An Exotic Birds Rescue and Sanctuary

"Our Safe Haven for Exotic Birds"

Under My Wing Avian Refuge  
1243 Rte 23 North  
Wantage, New Jersey 07461  
Tel. 973.702.7770  

Email: info@exoticbidsrefuge.org  

”Our Existence Is  of Paramount Importance to the Parrots' Lives and Well Being.”

"Exoti Birds"

         "Time For Change"

Time For Change

At Under My Wing Avian Refuge, our staff understands that unwanted or unexpected changes in your life circumstances can force you to relinquish your beloved companion bird, and we are here to help you with this difficult process.

 Like many other bird owners, you don’t want to let go of your dear companion, After all, most people who have to give up a companion bird have lived with their bird for many years and parting with it can be a wrenching experience. However, in the face of the inevitable, you want to make sure the bird is well provided for.

Most owners who struggle with relinquishing their bird are comforted by knowing where or with whom their bird will be going, and that it will receive excellent care.  And for a fortunate few, the pain of never being able to see their bird again vanishes as they learn that they will be able to visit their bird in its new home.

Under My Wing Avian Refuge is here to help.

Addressing both your concerns and your bird’s needs, we offer:

• Alternatives to separating your companion bird from you
• Visitations with your bird at the refuge, by written agreement and  as time and circumstances allow
• The option of adopting out your bird to a new family that has been prescreened and approved for bird adoption. In doing this we make every effort to match your bird to the most suitable home possible
• Short-term, long-term, and permanent residency
• Re-adoption, should your situation change within a short period of time, and we find your bird had not been relinquished because an abuse or neglect situation
• Care for a terminally ill bird, if you request this. We never euthanize birds

We offer all of the above because we realize that although life-change is inevitable, unforeseen events necessitating giving up your bird (eg, short- or long-time illness, family members finding themselves left with a relative’s bird after that person’s death, home foreclosure or other financial reverses, or even a move to a residence where parrots are not allowed) should not cause you emotional hardship and leave you in a quandary about your bird’s future life and well-being.

Change can be very difficult for your parrot, too.  Many parrots experience a traumatic and difficult adjustment when re-homed to strangers. Any change to a new home must be handled with care and caution, especially for parrots that have lived alone with one family for years. That is why, unlike other bird rescue groups and sanctuaries, we encourage a slow change whenever possible to help minimize the stress and grief of the parrot as well as owner when parting is necessary. Ideally, the separation from the human bond should be made in gradual steps by allowing known people to remain connected with the bird and allowing the bird to keep its familiar cage and toys.

Because of their high intelligence and strong emotional needs, parrots can suffer from depression and a broken spirit when these needs are not met. Unlike people, parrots have no counselors to speak to and cannot take antidepressants. All they are left with is themselves and their beautiful plumage, which they often attack, plucking themselves bare and bloody. Some people choose to ignore the fact that parrots have emotional needs, yet it’s well known that parrots find it very comforting to be held, caressed, and spoken to. The tone alone that we use can make a huge difference in a parrot’s life.

Given our organization’s concern about the overall welfare of captive birds, we must add here that today, more than ever, parrots are neglected, abused, and mistreated all over the world – a fact minimally recognized by the general public. Sadly, many are ill-treated and disrespected even in death, with their bodies buried in back yards or tossed in the garbage, with no regard for the dignity of their lives. Clearly, a wider appreciation of these beautiful creatures must be encouraged and awareness of the growing crisis of displaced exotic birds must be increased through education of the public.

Under My Wing Avian Refuge is neither connected with nor utilizes outside services such as “Rescue Agents” to assist us with placement of birds. To ensure that we can monitor the adoptable birds, we have a no-ship policy, and adopt out birds only in our own state and nearby out-of-state areas.

Again, Under My Wing Avian Refuge is here to help.

When you are faced with the need to give up your bird due to unforeseen circumstances or if you can no longer care properly for your bird, surrender it to us with confidence, knowing where it will be living and where you can visit it if you wish (we do not foster birds). We will accept your reason for surrendering your bird without judgment, and will provide it with the safe, loving environment it so very much deserves.

To relinquish your bird to Under My Wing Avian Refufge please read our Policy and access our Form

Additional information before deciding to relinquish your bird can be found on our site under Credability and What you Should Know  - Reputable Organization Criteria 

Relinquish

Under My Wing Avian Refuge looks forward to helping you with the process of finding the best solution for your bird's future.

Our required process for relinquishing a bird to Under My Wing Avian Refuge begins carefully reading our options listed below. Once your decicion has been made and you would like to proceed forth we require you to complete our Bird’s History Questionnaire. Following receipt of the completed questionnaire we may make an appointment to visit the bird in its current home, or may contact you for additional information required by the Board Members. Once acceptance of your bird is approved by our Board, we will make arrangements for its transport to the sanctuary.

Please note that we do offer Special Arrangements and or Emergency intake of birds. Special arrangements or emergency situations can be discussed directly with Paula. Rapid admission of a bird can be granted provided that we have the room as well as the means to properly care for your bird and meet its specific needs.

Our Short Term Care is for:

• readoptable birds
• boarding
• grooming with overnight stay
  

Our Long-term Care is for:  

• temporary care, eg,  long-term boarding while you travel or for other reasons cannot care for your bird for an extended period
• rehabilitation of your bird while it is recovering from major surgery or requires behavior modification
• permanent long-term care, should you become incapacitated and are no longer able to provide for its care 

Our Long-term Lifetime Care is for: 

• for unadoptable [????] birds transferred to our care by other organizations or law officials
• for elderly birds or those with life-threatening illness (hospice care) 
• for your bird after you are gone and you want it to have a permanent, loving home with us (as per owner request with financial provision)

Specific Placement Parrot Rescue Transfer (SPPRT).  Limited for Shelters and other Organizations

Our Specific Placement Parrot Rescue Transfers are made under the coditions of a written intake agreement between Under My Wing Avian Refuge and other animal shelters and organizations to optimally relocate birds when a specific animal shelter or organization receives birds they are not equipped to care for, when it is in the birds’ best interest to be placed in a sanctuary setting, or when it is imperative to place as many birds as possible in responsible homes.

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