The Oasis Sanctuary

posted by Sybil on Dec 26

In early December I received an e-mail under the heading of “Bird Inquiries.” Most such emails are about a bird or two needing placement options. However this particular e-mail was about over 100 small birds from a “sanctuary” in Northern California which would soon be closing their doors…

As in most cases, the founders had high hopes and a great compassion for birds. But as all too many people have learned…sanctuary work is not just about loving and caring for birds. It is, unfortunately about creating a business which can care for the ever-growing number of animals needing safe-haven.

Money is scarce, the job of fund raising daunting. Within a year of receiving their provisional non-profit status from the IRS, their doors would close forever.

I immediately sent out an email to about a dozen bone fide adoption programs and sanctuaries we work, outlining the situation.

While several people and groups offered help, due to logistics, several organizations emerged as the major players in this drama: Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue in the San Francisco Bay area, Primarily Primates in San Antonio (now a part of Friends of Animals) and The Oasis Sanctuary in southern Arizona. (Note: Foster Parrots in Massachusetts will also be accepting a few birds from this rescue, but due to transportation/weather considerations those birds are in foster care with Mickaboo.)

Thrown into this mix were Chris Sanders and Diana Welsh, two exotic Veterinarians who run Wildwood Veterinary Hospitals in the San Jose and Portola Valley California areas. They had plans to visit family in Austin Texas over the Christmas holiday and agreed to drive the birds from California, through Arizona and onto Texas. Oasis friend, who is both a volunteer for Mickaboo and Chris and Diana’s employee, Louisa, also acted as an intermediary, finding a low cost vehicle able to safely transport these birds.

I had recently been out to see Primarily Primates as part of a re-certification visit for American Sanctuary Association. I saw several beautiful and under-occupied bird aviaries. They also have an on-site Veterinarian who is capable of normal care for avians. Stephen, the director, had told me that if any birds needed placement to let him know. When I contacted Primarily Primates, Stephen agreed to accept 6 ring neck doves, a dozen conures and approximately 30 cockatiels.

I spent time in communication with Michelle at Mickaboo, who, with her Volunteers, caught the birds and crated/caged them for their long trip. They also triaged the birds and ended up finding foster for approximately 40 birds who were not in shape for the long journey. Some, who were friendly little conures and such, will be adopted out by Mickaboo when they are ready to go into new homes. (Contact Mickaboo if you are interested. They, and many other birds currently in their care, need homes.)

With the help of one of The Oasis’ corporate donors, which provided us with an emergency transportation grant, we were able to rent a passenger Van from Penske truck Rentals in the bay area. Upon hearing that the van would be transporting these homeless birds, Penske dropped their normal mileage rate from 22 cents per mile to five cents!

The Arizona birds…15 budgies, 15 lovebirds and a lonely Quaker…would be dropped of at Tom and Ruth Ann home in south Scottsdale, which, for the past decade, has served as our Foster Care facility. The birds would be arriving in the Phoenix area during the night of the 22^nd-23^rd of December. I arranged to be staying close-by. At 2:17 in the morning, Chris called and told me that he and Diana had arrived at their motel which was near the foster house.

It was pouring, a cold and heavy rain, rare in Phoenix.

At 3 AM I arrived and helped Chris, Tom and Ruth Ann removed 80 or so birds from the Van, get them out of the weather, set up and covered up for the night.

By 9 the following morning the weather had cleared. I arrived back at Tom and Ruth Ann’s. We uncovered birds and I began moving the Budgies into their temporary quarters. By 10, Chris and Diana were back and we reloaded the birds going on to Texas. And at 10:30 Steve Bodinet from Channel 3 in Phoenix, who had done a wonderful Gulliver story last summer, arrived to do a short piece on the birds.

The Oasis’ birds will stay at Tom and Ruth Ann’s until they are Vet checked and approved to come to the Sanctuary. Primarily Primates received their birds on Christmas Eve. Chris and Diana made it to their family for Christmas.

A number of people and organizations working together can do amazing feats. If you wish to contact any of the organizations to volunteer or help with funding the medical care and testing these birds will need, you can contact each of us as follows:

Mickaboo at http://www.mickaboo.org/

Primarily Primates at: www.primarilyprimates.org 830-755-4616

The Oasis Sanctuary at: www.the-oasis.org 520-212-4737 or 602-863-1543

Need a Vet? Call Chris or Diana at the Wildwood Veterinary Hospitals at: http://www.wildwoodvet.com/hosp.htm

I want to thank everyone who helped in this Holiday rescue. We could not have done this without each and every one of you…

If you want to help with the cost of the care of the birds we have taken in please contact Charlotte at 602-863-1543 or make a donation through our website. Remember: It does not take much….but IT DOES TAKE YOU!!!

With best Wishes for the New Year….

Sybil

PS To see Steve Bodinet’s video about the birds at Tom and Ruth Ann’s, please go to: http://www.azfamily.com/video/?z=y&nvid=316030