The Island Parrot Sanctuary
Yvonne
Macmillan
Founder Member
Mission
Mission statement Our mission is to offer permanent sanctuary to companion parrots. We aim to promote parrot welfare by increasing public awareness on all aspects of parrot care. Through education we will reduce cruelty and suffering and promote realistic expectations regarding parrot ownership. Analysis of need The fact that the numbers of birds at the Island Parrot Sanctuary has continued to rise is proof that we are providing a service that is needed. We are contacted at least once per day, every single week. This is either for advice or regarding the placement of a bird or birds. We also receive regular veterinary referrals for behavioural training. As we are the only parrot sanctuary in Scotland we also provide a scientific resource and study centre. There is still unconscious cruelty to parrots and while that is still a problem there will always be a need for education. We believe that parrots should not be kept in captivity. Parrots that are kept as companions deserve to be protected. They should be treated with love, dignity and respect. All birds residing at or in care of The Island Parrot Sanctuary shall be fed the correct diet, kept in the correct housing and receive the correct medical assistance to heal their minds and bodies. Education is paramount to the welfare of domestic parrots. We do not breed nor advocate the breeding of parrots. Our achievements to date In 7 years we have built up the sanctuary and helped well over two hundred birds back to good health. We run Boot camps and give email and phone support. We have continued to look after on average fifty parrots a year, all of whom are fed and housed at the sanctuary. The sanctuary is located in the grounds of the sanctuary manager’s house. Cages have been regularly replaced and special food provided for the parrots to aid their recovery. Special fleece clothing is also made for some of the birds as a way of providing protection whilst their feathers grow back and to dissuade them from self-harming – a common feature of distressed parrots. At the sanctuary we have installed a cage cleaning system using water as the birds’ cages need to be cleaned out twice daily. We have also installed a make shift heating system. We are hoping to replace this soon. In the winter, some of the parrots are housed in cages in the Manager’s house in order to protect them from very cold temperatures. Over the years, the sanctuary has become a recognised facility for trainee and qualified vets and other avian specialists. They are keen to learn how to manage abused birds and observe the impact of total commitment, care and attention can have in aiding the healing process. The birds can stay in ‘recovery’ for many years and have a long lifespan with some living to 100 human years. The practical experience the sanctuary offers has been complimented by educational leaflets for owners and owners to be. Often parrot abuse is caused by a lack of knowledge by the owners. Sadly they simply do not understand how to care for the birds. Many owners have received poor and inadequate information from pet shops etc. By educating the public we hope to minimise the risk of abuse and ensure the well-being of every parrot. Financial aspects At present we survive on donations. A copy of our accounts is available if required.
Category
Animal Welfare
Additional Information
The Island Parrot Sanctuary is a registered charity (SCO 41254). We have operated as a self-funded sanctuary for 7 years and achieved charitable status in October 2009. The Sanctuary initially offered a safe environment to humanely rehabilitate and reduce suffering of abused and problematic parrots. It soon became readily apparent that treating the birds addressed the problem but not the cause. That is when we realised that education was crucial to our charity. In order to reduce suffering we must raise the standards of care for companion birds. This can only be achieved by educating current and future owners and the public in general. The Island Parrot Sanctuary now acts as an educational resource and information centre for vets, student vets, bird welfare organisations, the SSPCA and parrot owner’s in the UK and further afield. Our achievements were recognised by IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) in October 2010 when we were honoured to receive their prestigious sanctuary award.
There are far too many birds living in substandard conditions. We intend to reduce this number and reduce the unconscious cruelty by providing accurate information, educational booklets and seminars. This can be achieved by not only rehabilitating the birds but more importantly focusing on the owners. Providing owner education and solving problems will undoubtedly lead to a massive reduction in neglected, abused and unwanted birds.