A documentary series

Report Generated On: Thursday, September 12, 2013, 11:00:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Company: Black Hills Parrot Welfare
Date Completed: Friday, June 7, 2013, 3:27:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Jump to: Quarantine & Intake |  Environment  |  Diet |  Cleaning  |  Veterinary  |  Interaction  |  Adoption |  Visitors

Quarantine & Intake

Is there a separate facility for incoming birds to complete isolation?
Yes

How long is the standard quarantine procedure?
31-60 days – or as soon as the bird has been medically cleared via testing

What medical testing is done while the bird is being quarantined?
Gram Stain, CBC, CHEM12, PBFD, Clamydiosis, and Polyoma. New world birds also get tested for Avian Borna Virus and Avian Herpes.

During quarantine are the birds current diets assessed and healthier changes
made on an as needed basis?
Yes

How are cages cleaned during the quarantine period?
Bleach

What protocols are in place to prevent cross contamination to the other birds?
Quarantine duty done at the end of the day

Environment

Are species kept separate?
Yes

What percentage of cages are of sufficient size and bar spacing for species of bird?
100%

If not, what is the reason for smaller/larger cages?
None

What type of perches are made available in each cage?
Swing, Natural Wood, Safety grooming perch, Ladder, Boing, Cotton Rope

What percentage of toys available are clean and in good repair?
100%

Are there foraging opportunities in the cage?
Yes

Do the birds get out of cage time? How much?
Under supervision, 2-4 hrs

What kind of tray liners or bedding is used?
Newspaper

Diet

Is seed a part of the diet?
No

Seed: what percentage of total diet
None

Are pellets a part of the diet?
Yes, Zupreem

Pellets: what percentage of total diet?
75%

Are fresh foods a part of the total diet?
Yes

Are nuts a part of the total diet? If so, what types? What percent of total diet?
Yes – Brazil’s, almonds, filberts, macadamia, pecans, walnuts

What other treats are served? How often?
Nutriberries

Cleaning

How often are bowls washed and disinfected?
Daily

How often is water changed?
Every day

How often is deep cage cleaning done, and what method is used? i.e power washing
Once a week – garden hose and scrubbed thoroughly

Are air fresheners or other smell reducing agents used?
NoIs music routinely available to the birds?
Yes
Are birds showered or given bathing opportunities? If so, how often?
Yes – showers, once a week

If there are other animals on site, is access to the birds limited? How?
Cats – kept locked from the building

Is full spectrum lighting used?
Yes

How often are floors swept/mopped?
1 x daily

Veterinary

Is there an avian vet on staff? If not, do you have a working relationship with a vet in your community?
No – no avian vet available locally

Name of avian vet
No avian vet available locally – all testing done in-house, sent out, faxed to avian vets for review and a local veterinarian dispenses medication. If a bird is in need of on site medical care, the bird is transported to be seen by a vet in Denver, Co.

Are birds routinely weighed? How often?
Yes, Once a month

Do birds have outside access? If yes, how often?
Outside access daily weather permitting

How are rooms/flights cooled and heated?
Natural heating/cooling

Is staff educated on how to assess a birds health/well-being?
Yes

Do you have a clinic or well stocked first aid station?
Yes

Do you have an incubator or similar setup for ill or injured birds?
Yes

Do you have separate refrigeration available for avian medications?
Yes

How do you store food?
Same container the food is packaged in

Are there air filters or washers used?
Yes

Is there a system in place to indicate whether or not a bird had received its medication so there are no duplications?
Yes

Elaborate on the previous question
One person handles all medication

Interaction

Are birds routinely handled?
Yes

How often are the birds handled?
Daily

Is the staff trained in proper restraint techniques?
Yes

How are birds with behavioral issues safely moved?
By experienced handler

Adoption

Does your facility offer adoption services?
Yes

Is there an established adoption protocol in place?
Yes

Please outline adoption protocols

1. Fill out adoption application 2. Take class 3. Home Inspection 4. Multiple visits with bird 5. Finalize Adoption

Is there a formal application process?
Yes

Please outline the application process

Click to open the adoption application

Click here to open the avian placement application

Do you require home visits?
Yes

Are your adoptions limited to a specific geographical area
Yes

Adoption range
500 miles

Do you require educational classes prior to adoption?
Yes

What is the average number of adoptions per year? From 2007-20013?
45 per year

Do you have an established adoption contract?
Yes

Is there a return clause in your contract?
Yes

Do you have a waiting list?
Yes

How many birds on the wait list? Average amount of waiting time:
8 months average.

What is your protocol for placement of birds not suitable as pets? Permanent resident, adoptable for the right person
What is your after adoption return rate?  1%

How many parrots have died prior to placement?
6 small birds 1 large bird since 2007

How many birds have you had on intake from 2007-2013?
250

How many birds are currently at your facility?
90

Do you have a “hard” population limit? If so, what is it?
130 bird facility limit

Do you have a species in/species out policy?
Yes

Do you have an established intake criteria?
Yes

What is the highest criteria for admittance? In other words, what type of situation would cause you to go over your established population limit?
Haven’t ever needed to be in that situation

Do you network with other rescues to take in birds that you are unable to accept? 
Yes

Will you help other rescues by taking birds they are unable to accept?
Yes

Do you utilize a foster care network?
No

Will you accept a bird with a confirmed medical condition? (such as PDD, PBFD, borna, etc)
Yes

How do you individualise care for birds?
Through specific record keeping

Do you allow bonded birds to share cages?
Yes

Do you adopt bonded birds out separately?
No

Do you allow birds to keep favorite items from their previous homes?
Yes

What options are available to birds who do not respond well to the presence of other birds?
Socialize the birds to the others, and are set apart from the other birds and gradually

Are the birds allowed to breed?
No

If allowed to breed, what is done with the resulting offspring?
No breeding, even of critically endangered birds on premises, but would work with a zoo or captive breeding program

Visitors & Volunteers

Do you have a formal education program for visitors or potential adopters?
Yes

Do you have handout information available for visitors or potential adopters?
Yes

Do you subscribe to parrot related periodicals?
Yes

Do you use a website or FB to offer educational information to the general public?
Yes

Website: http://www.blackhillsparrotwelfare.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Hills-Parrot-Welfare-Education-Center/115262515162688

Do you have birds that you consider educational birds that can be used for public presentations?
Yes

Is your facility open to the public?
Yes

What are your business days/hours?
Winter Hours: Friday & Saturday 10:30-5:30
Summer Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10:30- 5:30
Closed: Sunday & Monday

Do you offer tours of your facility?
Yes

Tours are ————- per entry
$5/year per adult $3/year per adult

Do you utilize volunteers?
Yes

What is the average number of volunteers per month?
6

Do volunteers receive training to work with birds?
Yes

Length of training period
Dependent upon volunteer skill set

Do you have a list of volunteer safe job duties?
No

Do you discuss adoption, fostering, transport, etc with visitors and/or volunteers?
Yes

Are volunteers/visitors allowed to handle birds unsupervised?
Yes

Do you have paid staff?
No

What is your staff to bird ratio?
No paid staff – average volunteer to bird ratio is 1:30

Do you have a formal process of continuing education for staff?
Daily learning and engagement, participation in seminars as available

Do you have release paperwork which allows owners to identify the birds likes/dislikes/preferences?
Yes

More forms: Services Offered  |  Boarding Program  |  Boarding Contract  |

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