Welcome to the website of the Northeastern Avian Rescue, "NEAR." NEAR is a not-for-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to the safety and care of parrots and other exotic pet birds. The mission of our organization is to Rescue, rehabilitate and re-home abused, neglected and otherwise unwanted parrots and other exotic pet birds. We often refer to our mission as "The Three R's."
Rescue - The Northeast Avian Rescue works alongside the public, local law enforcement and SPCA organizations to remove birds from bad situations. Sometimes its abuse or neglect - you'd be amazed at how often this happens. Sometimes it's simply a matter of receiving a bird from someone who, for whatever reason, just can't handle its care any longer. We approach each rescue case in a clear-headed non-judgmental manner. That's hard to do sometimes, but every situation is different... and at the end of the day it doesn't matter so much what the reasons are, we just have to be there for the birds. Rescued birds are brought into our foster families where they are evaluated for medical and/or behavioral problems.
Rehabilitate - While in the foster care of NEAR personnel, rescued birds are monitored closely. Many birds we receive are considered "mean" or "dangerous," when really the only problem is that they just haven't received enough attention and TLC. We work with the birds to discover their true and unique personalities, and we try to "smooth the rough edges" that a lack of socialization can create, greatly improving the chances of creating a match with a loving, permanent home. Birds with bad eating habits, usually developed over a lifetime, are slowly coaxed into better nutrition. Those birds with truly special needs are evaluated and given special attention so that any unwanted behaviors are either minimized or eliminated altogether.
Re-home - For us, a true "happy ending" is one in which we rescue a bird nobody wants and turn it into a beloved family member that can't be lived without! Our adoption process is stringent and strict, but we always remind our clients that the only reason we are so tough in the adoption process is to ensure we find the best possible match between bird and human. As a rule, we do not charge adoption fees, so we hope the minor inconveniences we inflict upon our adopters are offset by the fact that at the end of the day, the new family member comes without charge and with very few, if any strings attached (see our adoption rules and requirements).
Parrots and exotic birds are the third most popular pet in the United States today -- many people don't realize this and most people don't appreciate the incredible demand for bird rescue services. Parrots and other exotic pet birds are extremely intelligent and they bond strongly to their human counterparts. It is tremendously upsetting for a bird to lose its family "flock," but yet the average bird goes through four owners in its lifetime. People who either don't realize or don't care about the mental state of their bird often sell them on websites like Craigslist, to the first person who will pay the highest dollar value. Many people who buy birds in this manner have absolutely no idea what they are getting themselves into and often end up getting rid of their new pet as soon as the "shine" wears off. Some birds go through one rebound home right after another, with each one chipping away at its trust and psychological balance. Most of the birds out there who truly have unchangeable behavior problems have gotten into that ugly state as a direct result of the poor treatment they have received from their humans. Birds are often considered to be like eternal two-year-olds... you don't have to physically hurt them to do unbelievable amounts of damage. Like any other pet (and maybe more so) parrots need love, companionship and mental stimulation. It is the goal of the Northeast Avian Rescue to make a positive difference in the lives of as many parrots and exotic birds as possible. We hope you will help us!
