On
October 15, 2015, I had the pleasure of visiting with Judy Tennant
and Parrot Partner, a refuge for up to 28 parrots depending on the
species.
Parrot
Partner (the Refuge) is located on the grounds of an old Ontario
Hospital School now empty of its one time residents. It leases
several rooms which have been renovated specifically with parrots in
mind. There is plenty of additional space available should Judy and
her Board of Directors wish it in future.
On my
arrival, Judy met me with a Lysol spray to the soles of my shoes in
the waiting area. A portion of the large outer hallway is set up for
folks awaiting their tour including colouring supplies for young
tour-ists. Tours for up to five people at a time are given on
Saturdays and Sundays. They are led by one volunteer and followed by
another, both of whom talk about the various species in the wild and
in captivity, and ensure the safety of visitors and birds alike.
Visitors are also given little cups of grape pieces and a skewer to
put them on for feeding the birds on the tour. So, instead of being
nervous and withdrawn in the face of strangers, the birds learn to
associate visitors with the pleasure of being fed treats. As a matter
of fact, this Refuge operates with an emphasis on behaviour and
training that reflects Judy's knowledge and experience with Applied
Behaviour Analysis and positive reinforcement training including
clicker training. Each bird has a file that includes a training plan
and a record of incidents such as biting. Incidents are tracked and
analyzed with a view to determining the cause and coming up with a
solution.
At the
beginning of my tour, I met an old friend, Dusty. I was very pleased
to see him looking so contented just outside his cage. Many of the
other birds, too, were perched quietly on cages, stands, overhead
rope perches or Judy's shoulder.
As Judy
led me through the various areas of the Refuge, she talked easily
about the training of volunteers and adoptive families. I saw the
large shower set up for desensitizing reluctant bathers and the
storage area with strollers fitted with cages for walking the birds
outdoors. I saw volunteers working on food preparation and the
boarding area. I also saw the long large, indoor hallways used for
evening free-flight training.
Later
as we chatted over coffee we talked about the World Parrot Refuge and
the disappointment that it has become for so many people, and the
need and benefits of an involved hands-on Board of Directors.
The two
hours that I spent with Judy felt, to me, like twenty minutes. I
found Judy to be engaging and knowledgeable and the Refuge itself,
remarkable and very impressive. I left with reluctance and with the
intention of supporting this Refuge in future in whatever way I can.
Pat
Phillips
October
28, 2015
