the good, the bad, and the ugly
Sometimes doing rescue work is really great. You know you're doing a wonderful thing and the animals will eventually be so much happier and healthier because of it all. Sometimes its sad too ... they can't be saved, or its too little, too late. Today I was too late. I went to pick up a parakeet at the shelter and found out he'd died overnight. I'm left thinking "what if I would have been able to go yesterday?" because he was young and was slated to be adopted by a vet tech and would have been vetted immediately. But, who knows. :(
Then there are better situations, like getting the Baby Duo from the shelter a week ago. They are cute, pathetic creatures, who've obviously been neglected for a long time. They could possibly be wild-caught, which makes me very sad. They could have been flying around a jungle somewhere but instead they ended up with people who, when they didn't want them anymore, didn't even bring them to the shelter, they just called for a pickup. When the animal control officer got to their house, it was empty of everything (furniture, all belongings, people) except for these two birds and a dog. :( No telling how long they'd been there alone either.
(Don't they look happy and smiling here?
They are actually hissing. We ALL got
suckered by this photo... they look so CUTE!)
It was HOT the day I picked them up, and the person I was meeting to transfer them to got stuck in horrid traffic, so the Duo and I spent the afternoon in my yard. They had a bath (and looked 200% better after that!), some good food (Harrisons, oranges, collards, etc.) and a nap. Glad I didn't bring them in the house though, because the vet says they have general infections in addition to being grossly malnourished (they are both thin and yet one has huge disgusting fatty deposits, likely from a diet of only sunflower and/or junk foods). They are going to go live with someone who's basically a cockatoo expert. She has 3 of her own, and they are all very happy and smart guys, trained to have their nails done and to open their mouth to have you look (say Ahhhhh!), etc. Plus, they live in toy heaven! She's set the Duo up with a macaw-sized cage too! She's going to spoil them (though in a good way), no doubt. :)
Then there are better situations, like getting the Baby Duo from the shelter a week ago. They are cute, pathetic creatures, who've obviously been neglected for a long time. They could possibly be wild-caught, which makes me very sad. They could have been flying around a jungle somewhere but instead they ended up with people who, when they didn't want them anymore, didn't even bring them to the shelter, they just called for a pickup. When the animal control officer got to their house, it was empty of everything (furniture, all belongings, people) except for these two birds and a dog. :( No telling how long they'd been there alone either.
(Don't they look happy and smiling here?
They are actually hissing. We ALL got
suckered by this photo... they look so CUTE!)
It was HOT the day I picked them up, and the person I was meeting to transfer them to got stuck in horrid traffic, so the Duo and I spent the afternoon in my yard. They had a bath (and looked 200% better after that!), some good food (Harrisons, oranges, collards, etc.) and a nap. Glad I didn't bring them in the house though, because the vet says they have general infections in addition to being grossly malnourished (they are both thin and yet one has huge disgusting fatty deposits, likely from a diet of only sunflower and/or junk foods). They are going to go live with someone who's basically a cockatoo expert. She has 3 of her own, and they are all very happy and smart guys, trained to have their nails done and to open their mouth to have you look (say Ahhhhh!), etc. Plus, they live in toy heaven! She's set the Duo up with a macaw-sized cage too! She's going to spoil them (though in a good way), no doubt. :)