SPCA orders veterinary care for birds at World Parrot Refuge

TheSPCA has issued orders for veterinary care after assessing thecondition ofbirds at theWorld Parrot Refuge on Vancouver Island, and the agency is recommending all birds be dispersed to new homes.

The long-running sanctuary in Coombs, B.C., is home to hundreds of parrots, but it has fallen on difficulttimes sincethe death of founderWendy Huntbatchin February.

"We can't order that birds be dispersed, but we would strongly encourage the World Parrot Refuge to develop a long-term strategy very shortly,"saidMarcieMoriarty, chiefprevention and enforcement officer for the BCSPCA.

The SPCA responded to complaints about conditions at the facility two weeks ago and issued orders for veterinary care forsome birds, Moriaty said, adding veterinarians are workingat the site this week.

The SPCA does not have the power to close the facility, she said, but canseize parrots if care plans set out by the veterinarians are not followed.

Past concerns

The avian supportnetwork F.E.A.T.H.E.R.S.is among anumber oforganizations that have come forward with offers of help tofindappropriate space for the birds at other rescues or in private homes.

Founder Laurie Rex visited the World Parrot Refugeover the weekend to do a census of the birds. She said there are currently 450 parrots at the facility, but that number has been as high as 900 in the past.

"There was a limited number of staff and they were running full tilt trying to do all that they could as far as cleaning and feeding," she said.

Rex said it is not sustainable to care for such large numbers of parrots without significant staff and expertise, and she would have liked to see the SPCA step in years ago.

Sheestimates the cost of basic care for one parrot to be about $1,600 per year, before factoring in unexpected veterinarian costs.

The refuge is a non-profit thatoperates on donations and admission fees.

Following Huntbatch's death, the refuge property was passed to her husband Horst Neumann. He told CBC News he can't comment on the current situation for the birdsor future plans for the sanctuary.