Important Update on Parrots at Kellenberg

jenphilly said:

Okay, I'll be the problem child, feel free to yell at me... but this isn't just one photo... and while I can appreciate someone who we think may be in a position of knowledge and/or authority has given us a don't worry about it, are there photos to prove their statements?

As far as positive interaction, does this other video on youtube seem positive to you?

birds fighting at kellenberg - YouTube

Granted it was uploaded in 2008, but comments from 2011 indicate they have 'soooo many animals its not even funny'.

Don't mean to be the doubter of the group, but ironically my daughter read the book by Stanley Milgram, Obedience to Authority and that was the first thing she commented on as well. Are we all so willing to ignore what we've seen with our own eyes because one person in a phone call says its been taken care of and we're all misinformed... Maybe we are misinformed on how these birds are living TODAY, but prove it to me, call me cynical.

Go ahead, feel free to give me heck and tell me to go mind my own birds, I'm tough, I can take it But never been one to blindly follow the pack off the cliff...

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November 26, 2013

To Whom It May Concern,

1) Recently someone entered our school and took a photo in our lobby. This was a violation of privacy. That person then proceeded to defuse this photo from South Africa to Australia. Another violation of privacy.

2) Fortunately, some of the blogs, generated by this situation, indicated one should not rush to conclusions since no one knows exactly what the full story is about this bird. Unfortunately, other bloggers vented a great deal of unwarranted emotion, even to the point of cyberbullying.

3) The facts of the matter are as follows:

a) KMHS, as part of its educational process, has a collection of various animals for the education of the student body. These consist of dogs, cats, turtles, fish, chinchillas, rabbits, and a variety of birds, etc.

b) There is a full-time individual who takes care of these animals, maintaining their health, nourishment, and their fluids.

c) What is most important is that the majority of these animals are “rescue” animals. They belonged to various families who no longer can take care of them, do not take care of them, or just do not want them. We have become known to be a refuge for many birds.

d) The bird in question is a “Moluccan Cockatoo” by the name of “Kaboodle.” He was a rescue bird given to us five years ago in the condition that you saw in this small photograph. The habits that he exhibited or which are imagined, were developed long before we rescued him.​

4) This is not the first time that someone came into our building unauthorized and proceeded to raise a rumpus about our birds in particular. Ms. Lanette Raymond, Ph.d., President of the Long Island Parrots Society, received this complaint two years ago. She has come to the school three different times, and has examined the birds care and the people who care for these animals. We are enclosing a copy of the letter from Ms. Raymond. You will notice that she has done a full investigation. Please note the following words of Miss Raymond:

The birds at Kellenberg Memorial High School were all
relinquished to the school by owners who could no
longer care for their birds and the average observer may
not imagine the conditions these birds survived in previous
homes. ​

Ms. Raymond indicates that there are competent people to take care of these Avian refugees and that their care has been discussed with different competent personnel, both with the Long Island Parrots Society and with other veterinarians.

5) As indicated above, these animals add a great deal to the life of the school. We train students how to care for them properly and to learn about their living habits. This “hands-on” education is a major part of these students= experience at Kellenberg Memorial High School. Our development of this “zoo” has been experienced by many thousands of people who consider this a valued part of education, especially for those children who have not had any experience with the variety of animal life. They have also been written about in local papers. We have a number of parents who are very sensitive to animals, particularly to birds (and that is why we receive so many “rescues.”) If there were any neglect, these people would be the first to object. Moreover, it would be counter to the very reason we have them in the school.

6) As an aside, the blogger who suggested bullying tactics, indicated that, as a private school, our tuition was “prohibitive” and therefore we could be threatened financially. Let it be known that our cost per student is the lowest of any private high school in the Tri-State Metropolitan area. Our cost per student is one-third of the public school cost per student.


Sincerely,
Bro. Roger Poletti, S.M.
Assistant Principal for Activities

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Hi (party’s name),

My name is Lanette and I am the President of the Long Island Parrot Society.

I appreciate your willingness to inquire about the wellbeing of parrots that you observe. You are not the first to ask about the care of the birds at Kellenberg. I made the acquaintance of Brother Roger, at Kellenberg, several years ago in response to a similar inquiry. Among his varied academic, administrative, and spiritual duties, he also supervises the care of the birds at Kellenberg. If you have concerns about specific birds there, I would encourage you to speak directly with him. In the meantime I will write to you a few of my thoughts.

First and foremost, the Parrot Society is not an environmental or policing organization. We are a 5013c organization that focuses on education about parrot ownership and adoptions for parrots who need new homes. It is through these avenues that we hope to have a positive influence on the lives of parrots and parrot people on Long Island.

So, I am going to provide you with some basic information that may help you to better evaluate the quality of care companion birds are receiving. Birds have very different needs from other animals, and some of the criteria for evaluating their conditions may surprise you.

1. Do they receive fresh food and water daily… the absence of food/water is the standard for cruelty. (We refer calls on suspected cruelty to the SPCA).
2. Are they able to change position, stretch their legs and wings… the accommodation of basic movement is important to health and well being.
3. Are they in contact with dangerous materials… wires, lead or zinc metals, poisonous plants or fumes (a list is available on our website: Long Island Parrot Society)

But there are also issues that may give false impression as to the quality of care or the environment.

1. Feather plucking… many birds that are plucked have long term plucking issues that are unrelated to the current environment; the current environment may have lead to improvements in a plucking situation, but follicles that have been destroyed may never re-grow feathers.

2. Glass or plexiglass enclosures… many zoos and sanctuaries, as well as veterinary and home cage environments are largely built of solid materials including glass or Plexiglas. They are easy to clean, they reduce drafts, they buffer noise, and they prevent people from poking fingers and other objects into the enclosure promoting safety for people and parrots.

3. Relative size of enclosures… in a large space such as a school it may be difficult to judge the size of an enclosure. Most of us are accustomed to thinking of cages relative to our home environments, and may misjudge what appears to be a relatively small enclosure in a large-scale setting.

4. Environmental destruction… many parrots consider all aspects of their environment to be potentially “interactive” and they will happily engage in a destructive work–in-progress, and enjoy their progress even as we remark on the ruination.

5. Poop… parrots may poop as often as every 20 minutes. It just happens, and can leave quite a mess in a relatively short time regardless of a daily cleaning schedule.

6. Lighting… parrots do best with 12 hours of relatively bright light. Keep in mind that most parrots evolved in environments that receive 10-14 hours of bright light daily year round. Too little light can be more of a problem than too much, so long as birds get sufficient dark time to sleep 8-12 hours a night.

7. Attention… parrots evolved to live in flocks. They are noisy gregarious birds and generally appreciate noisy gregarious interaction, as long as they can maintain a comfortable interactive space. That said, many individual parrots prefer to watch rather than interact with people, due to poor experiences with people.

Interestingly, the Board of the Long Island Parrot Society was invited to visit Kellenberg a couple of years ago. We remain interested in offering them additional educational resources and information that might benefit the birds in their care and as well as enhancing the educational potential of their “flock”. I personally have spent considerable time with Brother Roger and the parrots in their care discussing each parrot’s story, the care and attention that they receive, and how devoted the kids, teachers, and administration are to these previously homeless, even abused birds. The birds at Kellenberg were all relinquished to the school by owners who could no longer care for their birds, and the average observer may not imagine the conditions these birds survived in previous homes. Of course there are suggestions to be made that will lead to ongoing improvements and enhancements of the birds’ quality of life, as well as the parrot education available to everyone who visits Kellenberg. This is a work in progress. Brother Roger is a lovely man, enthusiastic and willing to talk about the birds. Moreover, he engages in consultation with area zoos, veterinarians, and other animal and avian experts in order to provide appropriate care for his non-human charges.

I have no doubt he would be willing to speak with you. I remain willing to speak with you as well, if you have further concerns or questions.

Best,
Lanette Raymond, PhD
President, Long Island Parrot Society

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