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Hi, I hope I get some responses & opinions. I am doing estate planning for myself ( I am almost 63 & getting things in place early) I have very young parrots, 1 Amazon 12 years old & a BIG handful, (hates all women, except me) 2 African Greys, both will be 18 years old this year....I have NO ONE who can take them, or really wants them.....I dont want them to go to a rescue as there aren't any in my area. It is troublesome for me.....the stress they will go thru, as they are pretty spoiled & set in their ways....... I have a friend who rescues Mccaw's, they are true rescues & not rehome able..She has made arrangements that when she passes, they will be euthanized so as not to go thru the stress of what would become of them. Although I was SHOCKED at her choice when I first heard this.....as time goes on & I have given it alot of thought, it seems best for them. They will never know , they will just go to sleep. Being caged birds, it really is cruel to all parrots as they don't have the benefit of living a fulfilled life like a cat or dog. They are our "slaves" so to speak, in their cages when we say so, out when we allow it. My parrots get out as much as possible when I am not working, they are out, flying freely thru the house, perches EVERWHERE, my house looks like a giant bird cage.... BUT,will they have this if left to another person, ..being separated from each other, living in a new home, new rules, new environment, new routines, new everything, food, treats, new people who handle them in a way they don't know, possibly someone clipping their wings so they never fly again..imagine what all this would do to them physologically..... Yes, I know some parrots will adapt, but with 3,,,I feel they will definitely suffer trauma, quite possibly alot. Then there is the issue of leaving enough funds to care for them..will it go to their care or will the new owners spend it on other things, could another owner have the money needed? All things I am quite concerned over. I owe it to my parrots to give them the best possible life as long as possible. I know I can't control their lives once I am gone..that's the problem, they don't deserve LESS than, & I don't want that for them. they deserve the best life possible as long as they are here, I OWE THEM THAT! So I guess my question is......what is crueler, putting your parrots to sleep upon your death..or the trauma they will go thru as they mourn the loss of their lives & us that love them unconditionable.....as they know it ? Pretty dark & deep, I know

Thanks for posting this. Planning is so crucial. I am blessed to have a local sanctuary where 3 of my flock currently reside. Mine are always happy when I visit, but they tend to fly away from me before I leave -- they have made parrot friends and have their own lives now. They get emotional when I visit, seem so delighted to see me again, but as I mentioned, before I leave, they are already being distracted by their parrot friends who want them to go play, cuddle or what have. Granted mine were well socialized and easily transitioned. It was bittersweet -- I wanted them to be happy, but I suppose selfishly, I also wanted them to really miss me. My sanctuary has many large designated enclosures (well, the place has macaws with other macaws, amazons with other amazons, etc..) Eggs are taken -- no breeding allowed. It's a forever home -- they never adopt out. I also wondered if euthanasia would be best. I knew I didn't want my guys to go into private homes. I couldn't trust someone else to give them the home I'd given them (I had my guys for 20 years). I know people get bored with parrots and parrots are nearly always rehomed many times during their lives. After the novelty wears off, many parrots never get time out of the cage or receive fresh chopped fruits/veggies, rice, noodles, "people food" etc.. Many are lucky if their water is changed regularly, many end up on all seed diets. I just write all this out because it's all our fears, really. I kept my grey though and he is still with me. I only kept my Snickers, CAG, because he is an intense parrot and very attached to me -- had him almost 26 years now. So I do get it. But I admit, now having visited my guys at the sanctuary for 6 years, they also have an excellent grey set up there too (they have 2 huge grey enclosures so that greys who get along well are kept together in one or the other) and all their greys seem happy and active there. Actually, there is a third enclosure (smaller) where a lone grey resides. He was bullied so gets the benefit of being near other greys without having them pick on him, No idea the full story there but he seemed happy (talking, curious, NOT doing repetitive crazy behaviors or feather picking or anything). When I die (or sooner, since I become more disabled by the day) my grey will also go to that sanctuary. I say do your research, make sure it's a place with good back-ups in place, a board of directors, a place that gets lots of funding. I had to pay big bucks to place mine. And if you decide to euthanize instead, well, I get that too. And if you decide on a trust for them, knowing ahead of time who will take them -- I get that too. I was lucky a sanctuary was created just 20 minutes from me. I am in a rural area and so is the sanctuary. The macaw run at mine is 60 feet long. Not the same as free in the wild, but still, they do fly, have lots of fresh healthy stuff to feast on, friends to groom (and be groomed) and have lots of stuff to climb on. The guy who opened mine had macaws and saw a need -- his were the first parrots in the sanctuary -- now it has a staff and 450+ parrots. Don't rule out sanctuaries if one isn't near you -- if you're dead, you wouldn't be able to visit anyway. I am disabled, hence the blessing of placing 3 of my 4 before my death and getting to see them happy and settled. My only goal is my parrots be happy and healthy. But happy most of all. Sorry this is so long. But I've been down this path, and Snickers will also go down this path.

Thank you, all wonderful things to think about. My avian vet retired many years ago..there is no avian vet near me anymore. My vet for my cat & dog doesnt know anyone..I hope & pray in the next 10 or 20 years ( I exoect to be here) God will help me find someone who will love them & do right by them. I intended for my daughter to take them & find homes for them, but she has a rescue dog that attacks birds so they can't go to her for now...in 10 or 20 years, I pray things change..I know I can trust she will do right by them if that means they go to new homes..:/