Mission Statement
As an exotic bird sanctuary, Free Flight's mission is to:
SHELTER unwanted parrots in a safe, enriching, tropical habitat
NURTURE the birds through socialization to ensure quality of life and the possibility of Adoption
EDUCATE the community at large by being a resource center that provides programs for all ages and abilities
ADVOCATE compassion, respect, conservation, knowledge and love of birds
CELEBRATE the human-animal bond in diverse lifelong pursuits
Description
Free Flight is an open sanctuary that takes in unwanted parrots and helps to rehabilitate them, if necessary. This entails providing all the basic needs of the birds, specifically:
1. Housing and shelter
2. Nutrition
3. Exercise
4. Socialization
5. Mental stimulation
6. Grooming
7. Uninterrupted sleep
8. Medical intervention, as needed
The first four items listed use most of our limited resources. Our mornings are focused on cleaning the indoor cage room - dropping tray paper is removed and replaced; food and water bowls are emptied and cleaned with 2 cleaning fluids; the flooring is cleaned and the cage interiors are cleaned of food and toy debris.
The nutrional needs are met by dispensing a balanced diet of seed mix, protein pellets, nuts, fruit and vegetables - dispensed every afternoon.
There is also a social aspect to the sanctuary in that we're open to the public so that they can help socialize our birds. This entails greeting the visitors at the door and giving them basic information about the sanctuary, how to handle the birds and special instructions for children.
We provide chopped fruit and vegetables for visitors to purchase to feed to the birds during the day. This requires our resources to cut up the produce freshly each morning.
Other daily priorities include:
Raking the yard
Sweeping concrete surfaces
Watering
Placing Free Flight items on a countertop for the public
Placing water bowls on perches and in cages for the birds outside
Spraying the birds with water on warmer days
Cleaning outdoor bowls with a disinfectant
Docent work for the visitors
Outreach opportunities (ex., schools, senior centers, community events)
Poster placements
Fundraising opportunities
Educational programs for children
