No Fee's for adoptive or rehomed birds

[Pookamama]

I see both sides of it. I think asking a rehome fee would be good as previous posters said to make sure people understand this is a valuable animal with a huge commitment, and to reduce the risk of people flipping the bird for money. owever, you should go with your gut and if you can afford to be giving and you know the person receiving the bird would be the bird's perfect home without a doubt, then giving away could be totally appropriate. Especially for somebody who had a strong desire to make a home for the bird and could afford monthly and vet costs but the initial over $1000 commitment has prevented them.

For instance, I was interested in hairless cats for a while but there are precious few in Oregon (and the husband is not into cats!) The cost of getting one from a breeder and having it shipped has been too much for us. But if I had a chance to get an adoption/rehome for significantly less I would have, and I would have seen the fee as an assurance to the owner or shelter that I was serious about the animal's special needs. (Now that we are going to get a bird, which we consider to be a better investment anyway because of the lifespan, of course a cat is out of the question.) We are making the big financial investment because a bird will really be like part of the family.
So I can see where in some cases you could freely give the bird with confidence, but overall I don't see much wrong at all with asking for a rehome fee.

 

[dishgal1]

That would be nice, sadly most people would prefer to go to craigslist or elsewhere to post and get money. Anyone who cares about their pets will find a good home and not charge for it. I think its better if we let anyone post here. Even if theres a fee, at least we know if someone from the forums takes the bird in, we know they are going to a good home.

I think that could be worked out among the members after they agree on the adoption or rehoming. I think the idea is to keep "bird flippers" away.
I remember one last night that really bugged me.

 

[dishgal1]

Free is a bad idea.........only last night someone was talking about rehoming a bird and suddenly someone registered and was looking for birds to make a family pet out of. Yeah right. He had no dollars to buy but would give it a good home. A rehoming fee should definitely be posted, then could be worked out with other trusted members. If a person felt they trusted the member they could do it free if they choose. Free would draw out the dregs of society. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but that is how I feel. Just look at that crimson bellied greencheek with no beak. Makes me sick to my stomach.

 

[19jeffro83]

I see both sides of it. I think asking a rehome fee would be good as previous posters said to make sure people understand this is a valuable animal with a huge commitment, and to reduce the risk of people flipping the bird for money. owever, you should go with your gut and if you can afford to be giving and you know the person receiving the bird would be the bird's perfect home without a doubt, then giving away could be totally appropriate. Especially for somebody who had a strong desire to make a home for the bird and could afford monthly and vet costs but the initial over $1000 commitment has prevented them.

For instance, I was interested in hairless cats for a while but there are precious few in Oregon (and the husband is not into cats!) The cost of getting one from a breeder and having it shipped has been too much for us. But if I had a chance to get an adoption/rehome for significantly less I would have, and I would have seen the fee as an assurance to the owner or shelter that I was serious about the animal's special needs. (Now that we are going to get a bird, which we consider to be a better investment anyway because of the lifespan, of course a cat is out of the question.) We are making the big financial investment because a bird will really be like part of the family.
So I can see where in some cases you could freely give the bird with confidence, but overall I don't see much wrong at all with asking for a rehome fee.

Exactly how I feel. We could not afford the initial set up and purchase of the bird but are totally capable of caring for one and love our bird more and more every day. We have every intention of a vet visit soon and he's being cared for better than he was previously. With more one on one time to train and bond. He's our little Gilligan and we would never try to sell for profit. Some people make money in crooked ways but that's life. It's up to the owner of the bird to decide if that's the intent of the adoptee.

 

[19jeffro83]

Free is a bad idea.........only last night someone was talking about rehoming a bird and suddenly someone registered and was looking for birds to make a family pet out of. Yeah right. He had no dollars to buy but would give it a good home. A rehoming fee should definitely be posted, then could be worked out with other trusted members. If a person felt they trusted the member they could do it free if they choose. Free would draw out the dregs of society. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but that is how I feel. Just look at that crimson bellied greencheek with no beak. Makes me sick to my stomach.

Not everyone is a bad person. There are those out there who want to protect neglected animals and make sure they are cared for.

 

[lene1949]

It all depends on the person the bird go to... I have paid rehoming fees, and I have gotten birds for free... They are all living and breathing animals, and I treat them all the same...

Some years ago I was in a really bad space, and had to rehome most of my birds... I charged nothing for the birds, and just a small fee for the cages, as they were very well maintained... and included dishes, toys etc... I also knew the person they were going to..

I don't think I could just advertise any of my pets for sale, because I didn't want them anymore, or couldn't keep them anymore for any reason...

 

[Grenage]

You can't really mix two diametrically opposing philosophies and expect to keep everyone happy. There are people who view parrots as pets (a), and there are people who view parrots as trade goods (b) - much the same as most farmers view lambs and chickens as product, rather than animals. I wonder how many people scream foul at a parrot with dirty water, but then go and buy battery eggs.

No adoption fee would merely result in people taking parrots for free, and reselling them. After all, if you view birds as trade goods and not pets, wouldn't you be mad not to do so?

Agreements on paper aren't enforceable, the chances are that you'd never see the person again. I believe there's actually an adoption system here whereby you pay an annual adoption fee, and they take the bird back if you stop paying - sort of like... rent-a-parrot.

 

[Mike]

hmm, now there's an idea, but let me extend it a bit. "Rent a Parrot" with an intention to buy would indeed allow someone to take on a parrot at a relatively low up front cost. By continuing the monthly "rental" payments the new owner would be demonstrating to the original owner that they are serious about being a parrot companion and not merely trying to flip a free bird for profit. Renting with intention to buy would also provide a legal agreement between the original and the new owner which would allow the original owner to sue the new owner should the new owner flip the bird before the end of the lease period.

Please explain "battery egg." Is that UK slang for an egg in the shell?

 

[dishgal1]

hmm, now there's an idea, but let me extend it a bit. "Rent a Parrot" with an intention to buy would indeed allow someone to take on a parrot at a relatively low up front cost. By continuing the monthly "rental" payments the new owner would be demonstrating to the original owner that they are serious about being a parrot companion and not merely trying to flip a free bird for profit. Renting with intention to buy would also provide a legal agreement between the original and the new owner which would allow the original owner to sue the new owner should the new owner flip the bird before the end of the lease period.

Please explain "battery egg." Is that UK slang for an egg in the shell?

That might or might now work, if someone took off with the bird lots of luck finding them. Sometimes legal contracts can cost thousands to fight.

 

[dishgal1]

I truly believe people who are interested in adopting could give vet references, etc and you need to watch how they interact with your bird, that can speak loads. Also visit their home. I believe an upfront fee should be listed. After finding that right person you could either lower the fee or give it free.
Before I got my 2 birds I already had arrangements with my daughter for their future in case something happened to me. I will never go beyond owning 2 birds for that reason. People should really consider the future of their birds in advance of it becoming a necessity to rehome them. Hence they wouldn't have the grief of finding a stranger who may or may not provide for them they way they are accustomed to. Of course younger people think they will live forever and usually don't even think about that.
The people who I got Nacho my sun conure from chose me over other people because of the way I spoke of Forrest, they truly cared about his welfare so it isn't that hard to find the right person. I got an excellent Sun , well behaved and friendly with everyone. He was worth the $250 and I am glad I chose him over a baby because even though he had a good home and wasn't a so called rescue, he could have ended up in a bad situation which would have been terrible for a bird that was used to being well cared for. Just my 2 cents.

 

[terry52449]

We will have people take advantage no matter if there is a fee or not. I am a bit disgusted with the human race on how we use and abuse animals for profit. I could not charge to rehome a bird the true value but I do think people place a monitary value on everything and if they receive it for free it may not have any value to that family. Therefore maybe placing the bird in a potential hazardous home. They could always get another.
I think interviewing and checking references is a great way to get a good idea of who this person is. Age should not be a factor but being able to take care of the bird is a financial responsibility also. It is a commitment just as if you were to adopt a child.
Breeders should make sure the new owners know what they are getting into with their bird and the changes they should expect at adult stages. Yes you may loose a sale but you`ll gain their respect and most likely come back to you when they are ready for such a responsibility. We have to many birds being held with out good homes. Lets find them a good home before we buy new babies. For some of these birds you are talking about a 60 year commitment. I have a rescued 9 year cockatoo that will out live me but I already have a few people lined up who I know love Cameo and will take good care of her when I am gone. Think about that people.

 

[dishgal1]

We will have people take advantage no matter if there is a fee or not. I am a bit disgusted with the human race on how we use and abuse animals for profit. I could not charge to rehome a bird the true value but I do think people place a monitary value on everything and if they receive it for free it may not have any value to that family. Therefore maybe placing the bird in a potential hazardous home. They could always get another.
I think interviewing and checking references is a great way to get a good idea of who this person is. Age should not be a factor but being able to take care of the bird is a financial responsibility also. It is a commitment just as if you were to adopt a child.
Breeders should make sure the new owners know what they are getting into with their bird and the changes they should expect at adult stages. Yes you may loose a sale but you`ll gain their respect and most likely come back to you when they are ready for such a responsibility. We have to many birds being held with out good homes. Lets find them a good home before we buy new babies. For some of these birds you are talking about a 60 year commitment. I have a rescued 9 year cockatoo that will out live me but I already have a few people lined up who I know love Cameo and will take good care of her when I am gone. Think about that people.

That is exactly the point I was making. We should prepare for their future before we take them on, just in case a life situation would cause us to have to give them up. I could never imagine giving my babies up to someone I did not know. They would have to go to my daughter and the good thing is her 5 children adore them so they would never be in need of love no matter what happened down the road. My birds would be comfortable with all of them or either one of the children however it turned out.

 

[Mike]

Let me go on and explain my own thoughts with respect to selling birds for profit. I have absolutely no problem with responsible business people buying low and selling high. Without the profit incentive the economy in this country would collapse and we'd all end up living like they did in the Soviet Union 20+ years ago. We know how that turned out.

Without profit incentives I would never have discovered my Macaw (Mardy) at a local breeder's store front and would not today know the joy she brings me each and every day. That breeder had investment costs they had to recoup in order to be able to buy birds and food to sell to other people. They also had living costs they had to cover in order to keep their own bodies and souls together.

The beauty of my breeder was that they were able to blend their love for the birds with their need to cover living and business expenses. Their love for the birds is what resulted in Mardy being so gentle and playful. Their ability to successfully cover their living and business expenses is what made it possible for me to find them and to end up with Mardy in my life.

Flipping birds is not like flipping houses. To successfully flip a house the flipper has to either buy low or make improvements to the house before reselling. Buying a house low is a very rare opportunity, so making improvements is the only realistic option.

Bird flippers cannot make improvements to the bird in a short period of time, so the only way they can make money is to buy low. I believe this is a rare occurrence and so not a big part of the problem.

Let's face it. There are two separate issues which all of us on the forum care about. We care about the welfare of the birds and we care about ourselves and our families. Our concern for the welfare of the birds makes some of us blame breeders and bird sellers for the horrific stories we hear about or for the plucking and mutilation we sometimes see. Although certainly some of those situations result from poor care by breeders and sellers, I think the vast majority come from owners who were unprepared for parrot companionship. I thing the biggest problem therefore is education, not selling.

Our concern for the welfare of ourselves and our families makes us want cheap birds, cages, toys, and food; thus freeing up funds for family essentials like food and clothing. Blaming business people for the high prices is naive. Competition keeps prices as low as they can be. If anyone thinks the prices are too high then they should go into business and undercut the current business people. Instead of blaming the business people we should be thankful they offer the availability and the variety of their products.

Some of you may not see private bird owners as business people. I would disagree. Just as bird sellers have investment and living costs so too do those of us who are bird owners. It is perfectly reasonable for them to sell rather than to give away their birds.

We should be careful not to tie two unrelated issues together. Our desire for cheap birds (boy would I LOVE to pick up a Hyacinth for free) with our abhorrence of abused birds and our disgust with the perpetrators.