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In The Media
Sanctuary for exotic birds seeking
new home
The Province, 18 June 2006, Yumimi
Pang
Feathers are going to fly if the Greyhaven Exotic Bird
Sanctuary in Surrey can't find a new location soon -- leaving
about 45 birds without an avian abode.
"The building that we're in is being sold. The way things move,
it could be any time," says Robin Fiorese, Greyhaven's director
of communications.
The volunteer-run organization provides adoption services for
birds ranging from cockatiels to macaws.
Forty-five birds are awaiting adoption at the 55-square-metre
sanctuary and another 40 are in foster homes.
Greyhaven also has a few resident birds like Spook, a one-eyed
Patagonian Conure.
So far this year, 65 birds were adopted. Last year, homes were
found for 136.
Right now, Fiorese thinks that putting a mobile building on a
chunk of farmland may be the cheapest way for the registered
non-profit group to relocate.
They've received a couple of offers from places like Mission,
but that's too far away. The group wants to be close to major
bus routes so that it's accessible to the public.
"We want people to come to us, not just for the attraction of
birds but for education," says Fiorese.
Fiorese says that if Greyhaven can't find a new location before
the building is sold, they will rely on the support of their 60
volunteers to take the birds into their homes.
"But we wouldn't want to abuse them to the point that they
wouldn't want to volunteer anymore. It's a pretty big
responsibility," she says.
"We're just hoping that someone's going to look out for us."
E-mail:
info@greyhaven.bc.ca |