Our Flock |
 Willy |
 Petey |
 Jeri |
 Luna |
 Eegy |
Welcome to Willy's Mission!
Now that some of the legal BS is done, I'll explain what this site is about. A few years ago, a new girlfriend introduced me to the world of companion birds. In addition to getting to know her cockatiels, Petey and Jeri, she was responsible for bringing Willy into my life. Willy was a 20-something, wild-caught Mitred Conure who had been through two other owners. I had hoped for along friendship, but six months later, Willy died, most likely of stress, when I took him to what was probably the first vet visit of his life. I blame myself for not understanding or knowing enough about parrots. His death left a hole in my life, and I was determined to make his life and death mean something. Since I have been playing around with creating websites for over 10 years, I decided I could help further the interests of companion birds by telling my story and providing a place where a prospective or new bird owner could begin to get the education I lacked. I could also stress the importance of understanding the incredible responsibility as well as the incredible joy of companion birds. I have been visiting websites, reading books, watching DVDs, attending workshops, visiting rescues, breeders, and pet stores, and while I know more than someone who knows nothing, I do not consider myself even marginally knowledgable. There is always more to learn and always more being discovered. My advice for getting the most out of this site is to visit as many sites as possible, compare the knowledge, consider the sources, and consult true "experts" with questions that those sites generate. Who is an expert? That is a good question for which I am still searching for a comfortable answer for myself. Another aspect of "Willy's Mission" has been searching for a more active way to help birds, parrots in particular. I was looking into becoming a Veterinary Technician, with the possibility of eventually becoming an Avian Veterinarian, and then realized I probably do not have the personality to handle dealing with any animals in pain. Psychology is a passion of mine, and I have an interest in Parrot Behavior, but I lack the biological and animal sciences background. After some research, I realized I would have to start at square one, and I do not have the patience to take a bunch of general education requirements that I felt were generally useless to me the first time I worked toward a bachelor's degree. While I feel like my search was fruitless for me, the websites I discovered may be useful for others, so I have a section for people who are thinking about avian-related careers. I also have sections for donating and volunteering. Unfortunately, the nearest avian-related organizations are hours away from me, so I don't have much opportunity to volunteer. I drive over 3 hours just to get to parrot education classes in Pittsburgh when I can (perhaps 2 or 3 per year, but none yet in 2009). I donate to a parrot rescue, $25 a month for each of two birds at Feathered Friends Forever in Harlem, Georgia. I visited the rescue a couple months after Willy died. I have also made sporadic donations to World Parrot Trust, the National Aviary, and other bird organizations. I think it is good to visit a place if you are going to give money to it. Some places are a sham, so it is good to know what a place and its people are like. I feel good about my support of FFF. My final section is my personal section. I share my thoughts, opinions, photos of my flock and other animals I encounter, and since I got my videocamera, I have videos too. If I had time and connections, I would love to do some articles or video interviews to add to the site. Willy's Mission is on MySpace. I blog there a little, either about our flock or about bird sightings. I hope you find the site informational and entertaining. Thank you for visiting! Will Hays Webmaster and owner of Willy's Mission |
| Some Good Parrot Charities |
| Feathered Friends Forever |
| Garuda Aviary |
| Oasis Sanctuary |
| Parrot Education & Adoption Center Anchorage, Alaska Cleveland, Ohio Pittsburgh, PA San Diego, CA |
| Phoenix Landing |
| Wilson Parrot Foundation |
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