Parrots Are Our Passion. Animal Welfare Is Our Cause.
Education Is Our Mission.
Parrot Partner Is An Animal Education And Training Centre Specializing In Parrots
Click HERE to
Through partnership with local rescues we foster and provide rehabilitative care and training for rescued and relinquished parrots. We educate the public and provide hands-on training to veterinary technicians, future and current animal owners, pet sitters and trainers.
For each parrot at our facility we develop a pre-adoptive program that includes behavioural and physical assessments, as well as personalized nutrition, exercise, training and socialization plans.
We strive to provide the best environment possible for the parrots in our care. In order to adequately prepare them for adoption, we maintain consistent human contact and high space and enrichment ratios for each bird. The centre is 1700 sq feet; houses a maximum of 20 birds in open flight rooms and separate cages, and each bird has access to approximately 60 sq feet of environmentally enriched space.
However, even the best artificial environments can't come close to matching the space, diversity, and freedom that animals have in their natural habitats. The challenge is ever present and we welcome any ideas or support. We employ a part-time veterinary technician, avian care givers, and are blessed with 4 committed and numerous casual volunteers. The centre’s veterinarian of choice is Dr. Robin Roscoe, who is a board certified avian veterinarian.
Through partnership with animal rescues Parrot Partner is committed to:
Increase the adoptability of relinquished animals
Decrease the number of relinquished animals
Raise awareness of animal rescue mission and needs
Through education events Parrot Partner is committed to:
Expand awareness of the interrelationships between people, animals, and the environment
Build support for animal compassion and partnership
Provide positive human engagement and socialization opportunities for parrots
Through rehabilitation and training programs Parrot Partner is committed to:
Increase respectful and humane animal interaction and training practices
Facilitate the creation and maintenance of the animal – human bond
Educate the next generation of humane animal guardians
Adaptability = adoptability
Parrots can live as long as 80 years. They perform many cognitive tasks at the level of human toddlers, and are capable of a range of emotional responses and deep, committed bonds. When left alone in barren or boring cages without anything to stimulate their curiosity and natural instincts, parrots suffer tremendously. This deprivation, combined with relentless boredom and loneliness causes these highly intelligent, emotional creatures to literally lose their minds.
Parrots arrive at the centre needing to be taught basic activities that are natural to their wild counterparts: to play, bathe, forage, eat a variety of natural foods, exercise, be a member of a social group, etc.
We believe that a variety of positive human interactions, in incrementally diverse environments and situations, builds confidence and adaptability; and adaptability equals adoptability. A rehabilitation plan begins with changing a single element in the cage (a basic environment change) and may build up to attending or performing at a public event (a multiple, complex environment change).
Each parrot is unique and therefore the scope and scale of the rehabilitation is different depending on their background, needs and temperament.
Fostered parrots leave for their new home:
· Well socialized to a variety of people, environments and situations
· With essential husbandry and co-existence skills
· With an initial bond with their new owner
· With an approved transition and maintenance plan
Many birds lose their homes due to changes in the family such as deaths, divorces, financial difficulties, etc. However birds are also relinquished due to unfulfilled expectations, miscommunication between parrot and owner, and behavioural problems. Our goal is to reduce the number of birds that are relinquished and re-homed due to behavioural issues. We implement awareness, education and training programs that address correctable behavioural issues, making each bird a valued and loved member of the family.
Potential adopters undergo a pre-screening process that allows us to evaluate the basis of a parrot ready home (Click HERE.) If a home does not initially qualify we go through the requirements and provide suggestions and support.
Whenever feasible we connect families who are relinquishing their parrot with pre-screened pre-trained families who are willing to adopt. This reduces the stress and number of transitions the parrot must make and actively involves the adopting family in the adjustment process.
Our pre-adoption training is designed to ensure potential adopters are choosing the right species and personality of bird. Training also helps the parrot and the human become familiar with each other and start the bonding process.
Adopters do not pay for the parrot; they pay an adoption fee of $250 that covers pre and post adoptive training, home set-up consultations and follow-up visits that are conditions of adoption.
Click HERE to read about our parrots waiting for adoption.
If it is not one of our birds, we will refer you to other parrot rescues where other fabulous parrots are waiting for a new home.
Birds leave our centre healthy, well socialized and with basic husbandry behaviours. Parrots live a long life and with pre-screening of homes, training, and good co-existence skills we believe stronger relationships will be formed, happier lives lived, and fewer bonds broken.
We need and
love our volunteers, without you we wouldn't exist! Thank
you for helping us with this important work!
We have
found that people and animals are happiest when they're
doing what they are good at doing. We need volunteers for
almost everything you can imagine so please don't limit
yourself to parrot care, although that is a continual need.
We require responsible and compassionate people in the
following areas:
Parrot
care: food
preparation, cleaning, foraging activities, training,
reading, singing, and dancing with the birds
Creative:
feather art, children's crafts, toy making, perch and
stand creation
Awareness & Education:
community marketing, aviary tours/supervision, participation
in events
Administration:
paperwork, telephone contacts, website updates,
organization, book-keeping
Maintenance: shopping,
gardening, aviary maintenance
You name it;
there is something for everyone.
Volunteering
hours will be given credit for high school graduation.
Please, talk to us and see out how your time and attention
can help our amazing parrots.
Cookie, Charlie and Solomon THANK YOU!
Thank you for your kind donations. Your generosity helped us pay for needed medical care and supplies. Your help enabled us to find good homes for Cookie, Charlie, and Solomon.
To read and see more on the trials and tribulations of these three beautiful and loving parrots and their progress please visit our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/Parrot.Partner
Here is the story of Mindy, a Goffin Cockatoo. Though very sad, it is a story of success as it has a happy ending. With your help and support, we were able to find a loving family for this parrot.
We gratefully accept donations. Your money will go to keeping the parrots healthy and happy :)
Thank you for your support!
