Post by spookyhurst on Jun 28, 2006 0:01:53 GMT -7
I just got the latest update from TARA (Tucson Avian Rescue and Adoption). Here's a sad story about 2 birds they recently got in:
GABY AND BASIL'S STORY:
On Sunday, June 10th, TARA received a call from the Arizona Humane Society
in Phoenix regarding two Moluccan cockatoos who needed placement. The guy who
called didn't know much about the birds but it seemed they had come from a
bad situation. It was only after we agreed to take them and Bruce Bailey was
already on his way to Phoenix that he called back and said that one of the
birds had a big wound and that the other one had a positive psittacosis titer.
And their names were Gabriel and Baby.
When Bruce returned, it was obvious that the bird called Gabriel had a huge
wound that went from the keel bone in front to the spine in back and under
the left wing. It was about half an inch deep and at least an inch wide and
looked raw. It was also obvious that the person who had the birds got their
sexes reversed: Gabriel was Gabriella or Gaby, and Baby became Basil.
Gaby was very friendly despite the abuse she had suffered at the hands of a
human and she
solicited head scritches. Basil, on the other hand, was terrified of people
and hissed. Gaby dove into the food we provided and ate like she was
starving, but we eventually realized that she just loves to eat. It took Basil a
little longer but he is now a good eater although he remains afraid. The two
Moluccans are good friends and like to preen each other.
The birds were taken to the vet immediately. Despite her gaping wound, Gaby
didn't fight being toweled or examined but Basil did. Surgery to close the
wound was scheduled to take place in a few days; in the meantime, we were to
put sufadene on the wound twice daily and give her injectable antibiotics.
Our vet was very upset that no one had attended to the wound before and now
there was so much scarring and so little skin that it would be hard to close.
She determined that the bird had been injured several weeks before and that
it was not self-inflicted.
We contacted the Humane Society for more information on these birds, but
they had none. Later we received a call from a woman who works there and had
taken the birds to her vet at her own expense. Seems the Humane Society did
not want to pay for the surgery and that's why TARA got them. We also found
out that the man who had them had thrown them against the wall and that his
mother had relinquished them because of the abuse.
For TARA there was no option but to help Gaby, no matter what the cost. She
underwent surgery on Sunday, June 17th, at the Arizona Bird Clinic. It took
over 30 stitches and numerous staples to close her wound. Although she
threw up for the first day, she was eating ravenously the next day and has not
touched the wound. We had to keep Gaby from flapping so she and Basil were put
in separate cages across from each other. We also had to medicate Basil for
a resistant klebsiella infection, and while shots were easier than oral
medication, toweling him was an ordeal for everyone. Gaby, on the other hand,
would just sit in her cage and wait for the towel and shot.
Gaby is recovering from surgery well although the closed wound has gaped in
the front where there was not enough skin and she may require future surgery.
She remains as sweet as ever and loves head scritches from anyone. Basil
remains suspicious and afraid.
Please help Gaby with a donation to her medical expense fund-even $10 can
add up if enough people donate. We have Gaby's "before" picture and it is not
pretty. She has suffered considerably at the hands of her previous owner but
she is now on the road to health. Once her wound is healed, both she and
Basil will be available for adoption and they would like to stay together (Gaby
"cries" when we towel Basil but not when we towel her).
Send donations to "Gaby's Fund," care of TARA, PO Box 36984, Tucson, AZ
85704. On behalf of Gaby, TARA thanks you.
GABY AND BASIL'S STORY:
On Sunday, June 10th, TARA received a call from the Arizona Humane Society
in Phoenix regarding two Moluccan cockatoos who needed placement. The guy who
called didn't know much about the birds but it seemed they had come from a
bad situation. It was only after we agreed to take them and Bruce Bailey was
already on his way to Phoenix that he called back and said that one of the
birds had a big wound and that the other one had a positive psittacosis titer.
And their names were Gabriel and Baby.
When Bruce returned, it was obvious that the bird called Gabriel had a huge
wound that went from the keel bone in front to the spine in back and under
the left wing. It was about half an inch deep and at least an inch wide and
looked raw. It was also obvious that the person who had the birds got their
sexes reversed: Gabriel was Gabriella or Gaby, and Baby became Basil.
Gaby was very friendly despite the abuse she had suffered at the hands of a
human and she
solicited head scritches. Basil, on the other hand, was terrified of people
and hissed. Gaby dove into the food we provided and ate like she was
starving, but we eventually realized that she just loves to eat. It took Basil a
little longer but he is now a good eater although he remains afraid. The two
Moluccans are good friends and like to preen each other.
The birds were taken to the vet immediately. Despite her gaping wound, Gaby
didn't fight being toweled or examined but Basil did. Surgery to close the
wound was scheduled to take place in a few days; in the meantime, we were to
put sufadene on the wound twice daily and give her injectable antibiotics.
Our vet was very upset that no one had attended to the wound before and now
there was so much scarring and so little skin that it would be hard to close.
She determined that the bird had been injured several weeks before and that
it was not self-inflicted.
We contacted the Humane Society for more information on these birds, but
they had none. Later we received a call from a woman who works there and had
taken the birds to her vet at her own expense. Seems the Humane Society did
not want to pay for the surgery and that's why TARA got them. We also found
out that the man who had them had thrown them against the wall and that his
mother had relinquished them because of the abuse.
For TARA there was no option but to help Gaby, no matter what the cost. She
underwent surgery on Sunday, June 17th, at the Arizona Bird Clinic. It took
over 30 stitches and numerous staples to close her wound. Although she
threw up for the first day, she was eating ravenously the next day and has not
touched the wound. We had to keep Gaby from flapping so she and Basil were put
in separate cages across from each other. We also had to medicate Basil for
a resistant klebsiella infection, and while shots were easier than oral
medication, toweling him was an ordeal for everyone. Gaby, on the other hand,
would just sit in her cage and wait for the towel and shot.
Gaby is recovering from surgery well although the closed wound has gaped in
the front where there was not enough skin and she may require future surgery.
She remains as sweet as ever and loves head scritches from anyone. Basil
remains suspicious and afraid.
Please help Gaby with a donation to her medical expense fund-even $10 can
add up if enough people donate. We have Gaby's "before" picture and it is not
pretty. She has suffered considerably at the hands of her previous owner but
she is now on the road to health. Once her wound is healed, both she and
Basil will be available for adoption and they would like to stay together (Gaby
"cries" when we towel Basil but not when we towel her).
Send donations to "Gaby's Fund," care of TARA, PO Box 36984, Tucson, AZ
85704. On behalf of Gaby, TARA thanks you.
