Hi Everyone!

We’ve had a very busy start to 2005 – so far this year we’ve had 170 birds surrendered to us. At this rate, we’ll go over last year’s record of 504 – it’s a very daunting situation.

We’ve had one of the worst cases of abuse we’ve seen come into the Center about a month ago. Meet Peaches, a Moluccan Cockatoo. Here is her sad story.

Peaches was owned by a woman in New York. Peaches lived with a mate. Due to circumstances unknown to us, Peaches was taken from her mate and sent to an exotic game farm/petting zoo in Missouri. There Peaches plucked herself naked and also chewed the skin off her chest. This is known as Moluccan Mutilating Syndrome. A very kind-hearted woman from this area brought the bird home, as she has a cockatoo of her own, and understands cockatoo behavior. She took Peaches to her avian veterinarian looking for help. He gave her some antibiotics, an E-collar and some anti-psychotic medication. Of course, this didn’t help. He then advised euthanasia.

This woman had seen John and I at State Fair last year and remembered our discussion on the treatment of birds. She called me and told me Peaches’ sad story. I told her we have a protocol we follow with this type of bird and, although we could not guarantee success, we have had good success with the rehabilitation of mutilators. If you’ve been to CARE since last July, you have probably met Gabby, our resident ex-mutilator. She is now a healthy, happy Moluccan Cockatoo and loves to go on outings to schools and other presentations to show off her new look of being almost 100% fully feathered.

Peaches was released to us several days later. The picture you see is from the day Peaches arrived.

Peaches had not had bloodwork done, nor had her wound been stitched up before. We did complete bloodwork and found that Peaches had an infection in the wound and respiratory problems (what a surprise!). We treated the infection with antibiotics and gave her pain medication to keep her from working at her wound. We treated her for three weeks, and on Thursday, April 21st, Peaches had surgery, to debride and close the wound, which she came through with flying colors.

From the time that Peaches came in to the day of her surgery, she gained 100 grams and her skin is turning pink again. She allows me to rub shea butter on her body and that helps with the itching. We have a little sweater on her to cover her stitches – so we don’t have to put an E collar on her.

Peaches still needs to gain another 200 grams and we will have to start working on her social skills once her stitches are removed, but she’s making remarkable progress already. She is talking and singing her little songs, something we had not seen when she first came in. I am writing this letter for two reasons: one, of course, is that we need your monetary help to keep doing what we do – as in helping Peaches become a normal bird again – but also because I think many times people come in to the Center and see the birds and think we’re just housing birds here until we can find a new home for them. We do so much more than that.

We are a rehab center – we have not ever turned away any parrot in need, unless it has a contagious disease. Many of the birds that are surrendered to us have NEVER had any kind of vet care. What we hear most of the time is “he was never sick”. Birds need to be seen yearly, just as you have your dogs and cats checked yearly. Yes, it’s expensive for vet care – owning a bird is a very expensive proposition. So, it’s up to us to make sure that these birds are properly taken care of, including vet care if it is needed. As an example, many of you know Chicken, the umbrella cockatoo. Before he was adopted, he had five surgeries to try to correct a chloacal prolapse problem he had. He is in a permanent home now, and is doing very well. He needed help, and we were here to help him. Peaches needed help and we were here.

At this point in time, we have had approximately 170 birds released to us this year, plus we are holding 25 large birds for a police case. Our vet and food bills again are running through the roof. We are again asking your help so we can continue to do what we do best – help the abused, neglected, displaced and just unwanted birds that have become throw-aways in today’s society.

If you have any questions, please let me know. You have all been so wonderful in the past – without your donations and help, we could never do what we do best – help the birds. I hope you can find it in your hearts, and your pocketbooks, to continue to help us, and to help the birds like Peachy start their new lives.

Very truly yours,

Lori A. Drew, CVT, CAS
President & Founder

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You can mail your donation to: C.A.R.E., 3053 Beechwood Ind. Ct., Ste. 1, Hubertus, WI 53033. Thank you in advance for your help.

3053 Beechwood Ind. Ct., Ste. 1 - Hubertus, Wisconsin 53033 - 262-628-3719 - www.centerforavianrehab.org email: cntrforavianrehab@sbcglobal.net

 

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