July 2014

Dear Humans, Elephants and Birds,
 
It is that time of year again, the time when we proudly look at the accomplishments that we, as a club, have done for the past 28 years.  Twenty eight years is a long time and our little Catskill Exotic Bird Club has been around all that time and is still going strong.  Schools, hospitals, neighborhood facilities, social groups and other organizations have all felt our influence of being kind to birds and teaching all about them. their humane and loving care in captivity and their plight in the wild.   We have helped bird owners and spread the awareness that there are too many birds being bred for sale by the pet industry and a moratorium on this commercial breeding is necessary until all the birds without homes find good, loving homes that are permanent for them.   This is especially true of birds, size from conures and up.  There are just too many people who buy birds without knowing what kind of responsibility their care entails and that, with birds other than cockatiels and parakeets, bird ownership is a life-long commitment. Would that we could spread the word to be kind to all animals and that every living being has feelings.  (especially elephants)

Our club is special, our humanitarian message is one that makes us who we are .  This is the 28th time we will celebrate together and glory in the knowledge that we are the Catskill Exotic Bird Club and hope to go on for many more years , spreading our important message of kindness and doing the good work we do. This includes finding new homes for the myriad birds that find themselves homeless because they are no longer wanted. There are so many unwanted birds and so many adoptions necessary.  I still have many cockatiels I talked about for adoption; let me know if you want some.
 
On the home front, Aristophanes, my redoubtable scarlet macaw 21, is still allergy free and happy living outside his cage.  Emma (Emmet), my yellow naped Amazon, 36 years old and  still needs to be supervised very carefully so that he does not eat my house and everything in it and Zeke, my 20 year old cockatiel is a still a happy boy as he navigates the various rooms of the house.  I will always maintain that a parrot locked in a cage 24 hours a day is a prisoner, not a pet.  Please make you parrot or parrot type bird a member of your family and love him/her as such.
 
I always try to get a memorable program for our anniversary.  Tonight we are privileged to see and hear something very special:  Daria Feinstein, from Florida, is going to present a multi media presentation on the WILD PARROTS OF MIAMI.  Daria made a special trip, coming all the way up here despite illness, to do this wonderful program for us.  She has to be a very special person and  and we cannot thank her enough.
Next month, Craig Russell, the president of the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities is coming back to us to present a program on rare chickens and what is happening to them in our world of ever growing factory farming.
 
Now I need more programs for our wonderful club.  Like I have said so many times before, I have no shame; I will call anyone that will present an interesting program for us.  Just give me the names and phone numbers of the people you would like to hear and I will contact them.
 
Have the best evening, enjoy every moment of celebrating together and, of course, have the greatest anniversary yet............and many, many more, at least another 28 years.
 
With love,

 
Richie