October 1, 2006

We have learned that on this coming Saturday, October 7, a group of parrots are to be auctioned at a general livestock and "exotic pet" auction. These intelligent, beautiful creatures are being billed as "items" to be sold. These parrots have likely already been traumatized by life circumstances that led to them being auctioned in the first place. We can't stop such auctions but we can rescue as many parrots as we can from the "pet-go-around" and give them a true "Home for Life". Just because they will go to the highest bidder, their sale doesn't mean they will be guaranteed a happy and healthy life where they will be loved and understood.

You may remember that we rescued three King Parrots from a similar auction in Victoria, all of whom are doing very well. The female was ill when we rescued her but our avian vet, Dr Anne MacDonald of Night Owl Bird Hospital, saved her life and now she is flying around and having a real life instead of being used as a breeding machine.

Even if we can only save a few parrots at least they will get the life they deserve. Please help us raise as much as possible between now and Friday night for the auction taking place the next day. Every donation will help, no matter how small, because if enough caring people help it will make a difference. Visit the World Parrot Refuge website for donation options and please let other caring people know. On behalf of these desperate parrots, thank you.

October 1, 2006

The horrors of wild bird
transport must be stopped!

Please help us make a difference by collecting signatures for our petition. All the time wild-caught parrots are allowed to be brought into Canada, the greater the responsibility we have for not only these birds, but all the birds resident in Canada who are at risk of being culled in a viral pandemic. Only about 20% of wild-caught birds survive the terrible journey - many with lifelong disabilities from traps and the "packing crates" (containing dozens and even hundreds of birds) used to bring them to North America.

The U.S. has had legislation against the importation of wild-caught birds since 1992. It's time for Canada to do the same! Our petition is to be sent to the House Of Commons, to ask for legislation banning the importation of all wild-caught birds.

Please download the petition linked below (a version in Microsoft Word format will be made available shortly). You may download the free Acrobat reader here. The House of Commons will only accept paper-based petitions (on legal-sized or letter-sized paper), so we need your help to print and get as many signatures on these petitions as you can.

Once you have gathered your signatures, please mail them as quickly as possible to FLOPRS, Box 645, Coombs BC V0R 1M0. On behalf of the World Parrot Refuge and the World's parrots, THANK YOU!

Print/Download Petition

"The World Parrot Refuge is a true sanctuary where parrots live out their lives in a loving, spacious and happy environment under the guidance of extraordinarily caring people. The many visitors destined to pass through the refuge will come to understand that parrots are not toys or trophies, but beings with needs and emotions as real as our own."

– Rosemary Low (author of more than 30 books on parrots)

"This is, in a word, a great place and these miraculous creatures deserve no less, but few places can deliver it this well. It is, indeed, 'world class'."

– Stewart Metz (author and Director of the Indonesian Parrot Project), after his visit at the Grand Opening of the Refuge on August 13, 2005.