An update on Sally Blanchard and the Parrot Place
Original post is here: http://community.livejournal.com/parrot_lovers/4072073.html
I emailed Sally Blanchard and asked her about her relationship with them. She replied, and I got permission to post it, and so here it is.
From some of the e-mails I have received, I believe that I need to explain
why I chose to collaborate with the Nationwide Parrot Place Organization and
the history of the organization. Close to 18 years ago I was approached by
the founder and he explained his concept. In many ways, it sounded good but
I wasn't willing to support it. The concept was that there needed to be a
"middle" man between the breeder and the caregiver and that person would
raise the babies in a home-like environment until they were ready to go to
their new caregivers. I liked this idea because so many breeders,
especially the large ones, do not have or take the time to socialize babies.
However, at that time there were no real standards established, especially
around the selling of unweaned birds to Parrot Place customers.
Consequently, I could not give my support to the organization. Over the
years, I heard quite a few criticisms about the way the organization was
run.
However, a few years ago I started to hear good things about the NPPO. For
several months, I have been in contact with Vicki Pierce, the new owner and
director of the organization and several of the other people who are guiding
its principles. I started doing a weekly educational chat with people from
the Parrot Place locations. As I learned more about the way the organization
was operating under the new owner and directors, I begin to realize that it
was an organization that had similar goals to mine. In fact, much of the
information that they use to educate Parrot Place locations and customers is
based on my theories of Nurturing Guidance.
When I was approached about becoming part of an on-line non-profit website
where people could receive up-to-date, accurate, practical, and reliable
information to help them with their parrots, I decided that this site would
be an extremely valuable asset to the bird community.
To clear up one misconception, the NPPO is not a parrot breeding
organization. It is an organization that buys baby birds from breeders and
then socializes them in a home situation until they are weaned and ready to
go to a permanent home. They also provide education and follow-up in regards
to the bird's care and behavior. I believe that education of new parrot
caregivers is a major key in keeping the birds in their homes."
I emailed Sally Blanchard and asked her about her relationship with them. She replied, and I got permission to post it, and so here it is.
From some of the e-mails I have received, I believe that I need to explain
why I chose to collaborate with the Nationwide Parrot Place Organization and
the history of the organization. Close to 18 years ago I was approached by
the founder and he explained his concept. In many ways, it sounded good but
I wasn't willing to support it. The concept was that there needed to be a
"middle" man between the breeder and the caregiver and that person would
raise the babies in a home-like environment until they were ready to go to
their new caregivers. I liked this idea because so many breeders,
especially the large ones, do not have or take the time to socialize babies.
However, at that time there were no real standards established, especially
around the selling of unweaned birds to Parrot Place customers.
Consequently, I could not give my support to the organization. Over the
years, I heard quite a few criticisms about the way the organization was
run.
However, a few years ago I started to hear good things about the NPPO. For
several months, I have been in contact with Vicki Pierce, the new owner and
director of the organization and several of the other people who are guiding
its principles. I started doing a weekly educational chat with people from
the Parrot Place locations. As I learned more about the way the organization
was operating under the new owner and directors, I begin to realize that it
was an organization that had similar goals to mine. In fact, much of the
information that they use to educate Parrot Place locations and customers is
based on my theories of Nurturing Guidance.
When I was approached about becoming part of an on-line non-profit website
where people could receive up-to-date, accurate, practical, and reliable
information to help them with their parrots, I decided that this site would
be an extremely valuable asset to the bird community.
To clear up one misconception, the NPPO is not a parrot breeding
organization. It is an organization that buys baby birds from breeders and
then socializes them in a home situation until they are weaned and ready to
go to a permanent home. They also provide education and follow-up in regards
to the bird's care and behavior. I believe that education of new parrot
caregivers is a major key in keeping the birds in their homes."