Running head: AVIAN SHELTER PROJECT

Avian Shelter Project

Rhonda LaBelle
Tarleton State University

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Abstract

It is difficult to accurately determine the exact number of parrots kept as pets in American
households. A 1998 report estimated pet birds ranked fourth in popularity as companion animals,
after dogs, cats, and fish (Engebretson, 2006). Unfortunately, the ever-increasing popularity of
pet parrots has resulted in a huge number of well-intentioned pet owners discovering that parrots
are not what they expected. Engebretson (2006) reports the lack of interest in or commitment to
providing specialized care for a long-lived species may also contribute to pet birds being
acquired and resold, given away or abandoned at some time in their lives. An unfortunate
consequence of this transient ownership is an increased need for shelters and sanctuaries to care
for surrendered, displaced, and abandoned parrots.
Keywords: shelters, sanctuaries, parrots, pet birds, companion animals

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Avian Shelter Project

Designing a shelter than is avian-specific in nature proved a challenge. Standard

sanitation protocols utilized for dog-and-cat shelters are easily transferred to avian species.
Quarantine procedures, however, required some modification which is discussed in the avian
shelter Intake Plan. The Avian Welfare Coalition (AWC) operates a Shelter Outreach Program
that provides assistance to animal control and shelter organizations. AWC publishes a handbook
entitled Captive Exotic Bird Care: A Guide for Shelters, which is available for purchase through
their website (www.avianwelfare.org). Also available for download from the AWC website, a
free series of How To guides for bird shelters and avian care facilities.
Housing Style and Materials
Building materials must be easily disinfected and resistant to damage by powerful beaks.
To satisfy these requirements, the avian shelter is designed using a cinderblock wall construction
on top of a concrete slab foundation. For aesthetic appeal, the concrete floor is stained in an
attractive pattern, and the cinderblock walls are painted. Parrots are housed in appropriately sized
commercially available bird cages.
The Avian Welfare Coalition recommends bird cages large enough for all birds to
spread and flap their wings in all directions; jump from one perch to another; climb the bars of
the cage; and play with toys (Engebretson, 2012). Small birds (less than 75 grams) need at least
one square foot of space. Cages for medium-sized birds (75 200 grams) should measure at least
1.5 square feet. Large birds such as African greys, cockatoos, amazons and macaws require
caging that is at least one and a half times the wing span of the bird, in all directions
(Engebretson, 2012). This shelter exceeds these minimum space requirements. Small to medium-

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sized bird caging measures 24W x 12D x 18H (three cubic feet), and large bird caging
measures 36W x 24D x 36H (18 cubic feet).
The concrete slab foundation continues to the flight aviaries, where the walls consist of
metal aviary mesh (of species appropriate size) built on top of three-foot cinderblock walls. The
aviary mesh continues across the top of the flight, above which a slanted metal roof is
constructed to protect the parrots from the elements. Both the cinderblocks and concrete slab are
porous materials so a sealant must be applied to keep moisture, bacteria, fungi, and other
pathogens from harboring in the materials. Quarantine, isolation and resident housing areas
operate on separate HVAC systems. All areas utilize HEPA filters to reduce dust and dander
circulation. Additionally, duct mounted ultraviolet (UV) light air purifiers are installed in every
area of the facility to kill circulating bacteria, viruses, and fungal spores (HVAC Duct Mounted
UV Air Purifier Systems, n.d.).
The floor plan (Appendix A) provides for good pathogen control. Separate hallway areas,
with doors to restrict air flow and traffic, reduce opportunities for fomite spread of disease
(Pilney, 2012). The veterinary surgery area has access doors from the Intake area and quarantine
hall, as well as the Adoption and Education Center. This multi-point access keeps healthy birds
from entering the quarantine area without cause. The isolation area is at the far end of the
quarantine hall and is constructed with a small area where gowns and protective clothing may be
stored. The isolation area and quarantine rooms each have separate cleaning areas where food
and water bowls may be cleaned and disinfected. A 3D mock-up of the entire facility is found in
Appendix B (view from the front) and Appendix c (view from the back).

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Intake Plan

Providing housing for parrots from varying backgrounds, and unknown health histories,
requires a more complex intake process than is typically performed with dogs and cats. There are
a number of infectious diseases that birds may carry asymptomatically. Diagnostics may detect
some diseases (ie: chlamydophila, psittacine beak and feather disease, avian herpes virus), but no
reliable tests are available for other diseases which can be of significant concern (ie: avian
bornavirus, avian tuberculosis). The fact is: every new bird is a potential danger to the birds in
the shelter. Because it is extremely difficult to determine the true health of a bird at intake, a
60-day quarantine period is necessary (Pilney, 2012). Quarantining birds individually is not a
practical solution in a shelter environment, so a staged quarantine addresses this challenge. A
staged quarantine involves moving groups of birds, as a single unit, through three different
quarantine areas.
In this shelter plan, birds enter the shelter through the Avian Intake area. Once a history is
obtained (if available), they move to the Veterinary Surgery area for testing. Here, a complete
blood count, chemistry panel, intestinal parasite exam, and avian disease testing is performed.
The birds are then housed in individual cages in Quarantine 1 (Q1). Q1 capacity is seven large
birds (250 grams and up) and eight smaller species (four double-stack cages). Birds in Q1 remain
in this area for a minimum of 20 days after the last bird is admitted.
If a disease diagnostic test result is positive, that bird will be moved to Isolation (I1, I2,
or I3) for treatment. Each isolation area has the capacity to hold up to four birds being treated for
the same pathogen (two large and one small double-stack cage). Once a bird has completed
treatment in Isolation, and is cleared to continue quarantine, that bird will return to Q1 to resume
quarantine.

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Healthy birds will move as a group from Q1 through Q3 in a minimum of 60 days (20
days in each quarantine area). Quarantine 2 (Q2) and Quarantine 3 (Q3) have a total housing
capacity of 15 birds each. At the completion of the quarantine period, the larger birds will be
separated into Old World and New World species and moved to individual caging in those areas
(OWSC, NWSC). The housing capacity of OWSC and NWSC is 20 birds (ten double-stack
cages). These birds are provided daily flight time (ten birds at a time) in their respective Large
Bird Flight areas. Smaller birds (less than 250 grams) coming out of Q3 are moved to the Small
Bird Flights (SBF). These flights are designed for continuous housing until birds are placed in
foster homes or adopted. Birds are separated by size and temperament and placed in one of the
three SBFs. Housing capacity in the SMBs is dependent upon the size of birds in the flight. As a
result, capacity is flexible but is capped at 25 birds per flight.
The following graph summarizes maximum shelter capacity.
Shelter Area
Quarantine 1
Quarantine 2
Quarantine 3
Isolation 1
Isolation 2
Isolation 3
Old World Species
New World Species
Small Bird Flight 1
Small Bird Flight 2
Small Bird Flight 3
Total Capacity

Units
11
11
11
4
4
4
10
10
1
1
1
68

Large Birds
7
7
7
2
2
2
10
10

47

Small Birds
8
8
8
2
2
2
25
25
25
105

152

While this shelters capacity seems to be quite large, the potential need for long-term
housing is a definite concern. Parrots are not a typical companion animal; they have very
specific dietary, environmental, and social needs. Additionally, many species have potential

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lifespans from 30 50 years. Careful screening of adoption applicants is essential to reduce the
likelihood that adopted birds will be returned to the shelter because it was not a good fit.

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References

Engebretson, M. (2006). The welfare and sustainability of parrots as companion animals: a

review. Animal Welfare, 15: 263 276. Retrieved from http://www.avianwelfare.org/
issues/WelfareAndSuitabilityOfExoticBirds-1.pdf.
Engebretson, M. (2012). Housing for Birds. Web. Avian Welfare Coalition.org. Retrieved from
http://www.avianwelfare.org/shelters/pdf/NBD_shelters_housing_birds.pdf.
HVAC Duct Mounted UV Air Purifier Systems (n.d.) Web. AirPurifiersandCleaners.com.
Retrieved from http://www.airpurifiersandcleaners.com/hvac-duct-mounted-uv-aircleaner-systems.
Pilney, A. (2012). Protecting Birds in the Shelter through Quarantine. Web. Avian Welfare
Coalition.org. Retrieved from http://www.avianwelfare.org/issues/sheltering.htm.
The Avian Welfare Coalition (n.d.). AWC Shelter Outreach Program. Retrieved from
http://www.avianwelfare.org/shelter_outreach.htm.

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Appendix A

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Appendix B

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Appendix C