As a rescue organization, we hear the below comment from tentative parrot Adopters all the time:

  "I want to adopt a parrot rather than buying a parrot from a pet shop". 

But do you really understand the difference between ADOPTING AND BUYING that pet?  We have tried to clarify these two options on this page.

ADOPT A PARROT     

The term “adopting” refers to obtaining a parrot from a rescue person or rescue organization.  If you are dealing with a pet shop or a private person selling one pet, you are in all actuality “purchasing” that pet.  

Technically,  a genuine rescue organization does NOT  “sell”  you a Parrot.  They will "adopt" the bird to you following these guidelines:     

 (1)  A rescue organization will screen all possible Adopters FIRST before granting one adoption rights. We note below the sample ADOPTION process to expect:

  a.  There will be an Application or a Questionnaire for you to fill in, there may be a home visit, email, or phone calls to ask you questions about yourself, your family, and your parrot experience.  

  b.  You will need to wait for approval of your Application.   After approval, you meet the bird, fill in the Adoption Contract, pay your rehoming fee, and the bird is yours.

(2)   As an extra step, A-Parrot to A-Flamingo Rescue sometimes requires a proof receipt copy to prove you owned a parrot in the recent past.  Not all rescue organizations will do this.  It is their option.  Since this is the Internet, this is just a way to make sure one is experienced in parrot ownership.  

(3)  Rescuing live animals involves buying food for the animals.  Feed bills are a continual expense for birds on hand and future birds coming in.  So a reasonable rehoming fee is to be expected.

(4)  To be approved for adopting, the tentative Adopter will need to go thru the organization's adoption process.  

Congratulations!  You have just ADOPTED a bird.  You have just followed thru with your wish “to adopt, and not purchase a bird, parrot or a pet”

(5)  Rescue organizations will also give you more honest and accurate background info on the bird and will give you the rescue's further observations while the bird is in their care.  Also, the bird is usually put on a better diet and  handled or tamed a little for you.

 Next Choice:

If you are not a patient person, if you expect to get a Parrot right away, or if you have never owned a Parrot before, then you can make the choice below:

BUY A PARROT 

You go to a pet shop, bird breeder, or a private person

(1)   You pick out the bird you want and give the person or pet shop your money the same day.  

(2)  You walk out with the bird immediately. You may or may not even get a receipt. 

(3)  When money changes hands and you personally are not checked out as a good potential pet owner, you have just “purchased” your pet.  You have not "adopted" that pet.

(4)   Note:  It is now common for Pet Shops to say that one is "adopting" the animal or bird from them.  This is totally misleading and incorrect. You are really buying that bird --  whether it is a baby or an adult bird, or one turned over to them that they are reselling to you. 

(5)  Sellers and pet shops rarely question you in detail before selling that bird to you, nor is there an Application for you to fill in which will need to be approved first.  Money crosses hands when you walk in the door, and the parrot is yours.  Easy.  But, you have in all reality  purchased that parrot or pet, NOT adopted it. 

A NOTE ABOUT PRIVATE SELLERS:

If you want to get a bird at a bird show or get a bird off of Craiglist:   

Private owners will sometimes claim to be "adopting" a parrot to you.  They may even give you a big sob story as to the bird's background.  It may be true, but then it may not be.   Purchasing a pet off of Craigslist could possibly mean not  getting accurate info about the pet’s background either.  Private people do fib in order to get rid of animals they do not want.  Buyer beware.

Also, Craigslist calls all purchases of animals on their site "adopting" which is totally inaccurate.  You are really buying pets off of that site no matter how much you are paying for the animal.

Summary:  All parrots deserve good homes, so choose your method.  But do not be fooled into thinking that you are "adopting"  if you are getting the bird anywhere else than from a parrot rescue person or parrot rescue organization.

Fran Filak, Author, Director, A-Parrot to A-Flamingo, Inc., Parrot Rescue

1/23/24