FAQ

Rescue is a volunteer-based organizational movement dedicated to helping animals who are being displaced from their homes.

Many rescues take animals from private owners, animal shelters, or other at-risk situations.

Rescue is not a dumping ground for breeders set on downsizing their collection or an open admission shelter, which takes in every animal.

Usually rescues are limited based on their volunteer availability.

There are rescues for dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, rats, reptiles, and others, in addition to birds.

Yes, there are costs involved. Rescue is not a source to acquire free or low-cost animals.

The adoption fees you pay help us defray costs we incur when caring for birds in our care. It costs a lot to feed each animal a species-specific diet, and provide appropriate housing, toys, and veterinary care.

In fact, veterinary care is usually our largest expense. Avian veterinary science is still a relatively new discipline, which means fewer vets are educated and have the proper laboratory equipment necessary.

We also must cover other costs, such as website fees, transporting animals, phone bills, etc.

Our volunteers receive no pay.

Our adoption donations are a small effort to help defray the cost of our organization, but most donations do not begin to cover the expense for each animal.

Typical Adoption Donations:

Small Birds (Finches, Budgies, Canaries, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, etc.) $10-80

Medium Birds (Conures, Lories, Senegals, Pionus, Quakers, etc.) $125-400

Large Birds (African Greys, Amazons, Cockatoos, Macaws, etc.) $250-900

No, the cost of a cage is not included.

We wish we could give every adopter a cage, but the expenses we face make this impossible.

While some birds do come to us with appropriately sized cages, most do not. Because we will not buy birds from people, many feel they need to “make up for the cost of the bird” by selling the cage.

Others kept their birds in cages way too small or too damaged to be useful.

While we cannot give you a cage, we can help you choose an appropriate style and size for your new bird, as well as help you purchase one at a reduced price.

If you need help finding a cage you can afford, please ask us about this during the adoption process.

All of our available birds are listed on our site here.

If we do not have a particular species you are interested in adopting, you can still submit an application for “pre-approval.”

This can save you some time by putting you on a waiting list.  If we know that species will be coming in, we would notify you ahead of time.

We do not have a shelter or facility to house our birds.

All of our birds stay in our volunteers’ homes as fosters.

Because our birds are in private homes, we are only able to accept visitors by appointment. This is set up after an application has been filled out, references checked, and a home visit performed.

After you have been approved, we will set up a time for you to meet the bird(s) you are interested in to see if you are a good match.

It depends. Parrots are what you make them. Generally, the more time you give them the more your bond will grow.

With small birds, such as Cockatiels, it is not uncommon for a group to live together and still be very bonded with their guardian.

Our adoption process does not happen quickly. As an all-volunteer group we have limited people power.

Our priority is not to have a speedy process, but a thorough one that ensures proper placement of our companion birds.

We tend to be picky as multiple changes can be difficult for the bird, and we wish to ensure their safety.

If at any time an adopter cannot care for the bird, the bird must be returned to our organization.

1. Adoption Application – Please be very complete in filling out our Adoption Application (you will see the links to our application on the Adopt a Bird page). This will allow us to make the best match possible. Our adoption coordinator will process your application including interviewing you by phone and checking references. Your application will then go to the board to determine the need for a home visit.
2. Home Visit – Home visits are not meant to be obnoxious or intrusive. They are simply so we can check out where your bird will live and to meet the whole family. Our volunteers will also make suggestions – such as not putting the cockatoo’s cage next to your hand carved antique table. This is also an excellent time to get questions answered.
3. Board Review – You application and home visit report will next go to the Board for review. We reserve the right to refuse an applicant.
4. Approval – If your application has been approved, you will be notified and we will explain our contract, approve your housing arrangements for your new family member and process the adoption paperwork with you. Congratulations!

YES! We are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, non-profit organization.