Save Companion Parrots through Rescue & Education

It has been a very busy and taxing summer for PEAC with some wonderful success stories that where only made possible with the donations you made and support you continue to give to our project.

The first amazing case is that of Beanie. Beanie’s story is truly remarkable…although his previous owner took Beanie to an Avian Veterinarian on multiple occasions they declined all lab work, cultures or other testing thus making a diagnosis and effective treatment plan nearly impossible.  After 12 months of unsuccessful treatment with a variety of antibiotics their Veterinarian recommended euthanasia.  Beanie’s diet for 20 years prior to April 2014 consisted of seed, root beer and junk food.   In April 2014 his owner was advised to discontinue this diet, provide him with a pelleted diet augmented with fruits and vegetables, and fresh water.  Initially, Beanie apparently ate the bird pellets well; however, in recent months he refused the pellets and was eating primarily fruit with the occasional bit of chicken or fish.  He came to PEAC on 5/4/15 (Picture above was taken the day he came into PEAC) and was immediately transported to All Pets Animal Hospital for evaluation.  Initial assessment yielded a grim prognosis after noting his thin, very weak condition with complete blockage of both nares and copious thick mucus in his choana – the result of a chronic severe sinus infection.  Dr. Loudis recommended basic labs to evaluate organ function and cultures to determine the infective agent of his suffering.  At this point, he was not optimistic that Beanie would even survive.   His initial test results demonstrated poor liver function, precipitously low blood protein levels; cultures identified his infection was due to E.coli.  Not normally a disease causing bacteria this further highlighted the severity of his long standing malnutrition.  

During the first two weeks of quarantine in his PEAC foster home it was clear that the mucus build up made swallowing of dry foods such as pellets extremely difficult.  However, he consumed fresh bird salad (nutrient rich veggies, cooked brown rice and cooked beans), and homemade bird muffins (made with ground organic pellets, kale and pumpkin) with fervor.  Beanie had been literally starving and was determined to make up for lost time!  He was offered fresh foods at least 3 times per day and consumed a remarkable amount of food.  After several weeks of antibiotics and frequent showers to help soften sticky mucus he no longer appeared to have difficulty swallowing and began eating bird pellets as well.  Seven weeks after entering PEAC foster care, Beanie had a follow up appointment with Dr. Loudis who was astounded at the improvement in his overall appearance, 40 gram weight gain, near resolution of the swelling to both nares, and increased strength.   At this point a deep nasal flush removed large amounts of secretions from deep in his sinuses.  Beanie’s foster volunteer learned to safely perform nasal flushing at home and continued these twice daily for two months.

Do animals understand when we are trying to help them?  Although Beanie doesn’t enjoy the nasal flushing, he remains unafraid of being toweled and is one of the most sweet-natured parrots we’ve encountered.  He steps right up after every medical procedure, solicits head scratches and is very loving towards everyone he meets.  We think he knows. 

Not only did we have Beanie with some serious health issues we also had another parrot that needed some serious medical attention.  Yoshi, a Severe Macaw, has been in our foster program for several months and developed an abscess on his cheek. Twice he had to have it lanced, drained, and cleaned.  He was prescribed two courses of antibiotics to clear up the infection.

It's often said things come in threes and this summer it did for high veterinary costs.  Mia, a Moluccan Cockatoo, came back into our foster program as she developed a serious mutilation behavior and had created a wound in her chest the size of a half dollar. On exam it was found that a micro chip that had been placed years ago had migrated and had penetrated her rib cage.  The Xrays not only picked up on the micro chip but also showed a very advanced case of arterial sclerosis.  It is always hard to determine the cause of feather destruction behavior and mutilation.  Her behavior could have been caused by either of these issues or could very well be an emotional response.  Currently the wound has completely healed as you can see by the photo and she is thriving in her foster home once again.

These three stories added up to thousands of dollars in veterinary bills for PEAC.  It quickly drained our coffers and thus we launched a summer donation campain that has been sucessful in bringing PEAC back into the black and out of the red. It is only with your financial support that PEAC is able to continue its work both in education and rescue.  Our attention is always on the care of the parrots that come into our organization but just like all other organizations we also can only do so much with the limited money that is available.  PEAC has always stretched each penny and is so thankful to all its supports both individuals, and businesses that offer material donations or reduced fees on services.

It seems like we are always commenting on the over population problem we have with companion parrots.  PEAC  fields on average 5 or more calls a week from people looking to relinquish their parrot for a variety of reasons. The number of relinquishments definitely out numbers the number of qualified homes for adoption.  Up and down all of CA and around the country rescue after rescue continues to have to say we are full and until we have an adoption we can not take your parrot in.  We wish people would take the time to really evaluate whether a parrot is a good idea for them as a pet. If they would have put the energy into seriously thinking about purchasing a parrot before they did so as they do with trying to find an organization to take their parrot we would definitely not have the serious issues that we currently have on hand. On television and in publications there is always talk about dog and cat shelters and rescues and how they are overwhelmed with the numbers of animals that continue to come through their doors. Parrots unfortunately are in the same situation but get less press awareness.  

I'm not sure what the solution to the problem is.  I do know that PEAC does a great deal of work in educating the public as we did this summer with the reading program that sponsored us this year for the San Diego County Libraries.  Children where introduced to some of our foster birds and given a coloring book that clearly in child language spells out how difficult it is to have a parrot as a pet but it also comments on how rewarding such an intelligent animal can be for many people., Despite the cost of aproximately $5 a book we felt it was money well spent on educating the younger generations on the problems that surround us. It may take years for us to see the rewarding outcome of educating the younger generations but we have hope that it will pay off by having fewer parrots needing refuge with organizations like PEAC.

In conclusion I want to again thank you for your conintued support both financially and with your time. I want to thank Barbara Crouse our former director and current foster volunteer for helping to write this report and for all she continues to do to help the parrots in our area. Please take away with you after reading this report the comment make by Mother Teresa several years ago; "You can judge the morality of a nation by the way the society treats its animals."
     -Mahatma Gandhi

The second quarter of 2015 has proven to be busy as PEAC continues to grow and provide services throughout Southern California.  This quarter we had five siginificant events that your donations have supported.  

First was the Pasadena parrot rescue.  PEAC was approached by an individual whose wife had recently passed on. He was left to care for 4 macaws that he could no longer manage. On doing our intake interview, PEAC realized that these parrots were in desperate need of being rescued, as their diet was poor and unhealthy and the environment that they were found in was conducive to health problems. We later found out that these conditions had lead to all four of the parrots developing bacterial infections in thier mouths and crops.  PEAC did not have the space or staff to manage four special needs macaws; we also found out during the intake interview that they were two bonded pairs and all four suffered from feather destructive behavior. PEAC reached out to Mickaboo, a parrot rescue located in the San Franscico Bay Area, and they put PEAC in touch with a private individual in Mesa, Arizona who had the ability to care for these parrots through her network of private individuals in her area.  PEAC and this private individual arranged a date to meet at the Pasadena residence and she took custody of the four macaws, who then traveled to Mesa, Arizona where they received necessary veterinary care, and are finally on the mend and are doing well according to the last report we received. PEAC was able to give a donation to the Arizona individual and their vet, toward the care of these parrots.

Many times PEAC, during our intake interview of a parrot, realizes that our foster program is not set up to meet the needs of that particular parrot.  Instead of just saying, "No, we cannot help," we do offer to work on finding a location that has the ability and space to care for these special needs parrots.  Over the last year, we have had three rescue candidates that where suffering from severe feather destructive behavior, and one was exhibiting mutilation behavior to his legs and feet.  Best Friends Animal Society, who in the past as worked with PEAC on taking in these special needs parrots, recommended a 501(c)(3) non-profit named Macaw and Cockatoo Rescue of New Mexico, located in Albuquerque.  Anna, the director, has years of experience in working with and treating birds with these serious behavioral issues.  After working out the logistics, one of our volunteers and I arranged for these three parrots to be picked up by PEAC and transported to Albuquerque. PEAC was able, again, to provide a donation toward the care of these three parrots.

Bam Bam, one of the New Mexico parrots, is an umbrella cockatoo who for many years suffered with feather destructive behavior and over-vocalization behavior.  She had been on Xanax for a very long time, which stopped her from producing  adequate amounts of feather powder, resulting in her looking greasy and developing dark-colored skin. On arriving at the New Mexico rescue, she received a vet exam and was taken off the Xanax.  Within just a couple of weeks she was once again producing powder and no longer shows any feather-destructive behavior or over-vocalization.  A couple who volunteer for this rescue has, within the last year, lost their umbrella cockatoo; and they fell in love with Bam Bam.  They currently are fostering her with the intent to adopt, which is wonderful news for Bam Bam.

Raine, a greenwing macaw with feather-destructive behavior and some aggression issues, also went to New Mexico. On arriving, Raine immediately did a 360-degree change in personality.  She has become friendly and loves to be handled like most greenwings tend to be. Her FDB has been going on for many years so most of her feather follicles are permanently damaged and she most likely will never grow feathers back in those areas.  Raine has a beautiful cage and play area at the rescue and is doing very well in her new environment.

The last parrot to  go to MCRNM (the New Mexico rescue) was Gelano, a Hahn's Macaw.  He twice has mutilated his feet and legs, and his former owners felt that they did not have the experience to continue trying to treat his condition. The vet who saw him at MCRNM, after doing some diagnostic blood work, realized he was suffering from gout, which causes severe pain in his feet and legs, resulting in his mutilating behavior.  The collar he had on for three months has been removed so he may once again preen himself, as he looked like a little pin cushion with un-preened new feathers on arriving there.  WIth some medication, the gout is clearing up and he shows no further evidence of self-mutilation. He is a sweet little guy who, again, is doing well in his new environment. 

At home within PEAC, your donations have helped with veterinary costs associated with two very sick parrots that are in our foster program. Beanie, an Amazon parrot, was relinquished to PEAC after her owners had exhausted all finanical means in treating her chronic sinus infection.  On taking custody of Beanie we realized how serious the issue was, as she was lethargic with lots of discharge from her nares and just looked very sad and sick.  After several nasal flushes and courses of antibiotics, she is now on the mend and showing lots of progress.  At one time we thought we may have to have surgery performed to remove the infection within her sinus cavites, but it looks like she is pulling through without having to go that route.  We hope and have our fingers crossed that she will continue to heal, as she has a wonderful spirit to survive, and we truly believe that attitude is what has helped her pull through this serious illness.

Another parrot that recently had serious vet bills was Yoshi, our Severe Macaw who has just been adopted and will soon be going to his new home.  After being in the foster program for a short time, his foster volunteer noticed what at first looked like a rupured airsac.  It turned out to be a serious abscess.  Twice Yoshi had to have it lanced and drained with some intensive hands-on followup treatment at home. The home treatment included flushing the wound daily and applying medication to the area, as well as oral antibiotics.  Yoshi, with his wonderful personality, was such an easy patient, his foster volunteer stated.  We are so happy that he has found his new home and we wish him and his new caregivers the best.

A few months ago, PEAC participated in the America's Family Pet Expo that was held at the Orange County Fairgrounds. The attendance was amazing.  This was the first year we had a triple-sized booth space, which really worked well for showcasing the parrots, our parrot painting raffle, and our information tables.  Our volunteers did an amazing job answering questions from the public and working with the foster parrots.  A young girl who donated two dollars for two raffle tickets won the raffle and her mom sent us a video of the day she received her painting.  It was a special weekend and still remains the main event for PEAC each year.

PEAC also was asked to participate in the Pirate Days at the San Diego Maritime Museum.  The first day was a bit slow as the weather was not very inviting for an outside event.  The second day was a huge success and many children ended the treasure hunt at our little hut with the parrots.  As with any issue at hand if we start with educating the younger generations, the chances are we will have some solutions to the problems we are facing.  This is why this quarter PEAC has agreed to participate in several children-oriented events.

PEAC continues to do its outreach events at the Petco stores in Temecula and San Diego once a month.  This gives us exposure to the general public and raises interest in companion parrots.  It also gives our foster parrots a great opportunity to be socialized in a different environment, as socializing our foster birds is very important in the rehabilitation process with those that have some behavioral issues.

Finally, this quarter PEAC was chosen as the sponsored non-profit for the San Diego County Library System summer reading program. With your donations, PEAC was able to purchase coloring books that tell a story about the proper care of companion parrots.  The book was intended for children under the age of 12 and at the kickoff event for the reading program we where able to hand out 60 coloring books to the children who attended.  Since we were chosen for the reading program, PEAC has also been invited to give a talk that covers the endangerment issues that surrond the wild parrots of the world but also touches on the opposite situation in our country, the over-population problem with companion parrots. We currently have 4 libraries that have asked us to do this presenation at their locations, which will give PEAC a wonderful opportunity to educate the public on all issues surrounding parrots, as we all understand that education is the first step in finding a solution to the problem that parrots are facing.

PEAC continues to grow, which, in addition to the good, unfortuntely also translates into more expenses.  This July we will be starting our second fundraiser of the year, so please look for your letter in the mail to participate in this fundraising drive.  Without your continued support, we could not do the work we do and would not have the means to help find a solution to the overpopulation problem facing our beloved companion parrots.

Links:

• Summer Reading Kick Off Event
• Willow on KUSI morning news show

PEAC 1st Quarter 2015

Global Giving Project Report

“Save Companion Parrots through Rescue and Education”

We are just a few weeks a way from the end of the first quarter of 2015. This is the first report since our main fundraising drive which takes place in conjunction with Global Giving  from Dec 1st-31st of each year.  This year we focused on asking for not only a one time generous donation but also asked donors to consider an on going donation, by setting up to give specific dollar amounts each month.  I am very happy to announce our total donations equaled $10,515.00 of which $575 will be reoccurring monthly.  Without your generous support we would not be able to do the work we do or offer the services we do in the Southern California region. 

During Q1 2015, PEAC has taken in 10 new parrots to its foster program. That brings the total number of parrots in the program to 23. Im very happy to report we have had 8 successful adoptions, one of which was to a couple all the way in New Mexico, which is just fantastic.  Along with the successfully completed adoptions, 2 other adoptions might just be completed by the end of March bringing the number of successful adoptions for the first quarter of 2015 to 10.  Though the numbers of relinquished parrots continues to go up and adoptions by no means keep pace its your support that gives us the ability to provide safe and healthy care for these intelligent creatures until we can find the right home.  Our  intake procedures continue to give us the opportunity to first address the reason the owner is looking to surrender their parrot and some times, we are able to educate them with regards to better ways to work with the situation making it possible to keep their parrot and not relinquish it. When this is not a possibility we interview the parrot to evaluate  its personality and to understand if we have the means with in our foster program to correct any bad behaviors. In the event the behaviors are beyond what PEAC is able to work with we then offer to assist the owner in finding a sanctuary for the parrot.  This may take months to accomplish but we have found that if the owner truly cares about what happens to their parrot they are willing to wait until the right place to take their pet is found. Your donations assist us in transporting these parrots, sometimes long distances, to suitable sanctuaries that have been reviewed by PEAC to insure that they have policies and procedures in place which line up with PEAC’s principals. Currently there are 4 parrots on the waiting list one of which has already been interviewed and is scheduled to join the program on March 16th. We are working on reviewing the relinquishment questionnaires and scheduling the intake interviews for the other three.

Donations from the 2014 campaign have allowed us to make a few purchases for our expos and outreach events.  We recently purchased a black screen to fit our canopy we use at  larger events as the white screen we have used for several years hindered the public getting a good view of the parrots that we bring to participate.  Your donations will also go towards our purchase of a new canopy all together with the PEAC logo printed on the solid top covering of the canopy.  We also had a new PEAC banner printed to display at our big events as well as a few of the outreach events were we need to use our canopy.  The old banner is now being used for the front of the canopy which helps keep people and their children or pets from bumping into the screen causing the parrots being showcased to become scared. Along with those items we have also purchase a new table and two chairs, and are looking to purchase a new table covering with our logo on it, as we are working on developing a monthly outreach  program with the Claremont Petsmart in San Diego.

A new fundraising project that we have used GlobalGiving funds on is the “parrot painting project-PPP”.  Who knew, that parrots like to paint.  We held our first ever parrot painting class at the DAS conference room, in February, and learned a great deal on how to encourage and work with the parrots when they are painting.  As they are intelligent with an intellect similar to that of a 2-5 year old, so just like young children, some become board quickly while others you can not get to stop as they want to play for ever.  We’ve discovered a few are true artists.  We are raffling off a larger painting at each of the larger pet events we participate in.  A local hair and body salon in North County, which has a small art gallery as part of their location, has kindly allowed us to display the parrots works and we have already sold several.  Who knew, Boubo the Greenwing Macaw, would be the next Jackson Pollack.  We hope in the coming months to have the paintings on the website so you may contact us with a request on color and size of a particular painting and we will see if one of the foster bird would be happy to do a painting for you.

As is always the case with the finances of PEAC a large portion of all funds we receive go towards the vet care the parrots require.  Recently we received a scarlet macaw from one of our partners, the Department of Animal Services of San Diego (we are currently the only parrot rescue the DAS of San Diego is working with), after being found in the Sunset Cliffs area of San Diego.  On exam it was obvious that he had severe arthritis, several X-rays revealed that all the digits in both feet were fused together making it not only painful for him to step up but, also very difficult for him to grip.  The films also showed a very advanced case of arterial sclerosis. All of the main blood vessels showed significant blockages and unfortunately, other than diet, there is little that can be done for him regarding this condition.  Add to these health problems, after being in the foster program it became aware that he had some type of intestinal infection, as his droppings were mostly water and had a terrible odor.   He was placed on a 7 day course of antibiotic however, 5 days after finishing the treatment the infection returned and is not being treated with a different antibiotic.  We are lucky that he loves bananas (though it is a lot of sugar) as it makes giving him oral medication quite easy.  His arthritis has improved and a lot of the inflammation has been resolved by treating him with Medicam and daily warm water therapy sessions accompanied by some soothing foot massages.  He is suspected to be a geriatric parrot possibly 60-70 years old and he has the personality of a gentle old man.  Surfers vet expenses are already in the hundreds of dollars and he will require treatment for the remainder of his life.  

Another parrot named Abbi came into our care this first part of 2015.  He arrived to us with his left eye missing and a left wing that we were told had been broken after being attacked by the family's dog several years ago which also resulted in his eye injury.  He was never taken to the vet to have his wing set or his eye examined.  Do to not recieving medical care at the time of the accident Abbi's left wing is permanently stuck in the folded down position and he is not able to extend it out.  Again after several hundreds of dollars later it was determined that neither injury could be fixed with out causing him serious pain by having to rebreak the wing and try and set it in hopes that this would give him some movement.  We decided that this was not necessary as neither injury currently is causing him discomfort and he has learned to manage quite well with only partial vision.  Though his wing will never again extend out he sure knows how to wave good bye or wave hello with his good wing and has one of the warmest personalities, though he has some issues when it comes to women asking him to step up but we are working on that.  He will make someone a wonderful companion. 

By the end of the second quarter PEAC hopes to purchase at least two new Macaw size  cages.  Many cages that are donated to us are not in the best shape and only last a short time before rust becomes a concern for the parrots.  It costs just as much to refinish one of these cages as it does to buy a new one.  Donations made to PEAC through Globalgiving along with the hopeful funding of a capital expenditure grant, we should be able to cover the cost of this capital investment. We will hopefully be purchasing 4 more tri-pod tote perches for our expos and outreach events.  They are compact and make the best stands for the parrots to use when out in public.  They come with two small cups that attach and we have a volunteer who is able to supply us with toy hangers to attach to them so the parrots are entertained and quite happy on the stands during public events.

As you are able to tell by this report, your donations are allowing PEAC to grow.  This growth translates into more parrots being helped through better educating current owners or by educating potential owners which results in our foster parrots being adopted.  I would like to thank each of you for your continued support through financial donations, cage and material donations, and just as importantly donating your time to volunteer with PEAC.  I am hopeful that the rest of 2015 will be just as promising as the first quarter has proven to be.

Links:

• Our Update website

It is hard to believe that it has been one year since we joined forces with GlobalGiving in an effort not only to raise funds for all that PEAC does in the community and for the parrots that end up in their care; but most importantly, it has been an avenue to educate a larger group of people on the plight these magnificent feathered creatures find themselves in.  With this year’s fundraising drive we have set some high goals that we feel we can meet, with your help, and of course, your financial contributions.  For us to be eligible for the monetary prizes being offered by GlobalGiving with this year-end campaign, we must at a minimum receive $3000 from at least 30 unique donors. 

In the coming year PEAC will be applying for a variety of grants and other funding sources. Most of these funding sources require a comprehensive budget to be submitted along with the application itself.  Currently PEAC has put together a budget for 2015.  For PEAC to meet its goals to further its educational outreach opportunities, as well as to continue its rescue/foster program, we have a goal of budgeting $2000 in donations a month.  This may be translated in a few ways.  We can receive in one-time donations $24,000 during this campaign.  A more long-lasting interpretation is to receive monthly contributions from our supporters.  As it mentions on our project page, a $20 a month donation constitutes 1% of our monthly budget. So with 100 donors each pledging $20 a month, PEAC will be able to meet its financial obligations, and most importantly, be able to expand its outreach to the general public regarding the epidemic we see happening regarding parrots needing a place to call home.  Along with our public outreach, we continue to stay up to date on the latest ideas and research in parrot care, from a physiological and psychological perspective; and provide our membership and anyone interested in parrot care this ever-expanding knowledge regarding parrots and the lives they live.

I want to take a few moments to showcase a few parrots that came to PEAC in the past year. A few months ago, PEAC was contacted by an owner who had a yellow-collared macaw named "Baby" that he wished to relinquish to the care of the PEAC foster program.  As is protocol, this individual was sent an email explaining the process and was provided a bird questionnaire, which is required for every bird being evaluated to become a member of the PEAC foster flock.  After a few days we received the questionnaire back, along with some photos of "Baby."  From the responses to the questionnaire and the photos provided, it was determined that this little bird needed to be rescued ASAP, so PEAC decided to waive the intake interview and encouraged the owner to bring "Baby" immediately.  "Baby" arrived in a small parakeet-size cage with a dowel as a perch.  He had no room to open his wings or even move around in his cage.  He could only go from side to side on the perch and lean forward to his food and water bowl.  I asked his owner if this was his transport cage for "Baby" and did he bring his regular cage with him.  He explained that this was his cage and that it was what "Baby" lived in full time, with very little time out.  It was not surprising on seeing "Baby" that he suffered from feather destructive behavior.  His entire lower chest and abdomen were entirely bald with no feather growth at all, which indicated this behavior had been going on for some time. I'm so happy to announce that "Baby" is doing well in his foster home.  He has an appropriate size cage and plenty of out-of-cage time to move around and be a happy, healthy bird once again.  Whoever adopts "Baby" is going to get a wonderful companion and an adorable parrot to care for.

Another parrot that came into the PEAC foster program was "Georgie," a Mealy Amazon.  "Georgie" was living in a home where there was cigarette smoke.  On doing the home interview of "Georgie" we were aware that we needed to act as quickly as possible, as the conditions that this parrot was living in were very poor.  The cage that "Georgie" called home for many years was only 24" x  24" X 36", which has caused "Georgie" to have some muscular atrophy caused by not having enough room to move her wings around to keep her muscles toned and functioning normally.  On taking "Georgie" in, it was determined that she would require a professional bath by a veterinarian to remove all the cigarette tar that had accumulated on her feathers, causing her to look so poorly.  "Georgie" now is very happy in her foster home, which ironically has another Mealy Amazon that belongs to her foster volunteer.  "Georgie," surprisingly, after all she has endured in her life, is full of love and affection for her people.  Because she is a Mealy, she has a distinctive call, which to those who love this species of parrot is like music to their ears, though I would prefer to wear some ear plugs. 

Another development this year is the relationship between PEAC and Best Friends Animal Society, Parrot Garden.  A very unusual species of parrot was relinquished to PEAC by the Department of Animal Services of San Diego.  This male parrot was found wondering loose and was brought to the shelter.  On taking “Alex” to the vet for his intake exam, we noticed that he was handicapped, as he has a deformed foot which prevents him from perching easily.  We found out after a bit of research that he was a Great Billed Parrot, which is not very common in aviculture or the pet industry.  This species has a special diet similar to the Eclectus, and because of that, along with his rarity and his special needs, we reached out to Best Friends to see if they could take him in and provide him with appropriate care.  Jackie, the manager of the Parrot Garden, informed us that Alex will be seen by their vets and they would do some physical therapy with him to see if they may be able to restore some use to his bum foot, even using warm water therapy, which is just amazing.  Prior to the Alex story with Best Friends, this organization also agreed to take in Totonka, Roz, and Blueberry, all Amazons of different species that have special needs that PEAC is not set up to provide.  By having this wonderful relationship with Best Friends we have a place to turn to in the event we have a parrot that is not suited to our foster program but requires more of a sanctuary setting.  As the director, I hope to reach out to other qualified parrot sanctuaries and rescues in an effort to work together for the joint improvement of parrots everywhere.

These are just three of the parrots that have come to PEAC in the past year. We currently have over 20 parrots in our foster program with 14 successful adoptions since January of 2014, with a couple in the works.  We are excited to implement our new adoption seminar requirements in January of 2015, which will provide potential adopters with more information, some updates to information, and a more direct way to qualify for adoptions.  We have also implemented, on a case-by-case basis, a way to take our seminars if you are too far away to attend in person.  Though this is not the norm, it does open the door to potential adopters outside of our local area. We have had one adoption that we would consider long distance, and it has been a wonderful success story, not only for the parrot, but for his new owners, as well.  

In our budget for 2015 we have included the formation of a committee to see the development and setup of our first annual membership meeting.  We have yet to start this process, but it is our hope to have this meeting set sometime in March or April.  It will include some local veterinarians as speakers, an insurance agent to discuss with us how to prepare an estate so that a parrot is taken care of in the event of the owner’s death, and an introduction to some of our parrots and volunteers.  We will be working out the financial cost of this meeting in the coming month, as we hope to secure some outside funding to help offset the cost to PEAC.  

I want to close by saying thank you to all of you who have helped support PEAC in 2014 through either your financial contribution or through your time and dedication as a volunteer fostering our foster flock or working at our public outreach events.  I wish all of you a happy and safe holiday season; and let’s meet our fundraising goal so that we may enter 2015 strong and excited to continue the work that PEAC does.

Hello Again,

As our flock numbers have continued to grow over the summer so has the organizations financial responsiblity of providing proper care for these parrots. Even since the last update, 5 new flock members have made there way to PEAC and part way towards a forever home. Recently, the newest parrots who have been relinquished are Bille-Blue Fronted Amazon, Bonnie-Honduras Yellow Nape Amazon, Baby-Yellow Collared Macaw, George-Mealy Amazon, Grasshopper-Male Eclectus, Barney-Double Yellow Headed Amazon, Pita-Sulfur Crested Cockatoo, Mia-Muloccan Cockatoo, and most recently a Great Billed Parrot relinquished to us from the San Diego Department of Animal Services.  With each intake the organization has policies that require the parrot to go through an extensive veterinary exam, blood chemistries, and a variety of other disease related tests to make sure the parrot is in good health and does not have any disease that could endanger the welfare of the other parrots in its new foster home. Even with significant discounts offered to PEAC from a variety of Avian Veterinaries in the San Diego area, intake examinations run an estimated $300 per parrot.

The current numbers in our foster program stand at:

24 parrots currently in the foster program (10 prior to January 2014 plus 14 after January 2014)

1 parrot with an appointment set for the intake interview

3 parrots remain on the waiting list

4 correspondants asking for information on the relinquishment of a parrot as well as information on our foster program inlcuding the status of our waiting list

Since January 2014 PEAC has incurred an estimated $4,000 in veterinary costs alone.  As with any well run rescue we try very hard to keep a "nest egg" set aside for any emergency that may come up, but we are very close to having to dip into that "nest egg" to continue the coverage of day to day expenses. Intake veterinary examinations are a significant portion of these expenses. 

We are just around the corner from our annual fundraising campaign where we partner with Globalgiving to assist us with this most important fundraising event of the year for PEAC, however, some assistance now with our current financial situation would help offset the cost of carring for the many new parrots in our foster program.

Any contribution, even a small amount today, would be accepted with a huge THANK YOU! It is through donors like you that PEAC is able to continue its work in educating potentially new and long time parrot owners as well as the general public. Through our educational forums & rescue services we will continue to bring unwanted or abandond parrots into safe and loving foster homes until we find the forever home for each and every parrot in our program.

Links:

• PEAC updated website