| luciedove |
| | 10/30/08 at 10:38 AM | Reply with quote | #1 |
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Many sanctuaries are nothing more than a business only. In the course of several minutes on this forum, I have removed links from sanctuaries soliciting their business to people asking for help with their "problem" birds. None of the people requesting advice indicated they wanted to give their bird up for adoption. Furthermore, the sanctuaries all have links to breeding sites. For shame on you!
The devastating reality is more often than not, it is not about a bird's welfare but about making money. Exotic birds have become valuable commodities and they are, therefore, frequently targeted by "business people" whose focus is not the welfare of birds, but earning a living only. Proper care would cut into profit margins. Birds in the care of these self-proclaimed "rescuers" are suffering from emotional and physical neglect.
If you must give up your bird:
Your pet's wellbeing and happiness depends on YOUR actions. It's up to you to place your bird into a suitable home where he is loved and cared for - or take a risk that your bird may be permanently imprisoned in a cage with minimal care, or worse. This is most surely not something to take lightly.
Avoid "Bird Storage Facilities". One rescuer described himself as a "prison guard" and he hit the nail right on the head - that is exactly what he is. The devastating aspect of it all is that the only "crime" these birds have committed was being born in captivity.
If you have re-homed birds in the past, I urge you to check up on them. Call the new guardian -- or visit the rescue organization that has now possession of them. Verify that they are doing well. If you find your birds in a bad situation, please try your best to rescue them.
Things to look out for: BEWARE! Some "Business People" masquerade as bird sanctuaries/bird rescue organizations. They may have attained non-profit status ($50 bucks and a government form, duly completed, will enable anyone to do so). Don't rely on their fake "educational websites" alone - VISIT THEIR FACILITIES! If you have to make an appointment, you may safely assume that this "rescue & adoption agency" has something to hide. They obviously need time to "stage" their bird areas for your visit. But their primary intention is to get free birds to turn around to sell for profit, to obtain free breeding stock or to simply live off donations without properly caring for the birds.
Another great indicator of a "fake" or bad bird rescue organization is if the only address you find on their website or yellow pages is a post office box number.
Visit the facilities several times and take note of how the birds are being kept. If you see the birds permanently caged, if their cages are unreasonably dirty and you don't see extra food dishes for vegetables/fruits and other nutritious food items -- DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES allow them to have your bird. The better rescue organizations will allow the birds to be outside of their cages a good part of the day -- or even BETTER, they provide the birds with their own area in which they are allowed to roam around freely.
The Empty Promise of "Forever Homes" Parrots have a long lifespan and the average parrot changes homes 15 times in his or her life. This may be very sad -- but this is reality. The guardians may get sick or too old to care for them or his life circumstances change. We have to accept that. Some rescue organizations or "rescuers" promise "forever homes." This is a promise nobody can truly keep -and maybe SHOULDN'T KEEP! It is preferable that people and rescue organizations recognize if they can no longer provide proper care to the birds - rather than hanging on to them NO MATTER WHAT even though the animals are suffering.
The fact is that many rescue organizations eventually go out of business. Either they themselves have gotten sick or old and are no longer able to care for birds, or their life circumstances dictate them to give up rescue. Either way, nobody can ever promise a "forever home" not knowing what their own future holds in stock for them. During your re-homing efforts, you are likely to come in contact with the following: Hoarders: Bird hoarders tend to be kind, bird-loving people, who are suffering from a mental disorder that predisposes them to collect animals. They are doing it for the right reasons -- their love of the animals, but the more birds they have the less they can properly care for them. Hoarding - if not intervened - progresses to a point where the hoarder is unable to provide even minimal care -- usually culminating in the death of animals. Whenever you see a household overrun with cages and/or animals, you are likely to be dealing with a hoarder. Business People: They may play a great act, promising a wonderful home for your birds with lots of love, best of care -- but don't be fooled. Good food, bird toys and quality bird care come with a price tag that "business people" usually don't want to pay. More often than not, they provide minimal care until the bird either stops producing money-making offspring or is sold at a profit. Who is Who? Hoarders may or may not actively seek birds. They are usually known bird lovers and people just have learned to rely on them to accept unwanted birds into their homes. This being said, if they hear of a bird in need of a home, they are likely to offer themselves as an option. "Business people" - on the other hand -- frequently respond to classified ads or they actively advertise to receive free birds. They may put it in the context of replacing a beloved pet that died, or "wishing to give a good home to a 'macaw,' 'cockatoo,' 'African grey'." The fact that they are looking to give a home to one specific species - which generally is valuable - is a good indication that they are seeking to make profit - either through reselling the "free" bird or breeding your bird. Good-hearted people are donating money - and they don't realize that their hard-earned cash may not benefit the birds. The owner of one registered "non-profit bird rescue organization" summarized it nicely in one sentence:
"I make more money with donations than I would be working at a grocery store."
If they make a living out of caring for your pet, it would not be bad while providing loving and quality care to rescues, ensuring lots of mental and physical stimulation, good nutrition and health care. However, if they fail to do that -- they are exploiting these precious birds and misguiding donors. The reality is that people like that are out there. You may have been paying money trusting their websites, their fundraising mailers - real tear-jerker stories. The reality may look very different. The birds may be provided MINIMAL CARE while the owners are financing their own lifestyle with your donations. As long as you keep sending them your money, they will have no incentive to discontinue their unethical business. In fact, you might be contributing to the birds being kept in horrible conditions. Once they stop getting your donations, they would get rid of the birds in a heartbeat; and these unfortunate creatures would stand a chance at some quality of life. It is undeniable that more ethical bird sanctuaries are urgently needed. The markets are flooded with unwanted pet birds, and rescuers are overwhelmed with unwanted pets. A bird may be better off in a private home than in a sanctuary. A rescue organization, as good (or bad!) as it may be, sometimes cannot give your pet the attention he would be getting as part of a family. This is something to think about and consider. Some birds, however, cannot be rehabilitated. This is a fact of life. They have been damaged beyond repair. Rescue organizations often are their only option. These birds should, however, live in spacious flights, with an as-close-to-natural environment as possible - not caged. If you are someone who makes donations, there is no point in you paying for bird storage facilities. Frankly, these birds would be better off dead than lingering in cages their entire life waiting for food to be delivered. There is no quality of life in that. Donations should ONLY be given to those organizations whose first priority is the birds. If you can visit and check out the facilities, please do so ... or do some research on the organization you are interested in donating to. Exotic birds should be provided with foraging opportunities and open space aviaries where they can fly and "something to do". And never donate to a sanctuary that supports breeding in any way, shape or form.
Do not be mislead by a website featuring rescued birds, happily munching on goodies while being perched on nice bird gyms. All of this means nothing. Those photos could have been staged -- one happy afternoon outside their cages in a lifetime. These birds may already be dead. One of these bird rescues featured birds on their website that they no longer had in their possession -- but you could "sponsor" them! Their so-called "free-flight aviary" advertised on their website and fundraising mailers was a scam - the birds were all caged. Not only that, they were fed wild bird seeds - amazing really, since they present themselves as bird care educators and preach about the specific nutritional requirements of birds - which does not include wild bird seeds. Anyhow, the picture was very different from what the website and the fundraising mailers made donors believe. The following are IMPORTANT indicators that the rescue organization is reputable and provides good care to birds:
They allow public access to the animals or the sanctuary for at least part of the day. Real rescue organizations have, or should have, nothing to hide. They will allow the public access to at least view the birds. It may be through windows, as some are justifiably concerned about pathogens being carried into the bird areas or people stealing birds. This being said, when precautions are taken, these risks can be minimized, and the birds may benefit from extra socialization by the visiting public.
Real rescue organizations rescue ANY birds -- not just the valuable ones. In digging further, you may find that many rescue organizations will only accept expensive, sometimes also referred to as "endangered", species. When you see that -- this is an excellent indicator of a rescue organization with a hidden agenda. The fact is that any bird in peril deserves love, care and protection - not only those that hold the most monetary value. If the rescue organization that you are considering placing your bird with or donating to has such exclusions or restrictions, I hope you will reconsider. "Selective rescuing" belies what a rescue should be all about.
Check out the address: registered non-profit rescue organizations should list a physical addresses. After all, they are funded through public donations and the public has every right to know the physical address of this rescue organization.
Organizations that are not registered as a non-profit shouldn't be raising public funds/donations. As private individuals, they have every right to either publish or not publish their address. Although, if they present themselves as a rescue organization and they don't provide you with their address, I would be very suspicious.
Fake Rescues: Listing a P.O. Box, instead of a physical address allows people to create fictional sanctuaries for which they can raise funds from the unsuspecting public. Another reason for listing P.O. Boxes rather than physical addresses is sub-standard care -- they don't want the public to see the facilities and/or the way the birds are set up and cared for. They don't want that because they know the public wouldn't approve of the conditions the animals are kept in. Another reason for not providing addresses is the security aspect of exotic bird theft. This is a real concern and measures need to be taken to protect the rescues. When setting up a rescue organization, initial funding should include securing the facilities. Security concerns shouldn't be an excuse not to provide physical addresses of donation-funded rescue operations. A permanent home for a bird is not something to take lightly. Your involvement and doing intelligent research will mean the difference between a good and happy future for your bird, or being bounced around from shelter to shelter, languishing inside a cage for some fifty years, or worse -- being killed through neglect or outright.
If you have any doubt about a sanctuary, shelter or private home that you are thinking of giving your bird to, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Remember that your bird is counting on YOU to make the right decision, and it is your responsibility to do the best job you can in this respect. He did not ask to be bred, born and trapped inside a cage. That was YOUR decision.
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| Susan |
| | 10/30/08 at 02:25 PM | Reply with quote | #2 |
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I am sure that this advice is well meant. However, I have personally visited two sanctuaries this year and will be visiting more in the future. At both sanctuaries (The Central Virginia Parrot Sanctuary and NEEWS), I found loving, devoted and hardworking people spending 24/7 of their time for the birds.....both creating positive living environments in flock situations within free flight areas which are very conducive to parrot health, physically and mentally.
I think the focus should be more on support with oversight. Why anyone thinks that an uneducated or semi-educated public, whether friends or family, will be able to provide appropriate and long-term care for one's parrot escapes me.
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| Susan |
| | 10/30/08 at 02:29 PM | Reply with quote | #3 |
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Is there anyone who cares about the birds and their captive future and who is in the metropolitan area of NYC that is willing to form a committee to work on these issues?
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| Michael |
| | 10/30/08 at 02:38 PM | Reply with quote | #4 |
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Excellent note! I am a founding member of Snperrs.org- we are located in Las Vegas- and we formed precisely because of the risk of people making money from parrot rescue. We have no fixed facility- our emphasis is on rehoming parrots. We have an all-volunteer staff that fosters parrots until a permanent home for them is found. We do home visits, and also have contracts with the adoptive families. In this way, we have minimal overhead (mostly vet visits, newsletters, and meeting venues), and parrots get to stay in the home environments they are used to, and not institutional ones.
We have been very successful at finding much-loved parrots new, loving homes. While we are always open to donations, we are also mostly looking to expand our base of foster families who (1) can take in a parrot while we do the vet checks and find a permanent home, and (2) have the right kind of setup for this- no other parrots who could get sick, no household hazards, etc. And, of course, we are always looking for qualifying, loving adoptive families.
I strongly recommend that, if you do not have this kind of volunteer rescue group in your area, that you create one- if you want help, please contact us through our website: (breeding link has been removed) |
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| Karen |
| | 10/30/08 at 03:30 PM | Reply with quote | #5 |
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I truly wish more people would visit a sanctuary before ever giving an opion on it. The only way to really know if a sanctuary is what it says it is, is to visit it and then make your judgment.
Try not to get caught up in rumors, how they lead to such a waste of valuable time. Why not spend your time and energy by going and seeing for yourself.
Some sanctuaries do request appointments and this may be due to the fact that staff my already have previous appointments scheduled such as adoption, relinquishment's, etc. Not to mention that there certainly are liability issues involved. If you think a sanctuary is trying to hide something why not spend as much time there as you possibly can by volunteering then you can see what goes on on a daily basis.
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| tracy |
| | 10/30/08 at 05:07 PM | Reply with quote | #6 |
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What I heard her say is that many are not real, not that all are not real. When coming across a sad hoarder/breeder situation, I looked for legit places to get help. I found ONE great local rescue organization, but they couldn't actually do anything to help -- under-funded, under-manned, not to mention the animal abuse laws just don't do enough to help those animals in the grey area, where they may have some adequate care -- but just barely. I did, however, find an INCREDIBLE sanctuary that not only helped, but due to their support I was able to care for one of these birds with a severe beak injury myself -- once I actually was able to talk the owners into handing him over before he died of starvation. This is a bird that has to be hand-fed three times a day for the rest of its life -- and without the help of this sanctuary (assessment, medical care and just personal you-can-do-it kind of support) this parrot would be dead. Long dead. Again, I don't hear her saying that all sanctuaries are corrupt. I hear her saying that many are -- and they are -- so be sure to take the personal responsibility for your bird when/if you have to rehome it, or if you want to donate money. Legit sanctuaries are drowning in people wanting/needing to rehome their birds, without enough financial support, so they certainly need the support. The point is to do the due diligence and make certain your donation will actually do what you intend it to, help the birds... and certainly, if you are rehoming your bird, visit, visit and visit again... |
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| Veda Stram |
| | 10/30/08 at 05:51 PM | Reply with quote | #7 |
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I love this list and your messages and discussions and alerts.
A wounded pigeon appeared in my life and lived with me and my cats for over nine years. Peaches was a joy.
The first lesson I learned was that she needed to fly, to spread her wings, to just BE a bird. I went vegan after meeting her.
If anyone who loves birds (hawks, pigeons, doves, parakeets, parrots, robins...) wants to email me about not eating any "food" that comes from confining any bird, I'm available!
I've been vegan for almost 20 years... because of knowing Peaches.
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| Linda Ott | |
| Monica McLaughlin |
| | 10/30/08 at 11:07 PM | Reply with quote | #9 |
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Large rescue organizations must be run like businesses, because they are businesses. A 501(c)(3) is a category of an organization or business that is a not-for-profit. As such it does not pay taxes.
There is nothing wrong with people making money off of animal rescue. Large organizations need full-time talented people to run them. Many people working in rescue do not have day jobs--their work at an animal rescue is their day job. What is wrong is when money is taken in by a rescue organization and an inappropriate amount of the money goes towards salaries and perks of the people running the organizations.
Charity Navigator is a non profit charity watch dog organization that uses a 501(c)(3)s mandatory tax filings to evaluate the financial health of over 5,300 of America's largest charities.
Examples:
The National Audubon Society (NY) gets only 1 of 4 stars; the president earns $315,000 a year. This is a very inefficient organization.
The Connecticut Audubon Society gets 4 of 4 stars; the president earns $116,414 a year. This is a very efficient organization.
Charity Navigator does not evaluate all charities though so one may need to find an alternate watchdog group.
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| Monica McLaughlin |
| | 10/30/08 at 11:21 PM | Reply with quote | #10 |
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Regarding evaluating an organization by visiting or viewing the web site:
This is not always an effective way to evaluate an organization. The visitor is given an opportunity to see only what that organization wants you to see. A pretty picture. Inefficient organizations who spend lots of money on sophisticated image consultants and advertisers to promote themselves look the best.
Image consultants and advertisers always have the "money shot"-- the one that makes the donors donate--the adorable bird that was lovingly nursed back to health through numerous operations, etc. You do not learn of the 100 sick birds that were euthanized, because to save them would be too costly.
A better way to evaluate an organization is to view their paperwork. Who is paid what? How much of the revenues actually go towards supporting living birds? How much is spent on media?
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| Donna G |
| | 10/30/08 at 11:40 PM | Reply with quote | #11 |
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I've been reading some of the posts about rescues/sanctuaries being pretty much fraudulent as a whole.
I have a rescue/sanctuary at my home, and have had for many years. I totally support the parrots out of my own pocket, except for a few donations which trickle in occasionally. Don't misunderstand me....ANY donation, regardless of the amount, is appreciated.
I do not advertise my "physical address" on my website for the simple fact I don't want people showing up unannounced. I have a very protective, large dog which is a BIG problem when someone comes unexpectedly. Also, I'm on a routine at my place....feeding 3 times a day, cleaning, etc. I don't have time for unannounced visits. I can't just drop everything I'm doing to visit.
Secondly, I had a problem for a whole year with this guy who heard my birds while mowing a few doors down, and decided to come over and "check my place out". Next thing I knew, the side windows on one of my outside aviaries were broken out, and had we not had wire on the inside of those windows, I'm sure several of my parrots would have been stolen.
Also, I'd like to know who was lucky enough to get their 501(c)(3) for a $50.00 fee. I paid $250.00.
I'm aware there are "fraudulent" people posing as rescues/sanctuaries who are, in fact, breeders. I AM NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. I am TOTALLY against any breeders. They sicken me, and the poor birds are the ones who suffer tremendously.
So let's not assume all sanctuaries are bad, and the people who run them are only out for the money. Last year, we totalled $500.00 in donations, and our expenses totalled $17,452.58. Obviously, I'm not in it for the money! I'm in it because I'm a true dedicated bird lover, who will do anything to prevent the suffering of a parrot. As far a "forever homes" go, I realize these birds will probably outlive their caretakers. My niece is in my will as being the caretaker of my parrots in case something should happen to me. So unless someone has a better idea on how to handle things in case something would happen to the "primary" caretaker, please let me know.
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| Jan in MD |
| | 10/31/08 at 07:01 AM | Reply with quote | #12 |
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I personally have not encountered this problem. The rescues in MD that I have had contact with are, for the most part, extrememly wonderful places.
We have one that is run by a former firefighter that is on disability due to a serious injury. He is extra, extra cautious about adopting out birds. While I understand his concerns, he seems to have a very difficult time finding qualified homes. But, his motto is that if the bird will be happier with him, they should stay. His whole home has been turned into a facility for the birds, he has a wonderful network of volunteers that assist him full time. Sadly, someone borrowed his van and wreacked it, causing him much inconvenience for a time.
My favorite is run by a wonderful woman, who sadly is currently fighting cancer. She has 17 acres that were donated to her and the parrots are just part of her rescue efforts. She has a wonderful couple that coordinate her parrot rescue efforts and their hearts are in the right place. They also have a large number of volunteers and run a spotless facility that helps many lives- furry and feathered.
I also try to help people re-home through my network of clubs and friends. I have been overwhelmed by the calls soming in of people that no longer want their companions. It is depressing that people do not take their responsibilities seriously and dispose of family members so casually and often, do not even look back.
A sad situation all around.
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| Kumari |
| | 10/31/08 at 11:06 AM | Reply with quote | #13 |
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Susan and Anna (Luciedove),
For the past 4, going on 5, years I have been devoting my life to the care and nurture of parrotlets. If you aren't sure, these are the hardy, pint-sized parrots who come in beautiful hues of celestial blue, green, yellow and white for the most part. They are very territorial and can be quite aggressive however are also quite fragile and prone to the various dangers that affect 4-5 inch small, exotic birds. They need adequate husbandry especially during winter months or when they are not feeling well and are beginning to get fluffed up with some sickness. In recent years, because of their adorable faces and beautiful colors, a lot of so called breeders have taken to breeding them. As a result, what has ensued is that some varieties are more popular than others. For instance most people want to get themselves a blue turqouise male with cobalt color markings or a white or yellow male with blue markings. It's sad because that means that all green females with no particular striking marks are expendable and often are sometimes put up for adoption at disgustingly low rates, like $50 or even offered for free in exchange for another bird. I think that this type of transaction is the worst for any kind of bird as this does not gurantee a safe haven or indeed adequate food and shelter for them. In certain rural areas, I have seen stores breeding these birds in some of the most atrocious circumstances all because of their colors. I wouldn't put it past them that they actually cull little green girls as they probably won't yield a sale.
I have a few parrotlets and a number of them have been acquired as adoptions because they couldn't find a home. (In recent months we have added a baby quaker who needed a home as well.) Because of the lack of education about parrotlets and therefore the neglect of these beautiful creatures, I have been considering founding a sanctuary for homeless parrotlets. While that may be a future goal I do agree with you, Susan, that there are sancturies out there who are doing great deeds. But I do agree that what we need to do, especially in the major tri-state area ,is to have some sort of committee responsible for educating the lay public about bird care and their needs as living creatures and pets. I think that researching how best to educate people so they make decisions about pets responsibly would be a start. Getting government to regulate breeders in light of animal rights definitely would be next on the list. It's a shame that the pet industry is being exploited in the way it is with such violation of animal rights as a result of bird mills / breeding projects. Indeed we are no better than most third world countries who try to exhort money off of pets. Having said that, I know that there are many breeders out there who do act responsibly and care and love their flock as if it was their own family. So my comments are not to generalize but to really draw attention to the plight of pet birds who are sold or adopted out to people who are either emotionally, physically, economically, (and/or a combination of all three) incapable of the long-term committment and care of birds. Breeders have to get much more selective as to who they sell or adopt out to. And stores should be regulated as to how they breed and when. I know a certain store I go to in NYC on the east side who I think are absolutely ethical and conscientious about selling their birds, who to and even breeding them.
So I would be interested in being part of such a committee in conjunction with the NY Bird Club as I live in mid-town NYC. Obviously the committe would extend to all birds. However I do not think that a committee of people and organizations that do not support the pet trade or breeding being existant is sufficient. Actual work has to be done and I really do believe that we need the coorperation of those who are in the bird trade business, ethical ones, who wouldn't mind coming and providing some insight into bird care. As a result of having opened up a dialogue, then perhaps, we would be able to impress on them the the plight of some of these birds who do leave their stores. I truly believe that for most conscientious people who sell birds, their concern and care ends once the bird has been adopted out and what I believe a committee in the NYC area should be doing is influencing the bird trade business so those who sell birds do so with more care and follow-up for months once the bird has left their home/store. Certainly governmental regulation is a much needed necessity.
You may not agree with what I am saying. And that's OK. However, my philosophy and what I have personally observed, is that for true change to take place, influencing the areas where the problems exist is far more longterm in yielding positive results. After all, what we care about most is that no animals are hurt and subjected to abuse or maltreatment in the pet industry and that they are not left homeless. Isn't it? WEll let me know if you would like me to be involved in a committee.
Best.
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| Priscilla Feral |
| | 10/31/08 at 01:02 PM | Reply with quote | #14 |
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The American Sanctuary Assocation represents about three
dozen sanctuaries throughtout the U.S., and to be accredited,
one is inspected and one adheres to a no-breeding policy.
Primarily Primates, a San Antonio sanctuary to which I serve
as its volunteer president, is a member of the ASA, and we
were inspected by the director of a parrot sanctuary in
Phoenix, Arizona, Oasis Sanctuary. The director, Sybil Erden,
gave Primarily Primates solid advice about special feeding for
parrots on other birds, and much more. Primarily Primates'
macaws and other birds live in two aviaries on the property,
and the resident birds were discarded by breeders and pet-
owners.
The "Business" of Rescue message is well-documented and
deeply important. There is no decency in regulating the bird
trade. As president of Friends of Animals -- my full-time
job -- we intervene to challenge the bird trade and work to
abolish it. All national groups should be polled for their
positions. Also, unwanted, captive birds should sent to accredited
sanctuaries that can offer the long-time care needed to birds
who will, sadly, forever be denied the freedom they deserve.
Priscilla Feral
President, Friends of Animals
President, Primarily Primates
http://www.friendsofanimals.org
http://www.primarilyprimates.org
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| Alyce |
| | 10/31/08 at 01:22 PM | Reply with quote | #15 |
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What a sickening, disgusting post!
I happen to work with a very legitimate rescue and I can tell you that you are seriously misinformed.
Firstly I've never known of anyone making money off of birds. Period. Even breeders rarely do more than break even and barely support themselves! Birds are not a profitable business. So if you think people have houses full of birds for the purposes of profit then you are seriously out of touch. Most of the bird stores I know of barely stay in business - and the bulk of their profit comes from selling toys, which have a far higher profit margin than the birds themselves. So the idea that rescues are making money is just absurd! It's also ridiculous to say that a rescue shouldn't require an appointment! Do you think people running rescues are all independently wealthy, living off a trust fund, with a full staff of servants to run their errands? The reality is that folks running rescues have day jobs, just like you do. Running a rescue COSTS money, it DOES NOT make money! So yes, we work. Duh! And we go to the grocery store, and do other normal everyday tasks. So yes, you must make arrangements, to see the birds. We have busy lives, just like you do. Nor should you assume that someone will be available 24/7 to allow complete strangers into their home! A complete stranger visiting is not something many of us are comfortable with in our homes, unless a second person is also present. So there again, you're going to need to come over at a time when the person (usually a woman) who runs the rescue is not home alone. That is just simple common sense. So yes, Expect to make an appointment. That is absolutely NOT a sign of anything "odd" or "hidden" at all. It just means the person running the rescue has some common sense, and also probably has a normal job and needs to make a living, just like you do. Most rescues are very small time operations, run out of some very dedicated person's home - and out of their personal bank account at great personal expense! The woman who founded the rescue I work with has never charged an adoption fee, even once. She feeds, houses & vets birds at her own expense, and then gives them away, free of charge, to good homes. She also just paid, from her own pocket, a 1K reward, for a cockatoo who escaped after his clip had grown out. She then returned the bird to the grateful owner. The man who had adopted this bird from her several years ago had accidentally let it's clip grow out a tad too far, and the bird had taken flight. He has AIDS, and lives on disability, so he certainly couldn't afford a reward for his beloved bird. So the rescue's founder posted fliers, and then paid the reward. Then, as I say, she returned the bird to the man, because the bird adores him, and he also loves his bird, very much. And she's not a rich woman. She works hard for her money, just like we all do. She is just very dedicated to the welfare of birds, and she's a kind and generous person.
Shame on YOU, to slander all rescues or sanctuaries! NONE that I know of make any money. They rely on donations just to survive.
The idea that it's somehow a viable, profitable business venture, to take in 2nd hand, low pet quality birds is just ridiculous! Even bird stores, selling top quality babies for top dollar are hard pressed to turn a profit. And as I say, they sell other items that have a much higher profit margin than the birds themselves. So if you think it's somehow possible to make money off of lower pet quality birds, all by themselves, you are simply not very clear on how business runs, or what it takes to stay in business, in today's world.
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