Her answer reminds me of when I was six years old and was determined
to build a rocket ship out of some old plywood and an electric fan motor. It seemed
so easy and I was so naïve . . . .
--VH
From:
media-advisors-bounces@mickaboo.org
[mailto:media-advisors-bounces@mickaboo.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth
Young
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 4:17 PM
To: Mickaboo media advisor team
Subject: [Media-advisors] Fwd: Answers to questions regarding the AFA
proposal for re-homing birds/ from Mary Ellen LePage
---------- Forwarded message
----------
From: Pam Hemphill <pam.hemphill@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Sep 16, 2010 at 1:58 PM
Subject: Answers to questions regarding the AFA proposal for re-homing birds/
from Mary Ellen LePage
To: Philip Gerrie <glassgerrie@earthlink.net>,
Sally Stephens <stephensfw@mindspring.com>,
Rebecca Katz <Rebecca.Katz@sfgov.org>,
Kat Brown <Kat.Brown@sfgov.org>,
adoptkings@gmail.com, pambudgie@yahoo.com, tammyazzaro@gmail.com
Hi all,
This is Mary Ellen's response. Somehow I think that she has good intentions,
but definitely does not see the full picture. See what you think.
Pam
---------- Forwarded message
----------
From: Mary Ellen LePage <mail@birds2pet.com>
Date: Thu, Sep 16, 2010 at 9:13 AM
Subject: RE: Questions regarding the AFA proposal for re-homing birds
To: Pam Hemphill <pam.hemphill@gmail.com>
Cc: Marilyn Hawley <mhawley44@aol.com>
Dear Pam,
Please forgive the tardy response.
I had started to respond before my computer self-destructed (thanks to the
incompetent staff at the Microsoft help desk). It has taken
me this long to get some of my programs re-installed and the mail files found.
In answer to your questions:
With regard to your first bullet point, what happens if the AFA cannot find
a new home and the person who surrendered the bird cannot take the bird back?
Then you will be
in no worse a situation then you are now. I think I will be able to place
most birds.
Regarding your second bullet point, what does “pet quality” mean?
Pet quality
usually means that the bird is handleable, but there are even some people that
do not require their pet bird to be handleable. Some like them for their
other characteristics – beauty, talking ability, antics, song, etc.
Regarding your sixth bullet point, what are the “other alternatives” for
“apparently ill” birds?
That would have
to be determined on a case by case basis. Handicapped birds are usually
very adoptable. There is usually someone that will open their heart and
home to a handicapped bird. For example, I dearly love my congenitally
blind dog. Some “rescues” have donation funds to care for sick but
curable birds. Currently Mickaboo has donation funds to give all their
birds veterinary care. They could use those funds to only give veterinary
care to the birds that really need it. Some birds are so sick that
euthanasia might be appropriate to save them pain and suffering. This
might include birds with serious bird viral diseases.
What about birds that are abandoned in an apartment, or found in a park, or
a backyard, etc. and have no known owner? Many birds come to ACC in that way.
These are the
birds we most want to help.
Does the AFA provide any vet care for birds?
The AFA will not
provide any kind of care. All care and transport will be done entirely by
the adopting member. I will only set up a system to match available birds
with educated members willing to re-home the bird. The re-homer will have
to sign a legally approved Informed Consent document stating that the total
care is their responsibility, that all possible health risks are identified and
that they agree to the risk, and that the City of San Francisco and AFA will be
held harmless if there are any problems.
How will the surrendered birds live out their lives? Will they be pets or
breeders or go to a sanctuary or?
All of above and
more. Eligible members would include pet owners, breeders, veterinarians
and vet techs, rescues, sanctuaries, behaviorists, zoos, and probably more that
I cannot remember.
Does the offer extend to the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill?
The offer extends to
all exotic birds brought to your agency. I hope you are not planning to
try to capture the wild parrots. They are an important part of San
Francisco.
Please note that this
is not a contract and that this draft proposal may need to be changed by either
you or us as we are working our way through it and identifying situations that
might need to be addressed differently. It would be an interesting pilot
program. I don’t expect 100% success with re-homing all birds, but I think
the percentage will be high.
Please also note that
if you agree to this proposal, I will have to get final approval from my AFA
Board of Directors that meet quarterly. The next meeting is the end of
October.
Thank You.
Mary Ellen LePage
Pam Hemphill, Commissioner
Animal Control and Welfare Commission
San Francisco, California
--
Elizabeth
Until they all have homes, don't buy, don't breed- adopt.
www.RescueReport.org
www.MickaCoo.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGjyooh3Yo0