By Teresa (Terry) Whatley | Founder / Director
We are often asked how Avian Underdogs Rescue Association came to be, and the answer to that question is a bit lengthy and a bit complicated, but we will attempt to cut to the chase in this report covering some of our 25 year history of rescuing birds.
Avian Underdogs Rescue Association (AURA) was formed in 2016 and received our 501 (c)(3) nonprofit approval from the IRS in June of that year. Prior to 2016, the rescue was called Village Pond Rescue and Rehabilitation (VPRR) and was a sole proprietorship that was funded out of the personal pockets of myself, a few friends and volunteers, and the scant donations we received from members of the public who brought birds to us.
One fateful day in 1998, I decided take a walk around a duck pond that had existed for decades and was then part of a city park. To my horror, there were many, many domestic ducks and geese there as well as the to be expected wild waterfowl. Sadly, many of the birds were entangled in fishing line, had fishing hooks embedded in their bodies, and one goose had a huge growth on the bottom of one eye that was so heavy that it was pulling the skin around the eye down. Well, Lucy, the goose, was my first bird rescue. I somehow managed to summon the courage to pick her up and get her in a large crate, and off to the veterinary clinic we went. Lucy’s growth was successfully surgically removed, and she healed beautifully. VPRR went on to rescue many, many hundreds of domestic ducks and geese that had been abandoned at lakes and ponds in the area for the next 15 years. We had to quit rescuing waterfowl in 2013 when our partner, who lived in a bird and animal friendly city where waterfowl could be legally kept, passed away. Please never release a domestic duck or goose to fend for themselves. They can’t fend for themselves, are constantly in danger, constantly fed inappropriate food, and many domestics cannot fly, so they can never leave where they were dumped.
Within a few months, people were calling us to help with domestic and feral pigeons and non-native doves that were sick, injured, or orphaned. So, we added pigeons and doves to our list of birds that we accepted for rehabilitation and/or rehoming.
Next came the non-native species of wild birds such as English House Sparrows, European Starlings, Japanese White Eyes, Pin-tailed Whydahs, and Nutmeg Mannikins. These non-native birds are not accepted by most state and federally permitted wildlife facilities, and thus have nowhere to be taken for help when they need it. Yes, we added all these non-native species to the list of birds that we take in.
In the same time frame when we began accepting doves, pigeons, and non-native wild birds, we were discovered by kind people who had found an escaped pet bird such as a parakeet, lovebird, or cockatiel. Yes, we started taking them in also.
Funding by this time was impossible to sustain from personal sources, and AURA was formed. With the formation of AURA, we started accepting medium to large species of parrots for rehoming. Can I just say “STICKER SHOCK”? Oh my! Veterinary expenses for these larger hook bills have been STAGGERING! They are also very expensive to house and to feed!
So from our humble beginnings with Lucy, the goose, we’ve come a long way and now routinely assist 800-1000 birds a year. We could not do this without your help and cannot continue without your help. While veterinary services remain our single biggest expense, we are going to need to invest in some mundane things like a proper storage shed which will be expensive. You will likely see the storage shed as a new project in 2023.
We are very grateful for your help and look forward to your continued support! Thank you!
By Teresa (Terry) Whatley | Founder / Director
By Teresa (Terry) Whatley | Founder / Director
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