard enough to knock it to the floor, then chasing it Owner then grabs bird by beak & delivers a sharp head twist, saying "That's what you do when they try to bite you."

• 5-year old Hyacinth macaw, living in a laundry room with no windows. The only light source a 40-watt light bulb, not even located over cage.
  Bird's favorite "treat" is Oreo cookies and lots of them.

What About Euthanasia?

I've seen some pretty dreadful things over the years but have only once considered euthanasia of a bird for quality of life issues because I'm never ready to give up hope that a bird can find a good life. This particular bird was a little Galah that arrived injured by the person who had it and also exposed it to crack cocaine. The bird was truly a nightmare, having fits and seizures, thrashing and throwing itself onto the cage bottom while screaming nonstop, etc. It has now been three years and three months and last night, for the first time, I was able to reach into her cage and touch her without setting off hysteria.

Importance of Education and Support

Unfortunately, many buyers have no idea what keeping a parrot involves, and they also believe that the baby bird they are playing with will always stay sweet and tractable without going through some demanding stages. The bottom line is that too many birds stay in their first home for a very short time. All too often during that time the birds don't receive proper care, which lays a foundation for trouble and a bird bouncing from place to place. Some owners will, at that point, seek to put the bird into a permanent sanctuary. This type of place fills up quickly with birds who probably could do well in a new but more knowledgeable home. Other birds are given away, put on consignment at a pet shop, or sold directly to anyone with the money.

Both responsible breeders and people seriously interested in rescue make a point of doing non-stop education.

• First trying to make sure people have some clue what life with any parrot is like by walking them through all the less-than-endearing stages so many parrots go through.
• Second trying to guide them towards a more appropriate species (everyone seems to want a cockatoo or a macaw, but very few can really deal with them),
• Third try to make them understand why it is better to pay a little more upfront for a healthy, weaned chick from a good breeder or why some should consider a second-hand bird from a rescue.

Fact is, however, that people thinking about getting a bird rarely even know there are parrot rescuers around, and the first person with an opportunity
to educate them is often someone concerned about making a sale. I'm glad
to read on some lists about breeders who do follow up on their birds, but I've also had to deal with way too many cases where the the second the check clears, the breeder isn't returning phone calls.

Also, there are those who are perfectly happy to sell any bird to any body, no questions asked. True the purchasers are responsible for learning about the a bird before they purchase it, but those who sell the bird also own some of that responsibility. I've encountered the same sad scenario way too many times. A very young chick, often as not a macaw, sold to someone with no handfeeding experience, who then shows up online asking "How much should the bird eat? The breeder said 'warm' food was fine.." and so one and so on. It's painful. (And yes, I cheerily will say that there are also buyers who go in search of very young unweaned chicks to save some bucks. That doesn't mean a breeder has to go along with them.

Although I stress the importance of education, and I believe that it is a seller's responsibility to try to prepare a would-be buyer on what to expect, I'll also say I've talked till I'm blue to people who think they want a macaw and yet who obviously are clueless about what life with one is like, and these people can be very very hard to educate. This is a frustration shared by rescuers, breeders, owners, and anyone who truly cares about birds.

There is good and bad in everything, including bird breeding and rescue. 

Controversy Over Rescue

One reason that breeders and rescuers disagree on the necessity of bird rescue is that most breeders meet people when they are happy and excited about their "new baby" coming home. Rescuers, on the other hand, get to deal with them down the line when it's "Get this bird out of here TODAY, one more scream or bite and it's history." Different experiences skew our perspectives. 

Just as breeders don't hear a lot from people who have realized they made a mistake, let alone those who have moved on to active abuse, rescuers don't hear a whole lot from happy owners who've learned what they need to know to have happy, healthy parrots. This leads to a situation where rescuers may well be over-stating the problem, while breeders are understating it. But I live every day with a flock that proves to me that the problem exists.

I truly wish the only problem out there with used birds was ones who had received good care and who just need a rehome. Unfortunately that simply isn't the case.