Parrot Rescue Organizations and Sanctuaries: A Growing Presence in 2010

Parrots are amazing creatures. They are beautiful, intelligent, and entertaining. Many psittacine species have the ability to mimic speech and sound, thereby making them a desirable animal to own. People may obtain parrots, believing they are easy to care for because they live in a relatively small cage. In reality, these birds are loud, messy, destructive, live long lives, and need a great deal of attention. On occasion, new parrot owners quickly realize that a bird is not a good choice for a pet. This buyer regret may lead the bird owner to sell or give the bird away; consequently, these parrots may end up in the care of rescue or sanctuary organizations. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of rescue and sanctuary organizations and the need to establish guidelines for the welfare of parrots maintained at these facilities.