Shelter
Feathered Friends Sanctuary & Rescue, Inc.
Feathered Friends Sanctuary & Rescue, Inc.
If you're interested in adopting, the first step is to complete an Adoption Questionnaire. (link to the right) Once your questionnaire is received and reviewed, you can make an appointment to visit the sanctuary and meet our birds. You never know who you may end up falling in love with, or who may end up falling in love with you! When visiting, please keep in mind that our facility is a parrot rescue and sanctuary, not a pet store. All the birds in our flock have a home at the sanctuary until we find the right new home for them. Under no circumstances will you be able to leave with a bird on your first or second visit.
At your first appointment, you'll talk with one of our experienced volunteers about what you're looking for in a companion parrot. You'll receive a tour of our facility and meet some birds! Education is crucial to our adoption process and to our mission. Education occurs throughout the adoption process, over the course of multiple visits. The education process covers the same materials, whether you're new to companion parrots, or whether you've lived with birds for decades. We want everyone to leave with the same knowledge, regardless of experience. After you've visited with your chosen bird multiple times, we'll schedule a home visit. One of our volunteers will visit your home and review the appointments and education you've had. Barring any serious problems, you'll be scheduled for an adoption appointment, where you'll sign an adoption contract and take home your new family member!
*Please note that due to our adoption policy requiring multiple visits prior to adopting a bird, we will only consider applicants who live within a two hour radius of our sanctuary. We are located in Edgerton, WI 53534.*
Please take the time to read the following before submitting a questionnaire.
1. Our # 1 priority is the birds we care for. We must consider the needs of our birds before the needs of our adopters.
2. For all our birds, but especially for larger species, please plan to make multiple visits to the sanctuary so that you can interact and bond with your chosen bird. This is intended to benefit both you and the bird.
3. One of the most common questions we get is... "how many visits". Unfortunately, it really depends. It depends on the bird, the adopter and how well they're getting to know one another. We're not only observing the adopter, but we're observing the bird to see how they react to the adopter compared with how they've reacted to other people. Often times adopters are understandably excited about their pending adoption, or they're worried about committing more time and gas money to the adoption process. It is for this reason that we do not consider applicants that live more than 2 hours from our facility. We will not rush our adoption process.
3. Yes, we do charge a fee to adopt a bird. This is one of the key sources of income used to keep our doors open. There is a great deal of time, money, sweat, blood, and tears that goes into the rehabilitation of our birds. We are a 503(c) non-profit entity, surviving entirely on donations, grants, and adoption fees. It is our primary source of revenue. And this model does not allow us to give the birds away. To do this would be to let down the birds that we are currently caring for and eventually cause us to shut our doors. If you are looking for a free bird, please look elsewhere.
4. Please do not call and ask the prices of our birds. This suggests that you may be more concerned about the cost of the bird and not which bird would fit best into your family situation. We can assure you that all of our birds are well below retail that you would find from any pet store or breeder. We spend 1-2 hours daily taking phone calls regarding the fees, the personalities, etc., of each of our birds, and many times the bird you call about is not the bird that would be best suited for your situation. Please understand that this takes us away from caring for these magnificent creatures and therefore violates # 1 above. Once your application is reviewed, the adoption fees for your specific bird will be discussed at a future appointment.
5. We do not require a deposit or money down to adopt a parrot. All adoption fees must be paid at the time of adoption with cash, card or device. We do not typically accept personal checks.
6. WE DO NOT SHIP OUR BIRDS EVER!  No need to ask.
7. We reserve the right to deny any questionnaire/application for any reason.