-How do you evacuate and travel with your bird through all of the
smoke? The primary concern is the
physical safety of the bird. If you have no other choice but to place
its carrier in an open vehicle such as a pickup truck, have a fire
retardant or resistant tarp and bungee cords available to completely
enclose the carrier. (see section below on protecting from smoke and
ash). Do not drive at excessive speeds that may cause the carrier to be
upset or the tarp to torn away. KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE MAJOR FIRES ARE
USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY HIGH TEMPERATURES. CAREFULLY MONITOR THE BIRDS
BREATHING AND TAKE STEPS TO KEEP THE BIRD AS COOL AS POSSIBLE (see
section below on protecting from smoke and ash).
-What should you do if you have been evacuated?
There are several answers to this
question. First of all, the preferable choice would be to have a friend
or relative, whose home is away from the smoke and fire, to be able to
stay with. Secondly, obey all "voluntary" AND "mandatory" evacuation
orders and proceed to the designated public shelters that have been set
up for the fire evacuees. If possible, and their is no immediate place
available for your bird to escape the smoke and ash, be prepared with
the location and phone number of a business, rescue or sanctuary that is
prepared to help
in such emergencies. Keep in mind that, while we are addressing this is
terms of fires, these same rules apply to other catastrophes such as
floods, earthquakes, etc.
-What can people do to protect their birds from the smoke and
ash in the air in their homes? This may
seem like a small relief, but close all doors and windows and provide
exhaust fans in rooms where birds are located. My suggestion, both for
evacuation and remaining in the home, is to place the bird in an
adequate or larger carrier and cover it with a fairly damp towel. This
principle should also be applied during the evacuation process when
transporting your bird(s) by car or pickup truck. The earlier
recommended pail or bucket of clean water is for keeping the towels wet
so as to filter out the smoke and ash and also keep the birds as cool as
possible.
-What will the smoke and ash do to the bird’s health? How is this
affecting the birds? While there may seem
to be an obvious answer to this, be aware that the respiratory system of
exotic birds are very delicate. It is highly possible that a bird that
inhales an excessive amount of smoke and ash could succumb to this. It
is equally important to recognize that damage to the respiratory system
could lead to other related problems soon after the smoke and ash has
gone. Always seek the advice of a veterinarian who specializes in avian
medicine for any questions or recommendations.
-Do you know of any places that are helping to board birds in the
southern California area? As is the
ongoing plight of the parrot community, 99% of the attention is toward
dogs, cats and farm animals. There are very few places that can take in
parrots. The
Lily Sanctuary, situated in Westminster, California, is always
put on readiness to assist in these disaster situations and has an
emergency rescue number of 714-955-9584 or 714-531-3141. Also, contact
any and all bird chat lines and groups as there are many people who will
open up their homes to provide shelter for parrots in times like this.
