Keeping Gulf Coast Exotic Bird Sanctuary Open

Gulf Coast Exotic Bird Sanctuary is a non-profit animal sanctuary providing a permanent home for abused, neglected and unmanageable parrots. It is it's own facility not a residence.

Too often people will only adopt tame parrots.

But what about the parrots that are not tame? The ones that were kidnapped from their native country and imported and sold to be breeders so people could make money off of them. Or the breeder parrots confiscated during large scale cruelty seizures. Or the breeder parrots discarded once they no longer produce eggs.

Gracie the Goffin Cockatoo is a prime example of this. A good samaritan was volunteering at a parrot breeding facility in New Mexico just so she could make sure the parrots were not neglected. In a small cage outside in the back of the breeders property in the New Mexico winter the good samaritan saw a pitiful Goffin Cockatoo with a bald chest sitting in the cold shaking. When the good samaritan asked the breeder about "Gracie" the breeder responded "She is useless to me. She is no longer laying eggs." The good samaritan managed to talk the breeder into giving her Gracie. Gracie was brought to us from New Mexico 13 years ago and is still with us.

Or what about the Yellow-headed Amazon that was not tame and one day the husband got tired of "George" screaming and took the whole cage with George in it and through it against the wall. Luckily George survived and was brought to us by the wife for his safety. A few years later George bonded with one of our longtime volunteers and he went to a happy home. There was also the screaming Umbrella Cockatoo that a husband would tape up in a shoe box with duct tape. There are so many more stories like this and they are difficult for us to hear but it is important that we are able to remain open to be here for the parrots that really need us.

The Pandemic has affected many people and organizations. It has affected our grantor who for many years had granted us operating costs.

Our food bill alone is a little under $1,000 a month. It is expensive to feed parrots. They require lots of fresh produce, nuts and a pelleted diet which is costly.

Everything at the sanctuary is run by electric including the well and heat lamps during the winter. Our monthly electric bill is running right at $800.00.

Then there are the property taxes which are $500.00 a month. Thankfully we do not have rent. This does not include vet bills.

Our goal is $15,000 to at least get us through the next 6 months. Any help is greatly appreciated so we may continue to provide lifelong care for parrots that have no place to go.❤