The Oasis Sanctuary

posted by Sybil on Jun 8

Desperate Times

June 8^th 2009

When I can’t help someone, whether person, bird, or other animal —- that is the time that the weight of running The Oasis bears down on me.

I used to tell people that I was not worried about the birds that made it here, but that I worried about the ones out there we don’t know about….

…but at this time, in this economy, that has changed. Today I worry about the ones I do hear about, but simply cannot help.

I hear about birds who need our help, who are candidates for our program, the ones who need our specialized care — but until we are able to raise more funds to bring in more staff and build more appropriate housing for the birds, we simply cannot take in all too many of those who are in desperate need of help.

Yesterday alone I heard about several situations I could not help with.

….A woman called who was trying to find placement from yet another unsexed, unhandled and unloved Amazon living in terrible conditions…. I hope to be able to work with her and the bird in the fall, if our projects are completed and if we have room. But who knows??

….A woman called whose 4 year old male cockatoo had bitten her “too often.”  He is now languishing, unwanted and undoubtedly confused, in a pet-store boarding facility. When I suggested a reputable nearby adoption program, the woman announced that if she couldn’t take care of this bird, no one could. When I tried to suggest options, she became so verbally abusive and hostile I had to hang up. But the bird suffers…

….Another woman, recently widowed, about to lose her home, who has taken in handicapped and unwanted birds also called. She needs to place a pair of Macaws with papilloma.  There is another pair, older bonded siblings, one of whom has diabetes. Also needing placement are a one legged conure and another unsexed formerly aggressive (but not to her) Amazon.  I am attempting to get the little conure into care with one of The Oasis’ volunteers, but I am unsure whether she has room….

Additionally over the past few days I have replied to numerous e-mails from people…some of who had family birds for 20 and 30 years…and needed to find homes or placement options for their beloved animals.

There are people whose family members have died. There are people who are ill. There are people who have lost jobs and or are losing their homes.

When I can’t help them, direct them to a place of safety, not only do the people continue to worry and suffer, but the birds, the innocent ones, suffer the most…

In the past I would “triage”, assess the situation and the needs for the people and the parrots…and in 90% or more of the time would refer to one of the many adoption programs around the country we work with regularly. However, in today’s economy all too many of the reputable adoption programs are also full to overflowing, with many having to take back animals they placed in the past due to the caregiver’s economic situation.

In this economy, when the sanctuary has no “cushion,” no funds in the bank, and there is no available line of credit other than high rate credit cards…when we, like every other family around, is living check to check, hand to mouth…but we have 650 birds and a staff and other animals needing to be feed….700 souls….

It is at times like these, when the funds are short, my staff is putting in 12 hour days in order to properly care for the birds, while I sit on the phone hearing, again and again, of the suffering of the people and the animals….it is at times like these that the weight bears down.

posted by Sybil on Apr 27

There is that old adage: “Politics makes strange bedfellows.”

I have never found this to be more fitting than during my recent writing and mailing to Oasis News about the bill in committee in the house of Representitives – HR669.

There is a deep rift in the avian world (as I am sure in many areas or rescue/sanctuary vs the “pet trade” ) regarding this bill.

I find myself being accused of being manipulated by PIJAC and others…while my personal belief is that others are too trusting. I have been accused of furthering the “hysteria.”

For the first time in over ten years I find myself agreeing…although for completely different reasons… with people in the pet trade and aviculturists (breeders.) It is an odd and often uncomfortable feeling.

None the less, in my reading of the Bill as it stands today, there is too much leeway for “people in charge” to make decisions which could make it impossible to find new homes for parrots or take them across state lines if their current caregiver needs to move.  After my four month struggle to bring an American born parrot, Gulliver the Macaw, back into the country last year, I came to understand that beaurocracy is by definition conservative in interpreting legislation and law. It is the “safe” choice for them to make….

I had heard that the Bill had been killed…and now am learning from others that the Bill has just been “shelved” and is under review for a few weeks.

I encourage people to read the bill (see links below) and decide for yourselves.

And if, like me, you are worried or concerned… please contact your US House Representitive. There is a link for that as well.

And let me know what you think.

Sybil

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this Bill HR 669 —below is an official summary of the Bill:

posted by Sybil on Apr 25

Dear Friends of the Birds and of The Oasis Sanctuary—

I learned yesterday that HR 669 was killed in committee.

This is due to the (literally) tens of thousands of letters, emails and phone calls which poured in from caregivers of exotic companion animals around the country. To those in the Avian Community who called or wrote…your birds are thanking you.

My final words on the subject….and I know many will continue to disagree…..This is fine. We still are in the USA.

I had very mixed feelings about the bill. Although there were important issues addressed, the problems, as I see them, were that the decision making was left up to bureaucrats, who, based on my rather intense experience with the Federal government (USFW in particular) generally interpret regulations and legislation in the tightest and most conservative manner.

The thought of intelligent and sentient beings in particular for this conversation, parrots with a life expectancy of 60-80 years, not being able to go to new homes if their caregivers could not longer care for them, or not being able to cross lines should their caregiver have to move, would potentially put millions of parrots at risk of destruction.

Although I am against breeding of any animals until ALL animals have a life-long home…and I do not believe that parrots or other birds who should be flying aught to be relegated to cages in our living rooms and treated like objects or even little humans….I also believe in the sanctity of life and our obligation to care take all existing captive and or domestic animals appropriately throughout their lifetimes.

Many of the objectives outlined (as I understood it) in HR 669 are already covered by CITES regulations visa vi importation etc. Yet another layer of bureaucracy will not stop smuggling and in my opinion would have only created an illegal underground of exotic trading and breeding. Look at dog-fighting and cock-fighting as an example….

To sum up, it is my opinion that HR 669 was a potentially dangerous intrusion of government into an area which needs enlightenment rather than laws.

Sybil

posted by Sybil on Jan 3

Bridget the Blue and Gold Macaw has been with The Oasis for over ten years. She arrived, with her buddy, Star, a Scarlet, in 1998. At that time they were reputed to have been together for over 35 years. Since both were “wild-caught” birds, there is no way to ascertain exactly how old she is, but based on our current information we assume that (winter 2009) she is close to 50 years old.

Bridget is a beautiful bird. Well feathered. However, when we attempted to put her in the Macaw Aviary last May, we discovered that she is severely arthritic. Subsequent X-rays showed her shoulders to be very calcified.

Additionally, as has happened in a surprising number of situations, when given other options, she and Star “divorced.” Not able to fly, she could not stay in the flight and was brought into the bird building.

We began her on a regimen of Adequan, an anti-inflammatory used for animal arthritis, similar to Glucosamine and Chondroitin, but more long lasting. She received an injection every ten days. She seemed comfortable, and hung out in the bird building, making new friends.

On the Sunday morning before Christmas, after our weekly Staff Meeting, I received an urgent summons: Bridget had facial bruising. Could I come take a look.

My first thought was a bite or such from another bird.

My second thought was that perhaps she had been held too tight when getting her injection.

It was not to be that simple….

When I went into the building I saw that she had a huge swelling, filled with blood, under the beak. The left side of her face was bruised and swollen. There were no bite marks.

Bridget was trying to breath with difficulty. I looked into her open mouth and saw that her mouth was terribly swollen.

I called Todd, our Vet, on his private cell-phone. I left a message on his page: 911. Sunday is family day. I could only hope that he would be available and answer. Within moments my phone rang. I described the situation. By now Bridget was gagging up water and blood.

We agreed that she would be seen that day. I ran around like mad, collecting my clothing, while staff got a large carrier, towels and food. I left within an hour and met with Todd in Phoenix, three hours away, by 3 PM.

Bridget was in extreme distress. Her white count was very high and she was terribly anemic. Her breathing was labored and she could not eat.

Todd and I agreed that she would be staying in intensive care….

Over the next week…including the days that the clinic was closed, Christmas and more, Todd came in, often staying part of the day. He checked on her morning and evening and hand fed her. While the swelling and bleeding was resolving, she still was not eating and was having difficulty breathing. Her white blood-count remained high even though she was on a couple of different antibiotics, including one which was being administered intravenously.

By the end of the week, after Bridget had been on oxygen for several days,Todd decided to have Ruth Ann bring in another Macaw and do a transfusion on Bridget.

Both birds were anesthetized and blood was withdrawn from the donor and administered to Bridget.

Within hours she was feeling better. She no longer needed oxygen and began to eat a bit on her own.

I spoke to several avian oriented Veterinarians including Todd, and no one can figure out what went wrong…

Bridget is still fragile and frail. She is out of the hospital and currently in foster care with Ruth Ann, so she can remain closer to Todd should she need further help.

…but I am thrilled that this sweet old girl has lived to see another New Year.