Five things you may not know about exotic birds
Wings of Hope: One organization's fight to help abandoned and surrendered birds
By Kim Nagy for WebVet
Meet a lively white Cockatoo named Sydney, one of the many “surrendered” birds who found a good home at Wings of Hope, a bird rescue sanctuary located in central New Jersey.
Sydney’s former owners purchased her on an impulse because they thought she was “cute.” But, when they realized just how loud she was, they swiftly moved her to the trunk of their car. In fact, the frazzled new owners kept her there for three days before they surrendered the Cockatoo to the nearest bird rescue organization – Wings of Hope.
Sydney’s story is all too common in the view of Wings of Hope co-founder Jannet Quackenbush-King. “Birds aren't always cute and cuddly,” she said. “They can be moody, loud and demanding. It’s important to think very long and hard before making a commitment to a bird.”
Dr. Greg Harrison, DVM, said, “The way to reduce ‘surrendered’ birds is for bird buyers to be encouraged to make an educated choice. If a potential bird owner makes an educated choice, rather than an impulsive buy, both the bird and the person will be happier."
Plenty of experience
King should know. She received her first bird – a cockatiel named “Scootch” – at the age of 16. Today, she owns three birds: a Congo African Grey, “Grey,” Cockatiel “Tiki” and Parakeet “Sunny.”
After years spent volunteering in bird rescue operations, King, a nurse, joined forces with fellow nurse and bird lover Leesa Jenkins. The two women decided to start their own New Jersey organization that would specialize in finding loving homes for unwanted, abused, neglected and abandoned exotic birds. Wings of Hope was born.
“That was in 2000 and we haven't looked back. It has been an amazing experience, and we have been very fortunate to meet many people who share our love of feathered friends,” King said.
Zappa: A story of rehabilitation
In her volunteer work at Wings of Hope, bird lover Pamela Bohn has seen troubling incidents of bird abuse and neglect. Yet, there are also many times when owners simply have trouble dealing with some common (and not so common) problems and requirements of bird care.
Consider the case of a Congo African Gray named Zappa, who was surrendered to Wings of Hope by his frustrated and confused owner. He couldn’t figure out why the bird was mutilating himself by pulling and chewing his feathers. By the time of Zappa’s surrender, the bird had no wings or feathers left.
After conducting tests with the veterinarian, Bohn learned that Zappa had three bacterial infections, one of which he had obtained from drinking fecally contaminated water. The bird had also been placed on an antipsychotic drug called Haloperiodol, which can sometimes cause aggression. Instructed by her vet, Bohn kept Zappa on a proper diet, gave him mist showers on a regular basis and shots to counteract the infections. Almost two years later, Zappa is fully feathered and happy, though he still suffers from muscle damage and tremors.
Homeless birds on the rise
During its eight years of operation, Wings of Hope, which has recently extended its reach to North Carolina, has watched the reported numbers of birds without homes rise. In 2006, Wings of Hope took in 69 birds. In 2007, it took in 80.
“We are getting more aggressive birds, some to the point of being deemed dangerous. There aren’t many places for these guys. A lot of avian rescues have a wait for intake of normal birds, let alone the harder ones. We are also getting a lot more birds with serious health issues, that require a large amount of financial support,” King said. “There is so much publicity for feline and canine rescues. Very often, avian gets pushed to the side or not recognized at all.”
The staff of Wings for Hope emphasizes the power of education, respect, and proper care for perhaps the most misunderstood of animals in the pet industry today.
Reviewed by Amy I. Attas, V.M.D.
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Article last reviewed - 8/1/2009
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