Ruffled Feathers Parrot Sanctuary Inc.

Where Hope Takes Flight

How Adoption Works at Ruffled Feathers Parrot Sanctuary

Adopting a bird from RFPS is not like buying one from a pet store. It is a process, and on purpose.
Every step exists because these birds have already had one home that did not work out. We take that seriously, and we think you will too.
Here is how it works.

Step One — And We Cannot Stress This Enough — Fill Out an Adoption Application

Everything starts here. No exceptions. No shortcuts. No “can I just come look first.”
The application is the foundation of everything we do when it comes to matching birds with people.
Here is why it matters so much.
We read every application carefully. We use it to understand who you are, what your living situation looks like, what experience you have with birds, and what you are genuinely looking for.
We keep every application on file.
And here is the part people really need to hear.
Adopters with an approved application on file always get first pick when a new bird becomes available. Always.
Before we post anything publicly. Before we announce anything on social media. Our approved applicants hear about it first.
If you have been waiting for a specific species, that application is your golden ticket.
Fill it out thoroughly. Take your time with it.
It tells us a lot about how serious you are.
[Start Your Adoption Application Here]

Step Two — Do Your Homework

We expect people who want to adopt a parrot to actually learn about parrots.
Not a five-minute Google search. Real learning.
The species you are interested in has specific needs, specific behaviors, a specific noise level, a specific lifespan, and specific dealbreakers that could make or break the match.
A blue and gold macaw and a cockatiel are not the same animal in any meaningful way.
A cockatoo will emotionally wreck an unprepared household.
We will guide you. We will recommend resources. We will answer every question you have.
But we need to see that you are putting in effort too.
The birds we care for deserve someone who walks in prepared.

Step Three — Come Meet Your Bird

Once your application is approved and we have a potential match, you are coming to the sanctuary.
In person. Every time.
This is non-negotiable, and it is also just common sense.
You need to see how you and the bird interact in real life.
The bird gets a say in this too, whether you realize it or not.
Some birds will lean toward you immediately.
Others will tell you in no uncertain terms that you are not their person.
We pay attention to all of it.
Do not fall in love with a photo.
Come fall in love with the actual animal.

Step Four — The Home Visit

Before any bird leaves with you, we are going to know exactly where it is going.
We do home visits.
We want to see the space, confirm the setup is safe, and make sure the environment you are describing on paper actually matches the environment you are living in.
This is not us being nosy.
This is us doing our jobs.
These birds have already been rehomed at least once. We are not going to rush them into a second mistake.
We will also be taking a look at your social media history and may run a background check.
If you have had pets before, there is a good chance there is a public record of how that went.
We are thorough because we have to be.
Birds live a long time. And they remember everything.

Adoption Fees

Adoption fees help us continue caring for the hundreds of birds that come through our doors every year. Here is our current fee structure:

Species	Adoption Fee
Large macaws and cockatoos	$600
Medium macaws and large Amazons	$400
African greys, medium Amazons, large conures	$300
Caiques, Senegals, Pionus, small-medium parrots	$200
Cockatiels, small conures, lovebirds	$75
Budgies and parakeets	$10

Cages and accessories are often available for separate purchase.
Ask us what we have on hand when you visit.
We put enormous effort into making sure every adoption is the right one.
The right match. The right home. The right fit for the bird.
That effort does not stop on adoption day.
We stay in touch. We answer calls. And we are here if things get complicated down the road.
When you adopt from RFPS, you are not just getting a bird.
You are getting us in your corner for the life of that animal.

Step Five — The Contract

Before your new bird goes home with you, a contract gets signed.
It is straightforward, and it exists for one reason above all others — to protect the bird.
Technically and legally, every bird that leaves Ruffled Feathers Parrot Sanctuary still belongs to us.
We know that sounds like a lot. But here is what it actually means in practice.
It means that bird always has a place to come home to.
It means you are never stuck.
It means that if life changes, if things are not working out, or if the situation shifts in ways nobody predicted, that bird is not left hanging.
You do not get to post it on Craigslist.
You do not get to sell it to a stranger.
You bring it back here — to a place it already knows — where it can decompress and start the process over again with someone better suited.
We are not unreasonable people. We understand that life happens.
If something changes in your household and there is already someone in that bird’s life — a family member, a partner, or a friend the bird already knows and trusts — we are not going to stand in the way of a good transition.
We just ask that the new person come in, meet with us, and sign a new contract.
Same process. Same commitment. Same protection for the bird.
This is not about control.
It is about making sure no bird we have ever cared for ends up in a bad situation with no way out.
Every single bird that has passed through our doors is welcome back here whenever they need to be.
No questions asked. No judgment.
No bird left without a safe place to land.
That is the promise we make to them.
The contract is simply how we put it in writing.

Ready to Start?

Fill out your application today.
Get on file. Get approved.
And the next time the perfect bird comes through our doors, you will be the first to kno
[Adoption Application]