Call it Charisma

"When you get what you want in your struggle for self,
And the world makes you queen for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that gal has to say.
For it isn't your father, or mother or spouse
Whose judgment upon you must pass;
The woman whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the gal staring back from the glass.
She's the woman to please, never mind all the rest,
For she's with you clear up to the end;
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the gal in the glass is your friend.
You may be like Jack Horner and chisel a plum,
And think you're a wonderful gal,
But the one in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look her straight in the eye.
You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass;
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the gal in the glass."

Anonymous

Nanaimo Daily News July 2015

Police will not pursue theft charges after parrots are taken from  refuge

by Darrell Bellaart

A police investigation involving two birds taken from the World Parrot Refuge has been turned over to the SPCA.
Police said that on Saturday, a person was seen leaving the Coombs facility with two umbrella cockatoos.
Staff contacted the Oceanside RCMP, who investigated the incident.
On Tuesday the RCMP said it will not prosecute, but instead handed the investigation over to the SPCA.
"RCMP have concluded their file, there will be no theft charges," said Cpl. Jesse Foreman of the Oceanside detachment.
"The SPCA has taken over the investigation regarding the parrots."
He said the society will determine "if the birds are going to go back to the parrot refuge centre, and what the course of action is".
The 24,000 square-foot facility provides lifetime care for more than 900 neglected, abused or abandoned birds.
The centre was moved to Coombs from Abbotsford around 2003, during an avian flu scare, said Sue Watkins, a director of the non-profit charitable organization, which employs 22 and provides five volunteer positions.
"I haven't slept for three days and I feel like crying," Watkins said.
"It's been a very stressful few days."
She said she spoke to an SPCA special constable Monday who came by to ask questions for her investigation.
SPCA special constable Angela Mead said she could not comment on the case, referring questions to Leon Davis, Nanaimo SPCA animal shelter manager.
"I know constables started an investigation yesterday. I know the birds are safe with veterinarians," he said.
The woman who allegedly took the birds did not complain about their conditions before the incident.
The refuge, which has received international compassionate awards for animal treatment deals with one or two SPCA investigations a year, and "they have never pressed charges against us," Watkins said.

DarrellBellaart@nanaimodailynews.com
250-729-4235

Letter to the Editor, Nanaimo Daily News

I was gratified to hear from your article that police are not laying charges against the woman who took the Umbrella Cockatoos from the World Parrot Refuge. In fact, she should get a medal for the courage to do what she did. However, your story doesn't go far enough.
This woman is not the first nor is she the only person to get a bird out of the Refuge. And she's not the first or the only person to be concerned about conditions at the Refuge. However, ideas, suggestions, concerns and/or initiative are seen as challenges to their authority and approaches.
I was a volunteer at the Refuge for 18 months and know whereof I speak. And I too, removed my Moluccan Cockatoo from the care of Wendy Huntbatch and her minions.

Pat Phillips
Parksville

Aviva Community Fund contest

Well, my friends, my "idea" won't be going to the next round of voting. I have withdrawn from the contest. I was advised that the idea required modification but given no details about what was required, and received no response to my inquiry about that.  I'm both disappointed and relieved. My computer time is short and I'll be able to spend it on other interests. On the other hand I feel that I've failed the many parrots residing at the World Parrot Refuge. 
 
While you've been voting over the past two weeks, you may have noticed the many worthwhile projects looking for supportive votes. Please consider continuing to vote daily for one of them.
 
Thank you  once again for your support. I am truly grateful.
 
Pat

Reminder

Even the blind birds in the Extended Care Unit at the World Parrot Refuge can enjoy toys, toys that make noise or have different textures for example. But someone has to make them; the staff are busy with the day-to-day grind. Volunteers from the community at large could help with toy making. With 900 parrots in residence the need for toys is enormous.

 There's less than one week left in the qualifying round. Please don't forget to vote...every day.

https://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf19581

Many thanks,
Pat

Aviva Community Fund contest

Well we're at it again. I've entered an idea, the same idea as last year's actually, And already Wendy has called the RCMP to complain that I'm fraudulently soliciting funds in the name of the World Parrot Refuge. Sigh. The officer with whom I chatted actually chuckled when he told me the nature of the complaint. Anyway, because I'm not doing anything illegal he was just notifying me of the complaint.

I've asked for $55,000. to hire a full-time Volunteer Coordinator and cover start up costs.  I  know that many are disillusioned with so-called Refuges and Sanctuaries, including The World Parrot Refuge, and I understand why. But there are now 900 parrots in the World Parrot Refuge whose living conditions can be improved simply through the addition of a team of well trained, supervised and appreciated volunteers.

 Voting started yesterday. Please join my team of voters. Go to the following website, register, vote and save the link for tomorrow and the next day and the next.
 https://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf19581

Standards article precised.

Having sent a precis of my Standards article to both local newspapers, I've been watching for them for a week now. Today I received a telephone call from the Editor of one of them to tell me that he won't be publishing my "letter" and why. We had a short but meaningful  conversation about that. In a nutshell, he is worried about the legal ramifications of printing that "letter", for both the paper and me. If the BCSPCA or some other authority had found the Refuge wanting in some way, he would do a story on that and print my "letter". However, despite visiting the Refuge twice in three years, the BCSPCA apparently found nothing wrong there. I didn't get the opportunity to suggest that perhaps it was because they know little or nothing about parrots and their needs. I asked if any of the newpapers do investigative reporting anymore. He clains that they do that all the time. However, when I suggested that they do some investigative reporting on the Refuge, he said that they have done many stories on the Refuge. I guess we have different ideas of what investigative reporting is. I've seen the stories carried by the local newspapers. They appear to have been initiated by the Refuge owners, not an objective reporter. Once again I'm back to square one. Watch for more. The Aviva Community Fund is starting up again soon.

Standards: What are they? Who makes them? Why have them?

I have spent much of the past six to twelve months trying to convince the owners/operators of a parrot refuge, to start implementing the Standards For Arboreal/Perching Bird Sanctuaries, that were created by The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). And I've offered to help. So far, the only thing I've accomplished is to get myself banned from the refuge property. Why? Can it be that standards and how and why they are made are not as well understood as I had thought? Let’s see. Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary, Second Edition, defines a standard as:

1.      Something established for use as a rule or basis of comparison in measuring or judging  value or quality, for example.

      

2.      Anything recognized as correct by common consent, by approved custom or by those most competent to decide.

3.      A level or grade of excellence, attainment etc. regarded as a goal or measure of adequacy.

 Although I’d have been hard-pressed to come up with a definition before actually delving into the dictionary myself, I believe most of us share the same general idea of what a standard is. So, I don’t believe that the owners/operators of this refuge are resistant to standards because they don’t understand what standards are. Perhaps it’s because standards are used as a rule or basis of comparison in measuring or judging. The Canadian Kennel Association for example maintains standards of physical characteristics for every recognized breed of dog. The dog, in a dog show, that comes closest to the standards for that breed, wins. Some standards are used as a goal or measure of adequacy. Students attend college or university in order to meet the standards set for their careers of choice. Most jobs and careers demand compliance with a certain standard of knowledge and proficiency to ensure entry level adequacy. The GFAS Standards are used in both ways, to compare a sanctuary’s level of adequacy with sanctuaries recognized for their excellence. In the case of parrots, sanctuaries thus recognized and accredited by GFAS include Foster Parrots and The Oasis Sanctuary, both in the U.S.A. Let’s face it, being measured against standards for quality can be either gratifying or uncomfortable and embarrassing, depending on the level of quality judged to be present or absent, as the case may be.

Who makes or produces standards? The definitions suggest, “…those most competent to decide and/or judge”. Does the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) meet these criteria? It was founded in 2007 by leaders in the fields of animal protection, veterinary care, sanctuary management, and non-profit professionals. They refined and expanded existing sanctuary standards based on their own knowledge and expertise. I suppose if one isn't chosen as one of those experts, one could become disgruntled with the whole idea of complying with someone else’s proposed standards. However, when the overriding goal of a sanctuary is to provide quality care to the animals in residence, resistance to standards would appear to be somewhat contradictory.

Why do we have standards? The reasons seem to be as many as they are varied. It’s really enough to know that organizations, in this case parrot sanctuaries, that comply with standards of excellence enjoy a reputation for efficiency, safety and professionalism. Fundamental responsibilities are met and risks minimized. People, behaviours and organizational practices are legitimate.

The GFAS Standards for Arboreal/Perching Bird Sanctuaries are extensive and cover every aspect of care including housing, handling policies, staff safety and education and training protocols. Implementing some of them would be time consuming and/or costly. Some would take very little effort or other resources to implement. But becoming accredited would definitely take time.

Why would a sanctuary not want to implement standards representing quality care for its residents? Today, most companies, organizations and societies embrace standards of some kind. Educational institutions employ standards to determine who may enroll and who may proceed. Federal and Provincial laws are standards of behaviour. The CRTC uses standards to determine and monitor the moral content of films and movies.  And many sanctuaries and refuges have embraced the GFAS Standards. Sadly for the many parrots at this refuge, there is no mechanism, other than community pressure, to either impose or enforce standards. And without that I will stay banned from this refuge too.