An old bird

[galeriagila]

I'm researching my own question on the 'net...
Interesting possibilities... it's a matter of finding a good match of their needs and my abilities.
Will keep you posted.

Edit/ADDED
I'm getting a parrot-oriented resume together...

[Pajarita]

Personally, I donate to groups that lobby for better laws for animals (Humane Society, SPCA), one that does rehabilitation of pet birds, breeding and release in the wild (http://www.tiskita.com/scarlet-macaw-re ... am-update/) as well as groups that protect the environment in general (http://www.wildernessfoundationglobal.org/ and http://www.worldwildlife.org/). I no longer donate to places like The World Parrot Trust because they support captive breeding for pet parrots and work with bad places like Loro Parque.

I also do my very best to spread the word and ask people to, please, adopt instead of buying and show them the truth of the conditions of most parrot breeding establishments because not only the large operations (bird mills) are bad, even places where they have a couple of pairs don't give the birds a good life (you cannot love what is producing income for you because, if you did, you would not sell it, right?). People talk about 'good' breeders but how good can you be when you are putting more birds into a completely saturated market and selling to whoever has the money? I ask people to support any new cruelty laws and explain that the information that PIJAC puts out is not only an outright lie but, also, completely self-serving (they basically do not want any rules or laws protecting animals because they are the ones exploiting them and scare people into believing that new laws mean the government will come and take their pets away -as if that was possible!).

Of course, volunteering at a rescue is another great way but I can not do it. I get too involved with the birds, I want to bring them all home and love them and the whole thing ends up been nothing but heartbreak for me as well as a deteriorating health (I tried it and ended up very underweight, sleeping less than 4 hours a day, with my blood pressure completely out of control and such a breakdown of my body that my blood was not even coagulating after surgery and I had to be rushed to the emergency with a hemorrhage after been released).

[galeriagila]

Thanks, Pajarita. I will print that reply and keep it handy as a good reminder of things to say and support. I would not be able to participate in direct rescues either... for a couple of years, I ran an adopt-a-bird program (with help from local parrot club) and it was just too much. I moved up North about then, and handed it over to the club. Anyway, thanks for your heartfelt and informative response, as usual. I'm going to have a look in my area for other avenues of help. I will also be contacting the Humane Society and SPCA (national and local) to see what I might do.

I'll keep you posted!

[Navre]

Volunteering at a rescue is heartbreaking quite often but if you want to be a grant writer for one, let me know.

[galeriagila]

Navre...

I've never written a grant, but I have written lengthy papers according to specifications made by professional journals and government protocols, so I wonder how much different a grant would be. I presume you are given a guide/protocol which you use to provide the information needed for approval.

Navre, I will be very pleased to give it a try. Why not?

I will send you a message with my contact information.

Gila

P.S. Thank you!!!!

[Georges mom]

I got all,of my previous birds from the humane society. I had no idea that they took them in but they apparently take in everything from what I see. I've volunteered there for the past 8 years and I just love it. The bird room is just this little room with tables and cages side by side. They don't get adopted out quickly and it's so sad. I would of gone back there had George not come to me. Did I ever mention how I came to get George??? Briefly, last fall we had a carbon monoxide leak that killed all my birds. It was so awful to wake up and find them dead. I was so heartbroken. My husband just knew something was wrong and from what the fire dept and medics said after exam we would of been next within a day or two. Our carbon monoxide alarms were old and they failed. Now we have the best detectors installed on every level. I cried for days. Then my sis called me and said her friend had a friend who rescues birds and nobody would keep this one George. I don't know if it was cuz my heart was so broken but the minute I saw George I loved him and knew it is here he will forever stay.

Bless all of you who try to help our feathered friends. I only recently familiarized myself with some bird rescuer sanctuaries and such and I had no idea how many of these beautiful creatures are just discarded and abused. They need all the help we can give .

[galeriagila]

George's Mom...
I can't even begin to imagine your heartache after that tragedy.
George must be rescuing you as much as you are rescuing him.
Thank you for sharing all of that.
Your story makes me want to go hug the RB one more time before he roosts on his high "sleepy-bye" perch. And I will.

Thank you so much.

[Pajarita]

Oh, geez, what a terrible, terrible thing to go through, my dear! I know somebody (through the internet, she was a member of my birdsite) who fostered for Mickaboo and had over 20 birds in her house between her own and the fosters (she also had 3 dogs and 2 cats). Her name is Maria and she was a teacher in a nearby school (she walked to work everyday) and, one morning, shortly after she had gotten to the school, she gets a call from a neighbor saying that she had called the Fire Dept because she saw smoke coming out of the back of Maria's house. She ran all the way home but, by the time she got there, all the birds were dead. The firemen had broken down the door and taken them all out of their cages and outside but it was too late so they had put all their little bodies in a row on the sidewalk - that was the sight she found when she got there! And I am sure you can well imagine how she felt because you must have felt the same way! Her dryer had caught fire from lint inside the motor or something like that and it only took the parrots breathing the smoke to kill them in a matter of a few minutes (the fire never got to the front of the house where they were). She was completely inconsolable for months and months...

My heart goes out to you, I cannot even imagine myself in those circumstances!

[Georges mom]

Oh my, that story is heartbreaking. I couldn't imagine walking up to a house and seeing all the pets dead bodies laid out. Wow that image will forever be in her memory. I've lost other pets before (dog) and took time it grieve before getting another one and after my birds died I really thought I'd do the same but the George opportunity came within a couple weeks. His story made me sad thinking that no one wanted him so i went for it. My broken heart was mended.

[galeriagila]

Joy and healing are gained through giving and loving.

On my worst days, a few moments with the RB shore me up.