Some Basic Principles/Guidelines For Establishing A Rescue Facility and/or Sanctuary

·         Ideally, rescues and sanctuaries should be part of an umbrella organization dealing with bird rescue.

·         Birds should only be accepted in a facility when there is sufficient funding to establish a medical protocol and to provide basic care for each individual bird over the long term.

·         The policies, aims and goals of the rescue or sanctuary should be available in a Mission Statement posted next to the regulations dealing with daily care.

·         Ideally, the organization should have a board of directors with representatives of different disciplines (i.e., veterinary, behavioral, financial, educational, marketing/funding, legal, and/or construction experts) to ensure well-thought-out decisions based on knowledge, not just emotion.

·         There should be a documented health protocol, adequate quarantine and testing for disease prior to a bird’s entrance into a facility. It is acceptable to require that previous owners assume the costs of testing and have test results prior to admission of bird(s) to the rescue facility. If this is not possible, the facility’s avian veterinarian must do physical exams as soon as possible. It is the responsibility of the facility’s avian veterinarian and staff to prevent the introduction of contagious diseases like Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease [PBFD], Chlamydophilia  ('Parrot Fever /Psittacosis”), Polyoma, or Pacheco’s Disease. These diseases threaten the safety of all the birds within the facility, and it is not acceptable to have inadequate funding to provide necessary testing and quarantine.  If there is inadequate funding for the proper care of a bird, the bird should not be accepted into the facility.

It is advised to have special housing, separated from the quarantine room for new birds, for diseased parrots for optimum care, treatment, evaluation and recovery.

·         There must be a post-mortem done on every bird that dies within the facility with pathology samples to be sent to an official laboratory for testing.

·         It is not acceptable to accept new birds when there is an outbreak of a contagious disease within the facility or the facility’s quarantine.

·         The facility should have a close relationship with one or more behavioral consultants to provide optimum care, attention and treatment for birds showing behavioral problems.

Welfare Committee

A committee can be established dealing with issues of nutrition, health, disease prevention, welfare and behavioral problems. This committee can consist of an avian veterinarian, a parrot behavioral consultant and the manager or director of the facility.

Each rescue organization should have an avian veterinarian who is responsible for the health and the disease prevention policy of the facility and he/she should visit the facility on a regular basis as decided by the welfare committee.

Pre-Acceptance Policy For A New Bird

Owners must complete an intake application providing information about the background of the bird and the reasons for a bird’s donation. The owner should sign a document that entitles the rescue facility to contact the owner’s veterinarian to get that bird’s medical records and those of any other birds the owner might have.

The rescue and sanctuary facility should investigate possibilities that may enable the owner to keep their parrot.  When behavior problems are the major reason for donating a parrot, options and solutions can be offered to solve the problems and to create an improved relationship between the owner and parrot. Through education and counselling, the emphasis should be on preventing the bird from needing to enter the facility in the first place.

Owners are urged to contribute on a regular basis to the annual costs of taking care of the bird.

Identification

Ideally, all birds are individually identified with a leg band or microchip. Proper identification is an essential part of record keeping.

RECORD KEEPING

A. Individual records are kept on each bird which include: available records from the previous owner(s) and previous veterinarian(s), hatch date, breeder, species, weight, import or domestic, prior testing, current test results, identifying markings (including band number, and/or micro chipping), and vaccinations.

B. A document that transfers ownership of the bird to the rescue facility is kept in the permanent file. This document states clearly that all rights of prior ownership are terminated and the agreement is non-revocable.

C. Each incoming email or call is logged in and categorized in the program of the rescue and sanctuary facility and included in the database.

MEDICAL PROTOCOL PRIOR TO ACCEPTANCE OF A NEW BIRD

Introduction

Accepting a new bird in a parrot rescue facility is always a major decision with huge responsibilities for the new bird as well as for those already in the facility. A medical protocol must do everything possible to prevent the introduction of disease. Accepting new birds that are ill or are carriers of a contagious disease can cause mortality within the facility; therefore, a strict medical protocol prior to acceptance of a new bird is of critical importance for the health and welfare of all the birds already in the facility. Also, accepting a sick bird can also put a serious financial burden on the facility, so this should only be undertaken if adequate finances (from the previous owner and/or the facility) are available.

The Examination Of Birds Before Entering The Quarantine

It is important that every bird be properly examined and evaluated prior to being accepted by the facility. Birds often don’t show external signs of illness despite the presence of disease. They hide symptoms as long as possible, so their behavior and activity can appear normal. This is a natural survival strategy, since birds that show signs of disease will be chased away by their own species and/or killed by predators. Some sick birds will even have a good appetite to compensate for weight loss.

It is practical to evaluate the bird in a systematic way, and the examination can be divided into different parts. Intake personnel admitting a new bird to the facility can do the initial part. The facility’s avian veterinarian should do the remainder, doing any laboratory and diagnostic testing necessary.

First, it is vital to evaluate the bird from a distance and if possible, in a quiet area. The bird should be allowed to perch quietly, so its attitude and posture can be evaluated.

To be evaluated:

·         Abnormalities of the nostrils and eyes

·         Beak: quality of the beak structure and positioning.

·         Respiration: Birds with respiratory problems will show abdominal respiration and tail bobbing. The beak should be closed during respiration.

·         Both legs, toes and nails

·         Marked abnormalities like hanging wing(s).

·         Feather quality, abnormalities and moulting disorders.

·         Vent or undertail feathers: should be clean, not soiled with droppings.

·         Feces: color and consistency. Variations exist between bird species and diet, so adequate references must be available.

·         Urine: contains two parts, a semisolid white portion and a watery portion. With an abnormal color, there is a suspicion of an internal problem. For example, liver problems can be suspected when the white urine portion is yellowish or green.

·         If flight is possible, one can judge the way the bird can fly and whether the bird shows respiratory distress after its effort.

All evaluations must be noted in the bird’s record.

Evaluation In The Hand

Every bird has to be evaluated in the hand, with all observations noted in the bird’s record. The physical exam enables evaluation of the following:

·         The head, both eyes, both nostrils, both ears

·         Abnormal respiratory sounds

·         Beak abnormalities.

·         The throat and mucous membranes. Irregularities and any swellings must be noted, especially in amazons and macaws because of the possibility of papillomatosis.

·         The neck and crop 

·         The breast muscles, evaluating the nutritional status (overweight or too thin).

·         The breastbone/keel, evaluating calcification and any abnormalities

·         Abdomen, looking for abnormalities. In small birds like finches, the abdomen can be visualized by blowing away the feathers. The liver and the intestines can be seen through the skin.

·         Evaluate wing bones and joints and compare with both wings spread

·         The feathers, including tail feathers, for possible molting disorders

·         The skin on different areas, especially observing the skin of the feet for abnormalities.

·         The presence of body lice, feather lice and mites.

·         Both legs and all toes and nails.

·         The size and diameter of the legband, as over-sized bands can indicate a smuggled bird. The information on the legband should be recorded.

·         The cloaca. In amazons and macaws it is important to look for abnormalities suspected for papillomatosis. Any irregularity and especially any swellings that resemble a raspberry may be suspected of papillomatosis. 

·         In budgerigars and other species, special attention is given to evidence of the presence of cnemidocoptes ('scaley face mites”), with typical white crusty skin and beak deformities with the appearance of a honeycomb.

Additional Examination Possibilities By The Avian Veterinarian

The avian veterinarian should also examine the bird from a distance and in the hand as described previously.

It is important to have an agreement  that the adoption can be canceled depending on the results of the additional examination by an avian veterinarian. If there is any indication of the presence of an untreatable contagious disease, the bird must not be accepted into the rescue facility.

·         Each new bird must have its species identified, and be weighed. 

·         Fecal exam: It can be investigated microscopically and/or via different staining techniques, noting the presence of internal parasites, bacteria, mycosis (fungus) and yeast. A culture for bacteria, mycosis and viruses can be done.

·         Swabs can be taken out of the throat, crop, cloaca , conjunctiva and skin, looking for parasites, bacteria and mycoses. A swab taken from the cloaca can be investigated for chlamydia and polyomavirus. Testing for chlamydia is especially important because of the potential health risk for humans.

·         A blood test can be done for Beak and Feather Disease [PBFD], paramyxovirus and other diseases. A blood panel can also be done to evaluate for internal medical problems. A blood smear can be done to evaluate the blood cells and look for possible blood parasites.

·         A radiological investigation can give extra information (i.e., in looking for signs of Proventricular Dilatation Disease [PDD]. Testing for PDD is in development).

·         An endoscopic investigation can be done to look into the airsacs, to determine the sex, and to evaluate the internal organs. It is also possible, using the endoscope, to evaluate the trachea, oesophagus and cloaca. Biopsies may be needed to diagnose diseases such as papillomatosis in amazons and macaws.

THE QUARANTINE PERIOD

Proper quarantine is critical in any situation where there are already birds in a facility. Quarantine is defined as a period in which a bird is isolated to minimize the potential of spreading contagious diseases to other birds in the facility. For many contagious avian diseases, most quarantine periods are too short to guarantee the absence of disease. Due to the possibility of a carrier state, no quarantine can guarantee there will be no introduction of contagious disease. However, proper quarantine is still imperative. It is advisable to have a minimum of 90 days for quarantine and to use this period to observe and examine the birds repeatedly for possible diseases before they enter the facility. When birds get in contact with new birds entering the quarantine space, the quarantine periode need to be extended. When testing for PBFD, it is advisable to recheck a negative bird after 90 days.

·         There must be a separate space for the quarantine period to prevent any direct or indirect contact  between new and current residents. The quarantine room should be easily cleaned and disinfected and ideally should have a separate ventilation system. Personnel should care for the birds in quarantine last, and change their clothing and shoes after visiting the quarantine area.

·         New birds should have time to acclimatize to the new circumstances. It is important to realize that changing homes creates a stressful situation for birds, making them more vulnerable for problems. Consequently, circumstances should be as good as possible for a new bird. For example, the ambient temperature in quarantine should be a little higher than the ambient temperature in the bird’s previous home.

·         Quarantine enables the observation of new birds. New birds should be weighed daily, first thing in the morning on an empty crop. Weight loss can be the first and only finding of a bird having problems, so daily weights should be recorded in the bird’s record. Birds should not be treated for disease indiscriminately, and most of the diseases can be found or excluded by means of an examination.

·         If a bird dies during the quarantine period, it is essential to determine the cause of death through post mortem (autopsy) and histopathological evaluation.

Housing & Feeding During Quarantine

When birds are accepted in a facility, it is vital to have information concerning housing in the previous home, and whenever possible or feasible, these conditions should be duplicated. It is also critical to have information about the bird’s previous diet. Initially, it is often best to continue with the previous diet. Once the bird is responding well, any necessary dietary conversions can be implemented. During the quarantine period, birds can then get accustomed to the foods that are used at the facility. To prevent problems over the long term, the quality of the food is very important. Ideally, birds should be provided with certified organic pelleted diets, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouts.

Conclusion

All preventive measures taken during the quarantine period are in the best interest of the birds entering the facility, as well as current resident birds. It is especially important to protect the birds in a facility against contagious diseases. The costs for preventive measures should be calculated as part of the costs of taking care of a new bird.

An epidemic can have serious consequences in the future. This issue is especially important dealing with viral diseases without an available treatment. Parrots that test positive for an untreatable contagious disease cannot be accepted into a facility.

LONG-TERM MEDICAL PROTOCOL

• Every bird is weighed at least three times a year and more often if indicated. Because of great differences within the same species, evaluating the weight will help determine the individual condition. Birds are too thin or too heavy should be monitored more often.

• During moulting of wing and tail feathers, the birds should be closely monitored for any moulting disorder. If birds are housed outside, fecal samples should be examined for parasites and bacterial and/or fungal infections every two months.

• If there is any indication of disease during the daily inspection of the birds, birds should be seen by an avian veterinarian immediately, and any diagnostics and treatment done that the veterinarian deems necessary.

HOUSING STANDARDS FOR AVIAN RESCUE AND/OR SANCTUARIES

Introduction