Rescue Unwanted and Abandoned Companion Birds

Following up on the email we sent you last week, here is your reminder for GlobalGiving's matching day - today! From 6 am – 9 pm PT, GlobalGiving will match your online donations, up to $1000 per donor per project. The match rate will be determined by how much Mickaboo raises as a percentage of all monies raised. This means donations made during the entire day will count! Head to this link to give.

Your donations will help all of our birds, and especially those in our recent aviary rescue.  The below is an in-depth look at the large flock of canaries in that rescue. 

The entire flock of beautiful and varied canaries was in terrible health. Several have died, and it is likely that more will soon, despite specialized veterinary care. They were infected with malaria and canary pox, both carried by mosquitoes [canaries are susceptible to several mosquito-borne diseases, so outdoor aviaries should include protective screening] as well as cryptosporidium, an intestinal parasite; macrorhabdus, or avian gastric yeast; and parasitic nematodes. Not all of the canaries were afflicted with all of these things, but some did have everything listed above, and none of them were free of illness. Neither malaria nor canary pox is curable, although they are not always fatal. They do, however, weaken the bird and shorten its life expectancy.

We decided to treat the birds for the conditions that could be treated and give supportive care to save as many as possible. Because there were so many very sick birds needing veterinary care, this has been the single most expensive rescue in Mickaboo's history. 

There were 31 canaries in all — an unusually large number of these small birds, especially for Mickaboo, which doesn’t receive very many canaries. One long-time volunteer with a big heart, M.A. Samuelson, offered to foster all 31 of them. After it became clear the birds would require an unusually long treatment and recovery period, with no guarantee of full recovery, M.A. built an aviary for them. Designed to protect them from the environment while providing room to fly and exercise, this aviary would give them the best chance to recover. 

We were extremely fortunate that M.A. had the space and the willingness to create such a fantastic indoor/outdoor aviary space suitable for this large canary flock.

Some of the canaries are still hospitalized, as are a few of the other birds from the same rescue.  But most of the birds, including the canaries, will survive and live comfortable and happy lives.

Veterinary expenses for the canaries have reached $23,000 and continue to rise. Please help us with this extraordinary rescue by giving now - any amount will help and be appreciated!

Links:

• Aviary rescue - press release
• See the birds needing permanent homes