Sanctuary for exotic birds seeking new home

Yumimi Pang, The Province
Published: Sunday, June 18, 2006

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."