WHAT CAN
YOU DO
Are you interested in volunteering and getting involved in our mission?
Every bit
HELPS
As we grow each year our need for community support increases. There are a number of ways you can help. If you are interested in any way shape or form with what is listed below shoot our volunteer coordinator an email at amywithgoodcaws@outlook.com
Pick Ups
We get calls constantly to pick up birds and honestly we can't do it alone. Luckily a lot of citizens who find a bird are able to drop off but this is not always the case and we need to organize a ride. For this we need people who can drive and don't mind being available on an "on call" basis.
Baby Birds
In the spring we receive an overwhelming amount of calls to take in babies. The younger they are the more fragile they are and around the clock care is needed. Volunteers looking to help with these cases must go through a trial period and not be afraid to clean up cages. It isn't all fun and games playing with baby birds but someones got to do it.
Veterinarian Aid
Currently we only have one person available to take birds into the vet. This often causes it take longer for the birds to get help, so we are in search for volunteers who would be available weekday afternoons. This often may not be a happy visits so applicants must be prepared to live with a broken heart.
Fundraising
We are constantly trying to fundraise! We are not government funded and run solely on donations and volunteers. Anyone with experience, ideas or drive to help would be greatly appreciated.
Man Power
We are constantly expanding our services and programs and that means we are always building something. Anyone willing to volunteer one day every so often to help us build and maintain our facility are welcome.
Donations
We are always in need of certain things such as eggs, gloves, puppy pads, old towels, shavings, or even freezer burnt meat (just no fish, who would have guessed the ravens would be so picky.) If you'd like to donate items like these let us know!
What can you do around your home to help protect our feathered friends?
Do you own a cat?
Even if you can't help directly with the rescue we'd love to encourage you to keep your cat indoors. Cats have contributed to 23 species of birds going extinct, 100 million bird deaths in North America each year and are one of the top causes of injured birds who come into the facility. Did you know cat saliva is toxic and fatal to birds? Cats will often play and torment their prey and then leave it to die slowly when they loose interest. Even when we get these cases brought into our care there is not a lot we can do as the saliva is a slow killer. Cats are also not local to our ecosystem (invasive species) and the city even passed a bylaw requiring residents to keep their cats indoors although it is not well enforced. Keeping your cat indoors also helps protect your fur baby. It is not uncommon for cats to become prey themselves to larger predators or in some cases taken by citizens who become fed up when your pet uses their yard as a litter box. Lots of people do not know these facts and we feel knowledge could change peoples views on how we care for our pets and our local wildlife.
Do your windows cause bird fatalities?
Window hits are often fatal to the birds who mistake them as a tree or the sky. If you have a window you suspect is this silent killer go outside and look at the window from the yard. if you can see the reflection of trees, branches or the sky, birds will also see this and mistake it for something it is not. So what can you do about it? There are a number of options. You can get window clings which are basically stickers. There is a film you can get for your window which will stop it from reflecting what's outside.
Do you use netting in your garden or fake spider webs outside for Halloween?
These types of outdoor accessories a real nightmare for not only our feathered friends but all local wildlife. Birds and small critters get trapped and can't free themselves. It can also be a nightmare to take down specifically the Halloween webbing. Please consider other alternatives around your home.
Prospecting Volunteers
Please contact our volunteer coordinator Amy at amywithgoodcaws@outlook.com