Our Work
We are tackling avian welfare issues on many different fronts from proper care to habitat loss.
We feel strongly that all captive birds should be given the opportunity to safely engage in flight. Why?
It is better for their health, including their musculoskeletal, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. It reduces boredom, and makes for a much happier bird. A tired bird is a well behaved bird. Flighted birds typically have fewer behavioral issues which means they make better companions. If they are better companions, then there is a far greater chance they will remain in their home and not be given away, neglected, and/or abused. With the current parrot overpopulation problem, it is important we try to keep these birds in their homes because it is very overwhelming for the limited reputable parrot rescues and sanctuaries.
Providing a sanctuary for birds is a big part of what we do. There is a parrot overpopulation crisis right now due the long life spans of birds, ranging from 40-100 years depending on the species. This results in little turn over of animals like there is in the dog and cat rescue communities. And sadly, there are not enough reputable sanctuaries and good homes to manage the overwhelming number of birds in need. The Center For Avian Welfare focuses its efforts on the most challenging of cases, as Dr. Kim Danoff has a special place in her heart for those special needs animals which include birds that are blind, physically challenged, have infectious diseases, are aggressive and unadoptable, or in need of hospice.
Our goal is to ensure that all captive birds live healthy and highly enriched lives. By educating bird caretakers and veterinary professionals, we feel we can achieve this goal. Particular emphasis will be on housing,diet and foraging techniques, exercise and flight, bathing, companionship (both human and bird), behavior modification, and veterinary care.
Save Our Planet-Save The Birds
Our goal is to educate and assist people with making daily personal choices that will help heal our Planet, reduce their effects on climate change, save the remaining rainforests, and ultimately protect the wild birds and parrots that rely on the rainforests as their homes, nesting sites, and food sources. Wild parrots will soon face extinction if deforestation does not end. Since agriculture and livestock ranching are the top 2 causes of deforestation, we feel that choosing a vegan diet is the most effective way to reduce deforestation and ultimately save the wild birds and parrots.
Parrots are the third most popular pet in the United States after dogs and cats.
According to a 2017-2018 study by the U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographic Source Book, the number of households in the U.S. with pet birds was 3,509,032 and the number of birds living in households was 7,538,000. Parrots are not domestic nor domesticated.
Parrots are wild animals from other countries that were either imported prior to the enactment of the Wild Bird Conservation Act in 1992, or bred in captivity and only a few generations away from their wild caught relatives. These birds still have the same needs and desires as their ancestors, and confining them to cages most or all of a day deprives them of their most basic needs.
Clipping a bird’s wings (in an attempt to keep them safe) removes their primary source of mobility, their ability to exercise, and results in birds that are behaviorally challenged and difficult to live with.
It is time we reestablish new guidelines for captive bird care with their needs as the top priority.