Choosing a Place for Your Parrot

Your parrot's future depends on you

Making the decision to give up your bird is not an easy one. Parrots are highly intelligent, high maintenance, long-lived and part of the family. When circumstances arise that require you to rehome your parrot, doing your due diligence is critical. You and only you have to be comfortable in your decision. We recommend you do the following when researching placement options.
Visit the facilities you are considering. Any facility that will not allow you to visit should send off red flags and should be stricken from your list of choices. All areas of the shelter should be accessible and shown to you. If certain areas are off limits, ask why. If you don't feel comfortable with the answers, cross them off your list.
Ask who their veterinarian is and call them. Have they been to the facility? If not, why? If they have visited, would they recommend the facility as a placement option?
Does the organization have a facility or are they foster based? If they are foster based, ask what the organization provides for the birds to the foster. How are fosters chosen? Are follow up visits done to ensure the foster is meeting the needs of the parrot(s) in their care? How often are those visits done?
If you think you have found the right place but still have doubts, volunteer for a few days and see how things are run. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Again, you need to be comfortable with your decision. Your birds future depends on you.
There are many good organizations out there but there are just as many bad ones. So do your research, talk to your avian vet and remember that your decision affects a living being dependent upon humans.