Matching Gift Event Honors Scott Shipley - August, 2019
Final Update
WE DID IT!
Your generosity has garnered an amazing $18,000 in donations, matching funds, AND $1000 prize monies, paying for almost Two Weeks of Mickaboo's rescue flock's veterinary cost!
We are humbled and awestruck by your response to our appeals. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts.
Update: 8/15/2019 10:30 pm PT
THANK YOU for your continuing generosity! As of now, we have about $9K in donations and matching funds, which would pay for almost 7 days of healing for our 400+ strong rescue flock.
The giving continues until Friday 8/16, 8:59 pm PT. With your help, we are seeking to earn up to $2000 in prize money, given by GlobalGiving to the top 4 nonprofits raising the most funds. We're only $1200 away! Your financial support is a necessary part of the Mickaboo daily miracle that benefits our rescued flock of over 400. And with the continuing 100% matching from an anonymous donor, there is no better time for you to give (or give again). 
Earlier in June, we posted an update from our Telegraph Hill Conure team in the Mickaboo quarterly newsletter. Since July, we’ve had a particularly long run of new San Francisco wild parrot intakes that has given Mickaboo some really large vet bills. Shipley (named after our honoree in this week’s fundraising campaign), Nellie, Joey, Rico and Hollis were all struck down with health issues and ended up in Mickaboo's care.
Poor Hollis has not survived his health issues, but Shipley, Nellie, Joey and Rico continue to recover. Their medical boarding and treatment at the vet is a very significant expense to Mickaboo - what we have raised so far in this campaign would almost equal what their first week of care cost us.
Please give what you can and spread the word! Our many volunteers and rescued birds appreciate what you can do!
Update: 8/14/2019 11:20 pm PT
Wow! Your generosity has resulted in about $7700 so far in donations and matching funds! This amount would fund 5.75 days of our vet expenses at our current spend rate. Thank you so much!
GlobalGiving's matching funds ran out today. But the matching CONTINUES because of an anonymous donor! To honor Scott's memory, this donor will match your gifts at 100% between now and Friday at 9 pm Pacific. The hope is that this challenge grant will encourage additional donations - enough to help Mickaboo win $600 in GlobalGiving bonus monies.
There is NO LIMIT to your donations in this phase! Repeat donors are WELCOME! Let's do this! The giving link is here.
Your financial support is critical to provide the veterinary support our birds need, like the two adorable cockatiels we are featuring today. Snowman and Falcon were part of a flock of four cockatiels that came to the Marin Humane Society in February 2018. While the other two looked ‘normal’, Snowman had a foot twisted to one side, and Falcon had hormonal-pattern-plucking on her body and shoulders. Mickaboo agreed to take these two, since the shelter does not adopt out birds with visible issues.
Falcon and Snowman were taken to Wildwood Veterinary Hospital where they were both found to have spirochetes, a common bacterial infection. The birds likely had it for a long time. It is easily treated with a two-week course of oral medications, and so just a couple of weeks later, they were given the medical all-clear.
Despite how they look, both birds are doing well. Snowman moves around fairly easily between his beak and his good foot and uses ladder-ramps and flat perches to rest on. Falcon has not plucked since she was taken into Mickaboo’s care. Snowman makes adorable gestures to Falcon, bowing his head for preening, and sometimes Falcon deigns to agree! (And YES, they are available for adoption!)
Help us help birds like Falcon and Snowman by giving now. Thank you once again for your support for Mickaboo, and the work we do!
Update: 8/13/2019 10:45 pm PT
Your fundraising efforts have resulted in close to $4,000 so far in donations and matching funds - funding about three days' worth of our current vet bill expenses. Hooray! There is over $12K in matching funds left; if you would like to join us in honoring Scott's memory by giving now, while matching funds are available to amplify your donation, now is a great time to give.
"Bonita pajaro!" - say that while you donate $50 (or more) during this week's matching campaign, and you can make Mananita the Amazon (and all of our volunteers) smile!
Mananita has been with Mickaboo since 2011 when she had to be surrendered due to health issues in her human family. Mananita has her own share of health issues; she had a stroke a while ago. While she has recovered to an extent, she still has difficulty grasping and holding items in her feet. Mananita also has a self-plucking disorder and had to wear a collar before, but she's doing a bit better now. She needs daily medications, which she takes nicely on a piece of bread.
Because of her foot difficulties, Mananita does best after training her humans how to hand her food, and work with her to step up safely. Once you've been trained by her, she's a sweet and gentle bird. She says "hello" and "hi boo!" and likes chew toys. She also understands some Spanish! Mananita is up for adoption; look at her Mickaboo profile and contact her adoption coordinator here.
Please help us support Mickaboo's never-ending rescue work by donating $50 (or more) during this week's matching event. And share these stories to help even more people learn about Mickaboo, the work we do, the birds we rescue and support, and how to help.
Thank you for ALL your support!
Update: 8/13/2019 7:00 am PT
Thanks to your collective generosity so far, we have raised about $2800, about two days' worth of our current vet bill expenses. Thank you! The campaign continues, with $23K in matching funds remaining. Please donate and share the word - 50% matched per donor, up to $50!
Today we feature PJ, a greencheek conure. Who doesn’t love the charm of a greencheek conure? Shown here are pictures of PJ when he first came to Mickaboo, a picture of him at the vet showing his feather damage, and one showing his feather regrowth.
PJ is about 10 years old. He found himself at a humane society some years ago, when a well-meaning lady took him into her care. She cared about him very much but had little information about avian care and hormonal issues. When PJ began taking an interest in ‘hiding’ under towels, she assumed he enjoyed the activity and encouraged it. Unfortunately PJ was nesting, and he spent eight very hormonal and frustrated years plucking out his feathers in response to his raging hormones triggered by his environment. PJ was not seen by an avian vet during these eight years. Iin February 2019 his owner surrendered him to Mickaboo due to changes in their circumstances.
Mickaboo brought him to an avian vet at For The Birds. Healthwise, his only problem was the extreme and prolonged episode of hormonal issues unaddressed in his previous home. He was given two lupron shots two weeks apart. While it’s unlikely that all his feathers will grow back, his bare shoulder patches are now covered, and every now and then a colorful feather on his belly will emerge.
PJ is a sweet bird and now that his hormones are more balanced we look forward to helping him establish greater trust with humans. PJ is up for adoption!
A matching gift event sponsored by GlobalGiving starts today (Monday, August 12) and ends Friday - with a 50% match on the first $50 while matching funds last. This giving event, as well as our August 24 adoption fair, honor the memory of Scott Shipley. Scott was one of our most respected volunteers who led our macaw team; he left this world all too early.
We cannot think of two birds worth featuring more as we start this campaign this week than Boomer and Baby, two of Scott's most recently rescued birds. 
Boomer’s story is a heartbreaking and difficult tale written by Scott himself. Boomer was rescued in October 2012 after being found in terrible condition. At well over 25 years old he had never been seen by a vet despite the clear need for him to have medical treatment. His nails were over 4 inches long, one hip and one knee were dislocated, he had widespread arthritis and signs of numerous old fractures, and his tailbone was deformed.
After many vet visits, treatments and ultimately a surgery for a pygostle amputation, Boomer rallied despite all his ailments and years of neglect. Scott built him a ‘mobile platform’ on wheels to allow Boomer to join the family for greater social interaction and mobility. Boomer loved having caring avian and human company and would dance to Scott’s singing. It took a long time, but Boomer even eventually allowed Scott to touch him and scritch his head. He became affectionately known to all in Mickaboo as “Boomer the Buttless Wonder”!
You can see Boomer thriving in this video where, thrilled with his new mobile Boomer cart, he begins making happy chattering noises for the first time.
Baby, a Greenwing Macaw, is a relatively recent foster that came to Scott with hormonal issues that Scott helped to manage to get her hormones and egg laying under control. Baby took an immediate shine to both Scott and Boomer, and has represented Mickaboo at many adoption fairs and outreach events. You can learn more about Baby on her profile page.
Please join us in remembering Scott's work with Mickaboo by donating $50 during this week’s matching event, and by sharing these stories to help even more people learn about Mickaboo, the work we do, and the birds we rescue and support.
Thank you for your support!