Parrot rescue for N.O.

[Lynjupiter]

This lady needs your help with supplies and such. She been actively rescuing birds in hurricane damaged areas for the last few days. She has saved many bird lives in the last few days including two quakers and an indian ringneck who we had about given up for dead. We had called the UAN, the ASPCA and none could get them. Yesterday a good friend in California got her personal number and contacted her while she was out at doing rescues. On the phone with the owner of the birds as she entered the house she rescued the birds.
The owner of the birds was sobbing so hard she could not breath when she found out her birds were safe. Donna is a true bird hero in all this mess,

This was printed about her on Bella Online. She is legit and well known in the bird world.

Hurricane Katrina and Pet Birds

Hurricane Katrina had a devastating effect on the people of New Orleans and the surrounding area. So many of the stories we are hearing are so completely heartbreaking that we can hardly stand it.

Some people are in the middle of things working tirelessly to help make the situation better, one step at a time.

One such person is Donna. She lives in Baton Rouge, very close to the disaster area. Donna runs the 911 Parrot Alert email list that keeps track of lost and found birds all around the world in order to help birds to be re-united with their families.

Although without power at her home, Donna immediately set herself up to rescue pet birds from New Orleans and began receiving birds in need. This story is about one of her rescues.

Renee and Marty had fled from Katrina with everything they could fit into their tiny car. They only had 2 hours to take whatever they could fit and had the horrible decision of deciding which of their pets could not go with them.

They took with them 2 changes of clothes, a personal papers folder, 1 cat named Fat Cat (no carrier) & her small cat box, a 29 year old African Gray Parrot named Napoleon in a kitten carrier, a King Snake named Arnold Snakanegger in an plastic apple juice jar with holes punched in the lid & a small cooler with drinking water in it.

Thinking they would be able to return within a week, they left 4 Cockatiels and a Conure behind in the safest place they could find – a friend’s 3rd story apartment in a sturdy building, with enough food and water to last for more than 7 days. It was a heartbreaking decision, but one that they did not have time to think about and there was simply not enough room in the car to hold their cages.

When Renee and Marty realized that they would not be allowed to return, they sent out a plea for help. The thought of their birds dying was too much for them to bear and they were desperate.

Donna, her son Neil and a friend James from the 911 Parrot Alert e-mail list, were quick to move into action. They drove into New Orleans and went past several roadblocks, which delayed them greatly - but they were allowed through. The roads were dry by this time, although they could see where the water had been and could smell the horrible smells around them. Although they saw some people around, there were very few and not in the area they were. It was already dark but still very hot when they found the apartment where these birds were. With the permission of Renee and Marty’s friend who owned the apartment, they broke in and rescued the birds.

The rescuers were on the cell phone with Renee and Marty as they entered the apartment and when the sound of their birds chirping and happy to see someone was heard through the phone they broke down in tears of happiness.

Although it was already late, Donna, James and Neil still had one more bird to find and they continued on to locate one more Cockatiel at another location before heading home for the night. Donna will be fostering these birds until the owners are able to return to get them.

For more information on 911 Parrot Alert, please go to their website here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/911ParrotAlert/


Donna of 911 Parrot Alert needs cages, food, toys, people to help, money for gas and supplies, etc. If you can help out in any way, please check the above websites and find out the best way to proceed.

For information on how to prepare yourself and your birds in case of an emergency evacuation, please see Emergency Travel Kit For Your Bird.

[Lisa B]

The company I work for made a donation to Donna.....I also know several others that made donations. It is good to see so many become involved

[Lynjupiter]

Many more need to help though. She is doing what I did last summer multiplied by ten. I know first hand how expensive and heartbreaking this can be. I only rescued 26 sick birds last year, at one time I had over fifty birds in my house including my own ten parrots and it was overwhelming. My garage over flowed with sick birds in quarantine, every bedroom was filled with foster birds. I found out Donna has been doing this all with no electric. She just got her power back on.

Lynda

[TacDiver05]

you can also help her by buying items that you need for your own pets at www.bird-elicious.com. They donate (even before the disaster) money from every sale to bird sancutaries including 911 parrot alert. All you do is click on enter the mall, then click on the sactuary/rescue that you want your funds to go to and buy from there. You get what you need and the sanctuaries get the money the so desperately need.

[Parker's Parrots]

Donna has been doing a wonderful job for quite sometime. No only does she post lost/found birds, she calls the people with compassion and helpful hints. Great lady so her going to N. Orl. does not surprise me. The world needs a gillion more people like her. Jenell

[Lynjupiter]

I forgot until someone asked me, they also have a Paypal link on their site
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/911ParrotAlert/
Click the Paypal button and it will give you all the info.
Make sure you note your donation is for disaster relief.
Lynda

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by Lynjupiter

I forgot until someone asked me, they also have a Paypal link on their site
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/911ParrotAlert/
Click the Paypal button and it will give you all the info.
Make sure you note your donation is for disaster relief.
Lynda

Lynda, I just saw this, I will donate when I get home.....I am even doing this weeks grocery shopping at the cheap but boring store (Aldi) so I can help more!

[Lynjupiter]

Originally Posted by Tiki

Lynda, I just saw this, I will donate when I get home.....I am even doing this weeks grocery shopping at the cheap but boring store (Aldi) so I can help more!

Thanks Tiki,
We to have been spending money carefully, not going anywhere.
Raised 120$ at my bird club tonight for 911 Parrots disaster relief.

Now we are nervously watching Ophelia, twisting our hands and wondering what kind of grief she will bring. It seems like it is just never ending.
They said this year they are going to run out of names.
Lynda

[Tiki]

Done! I squeezed $40 Aussie ($30 USD) off the budget-I am still dieting anyway! LOL At least this one had a space for my comments, I put "Tiki from Birdboard for Katrina birds".

The story about the cockatiels and conure had me in tears, I am so glad they are OK. I would have put them in a shoe box and got them out if their cages were too big if I had too. I have show cages that I would use as emergency transport that I could squeeze everyone into if an emergency situation. This is a good lesson to have a plan in order. At least these little guys were saved in the end! This Donna sounds like a great lady!

I don't know if this is feasible, but I am flying into Dallas 10 Nov and will hopefully meet John. The next day, I am flying to Philly for the party. If there are any birds that need transport and I can bring them on the plane, I could get them to new homes with BB people who will be there. Is it possible to bring birds on planes?

I saw that Ophelia on www.flhurricane.com, last I heard she was just a tropical storm. Now I have to go back and see what is happening. I can't believe all these hurricanes-it is insane!

[basketbagley]

I donated some too. Bless Donna! Do they think there's anyway to find the parronts of any of these birds? or if they can even get them back when they get a home? I'd be willing to foster a couple, but mine isn't the best situation right now. We will be packing up and moving in 4-7 months and the house we and the fids are living in will have to be painted and fix ups done before we sell. so it's going to be a pain w/the fids I have now. But I still would like to help. I do have an empty cage 24 x 24 size. So I could take 2 tiel's sized or 1 larger bird. But getting to them is the problem!