Adopt ! Don't Buy

[Wolf]

We keep on preaching to the choir about not buying parrots and saying please adopt instead, but I wonder how many people are thinking that we are not really informed about this topic. Or how many people think that those of us who keep saying this have some sort of grudge against parrot breeders. I wonder how many people do find a rescue for birds and are either turned down or are disenchanted because of the rescues adoption policies. How many people say to themselves that this is bull*&%$, because they don't have to meet any requirements from the pet store or the breeders other than that of having the money to pay for the bird. Even though we try to tell them that there is a good reason for the adoption requirements, I wonder how many people really understand why the rescues have these policies in place. How many really understand that the policies are there to protect the bird. Any way I found a nice little article on this subject that I thought I would put out here for everyone to look at and maybe open the door for our members to voice their views about this topic and their reasons for their views. With that in mind here is the link http://www.birdadoption.org/problem.htm

[Michael]

But don't you see the cyclical nature of this dilemma? The unqualified potential adopter that gets turned down by a rescue will receive instant gratification at a store as well as a pat on the back. More than likely when that bird hits adolescence, only then will the novice owner realize that the rescue may have been right in suggesting that a parrot wasn't the right choice. Guess what ends up happening? Now the rescue ends up with two birds. The one they didn't adopt and the foolishly bought one turned in. Just saying...

[Wolf]

Indeed, I do, but that is just one of the possible scenarios. There are also other possible outcomes.

[Pajarita]

First of all, not all rescues are alike. Some of them still have very difficult pre-requisites but they have all pretty much learned that they need to be more sensible if they want to place their birds so, at the most, they ask you to come over, visit the bird a couple of times and to read/listen to a small learning course on parrot husbandry. But rescues are not the only option for adoption, you can adopt from CL where you don't usually need to fulfill any requirements. And there are SPCAs as well as Humane Societies where they now take in and adopt out birds and you get approved right then and there. The point is that adoption is the ONLY way to go in order to bring down the overproduction of parrots we are now experiencing and the only way to go if you want a bird for the right reasons because anybody who is not willing to jump through a few hoops will NEVER make a good parrot keeper.

[JaydeParrot]

Besides adopting, people could always go for getting a 'second-hand' bird, many websites have advertisements of people who brought a parrot and for one reason or another and are no longer able to cope with it.

I dunno what it's like in the USA, but around here many people don't seem to know about bird charities so instead seem to mainly sell their unwanted pets through web advertisements.

Ideally, adopting is a better way to go as the charity will always want to know what is going on with the bird and be happy to tell you how to properly care for it.

Just figured I'd mention that people unable to adopt but refusing to give up on the idea of getting a bird, should at least go for a 'second-hand' bird requiring a home, rather than a baby bird... By buying a baby bird you are lining the breeder's pockets with cash and giving them a good reason to continue to add to the already overflowing population of unwanted birds.

[Fidget]

TBQH, I had no idea parrot adoption was a thing/option. I should have known it was, considering all sorts of mammals are rescued and rehomed. All my furbeasts have been adopted through shelters or rescues. And I've even managed to convince a few friends to rescue their pocket pets instead of purchasing from box stores (mostly rats and hedgehogs).

I got my Rosella from a local bird store, not knowning... Now I feel bad after seeing how many 2nd hand birds are available on CL and how many birds are in rescues. I adopted 3 gccs and 1 quaker through Craigslist. I'm glad I did. Even though they haven't been with me long, I can only hope they're happier and better off with me. I couldn't imagine being a parrot rehomed at what seems to always be the age of 1.5-2. (At least cats and dogs adjust well enough to the rehoming thing)

I do think rescue requirements can sometimes be incredibly strict, I understand the reasoning, but... Once I was going to rescue a dog from a breed specific rescue. Know why my application got turned down? Because I said I would not let the dog sleep on my bed (they told me that's why). That's just ridiculous!

I think one of the best things to do is be vocal about the fact that your birds are rescued or at least adopted through CL etc. Maybe, your words will have an impact on the people you encounter. ::: off to read your posted article:::

[Pajarita]

You are right, Fidget, in that breed rescues can have ridiculous requirements. I did full time dog and cat rescue with a group in Pa and one of our vets asked us to take in the most beautiful golden retriever I have ever seen. The dog was a breeding dog and, when the breeder closed, his sister in law took a male and a female. The woman had very good intentions but had no experience whatsoever with larger breeds and/or intact males and got bit twice (badly, she required over 20 stitches in her hand, the second time) so she was bringing the dog in to be put down. I happened to be at the vet at the time and the doctor asked me to, please, take him in (he was only 3 years old!). I evaluated him and found him to be mildly distrustful of people but not aggressive so we took him. He wasn't the easiest dog, to be sure, he was very large and was not used to people but he was not a bad dog, either. He actually loved me and another volunteer to pieces but the other volunteers were scared of him so we contacted the golden retriever rescue and, do you know what I was told by them? That if he had bit, he did not 'deserved' to be called a golden retriever and had to be put down. Just like that, no second chance, no 'let's see if we can help him', nothing! Their solution was to kill the poor dog! How these people can call themselves rescuers is beyond me...