WOLF RUN WILDLIFE REFUGE
Parrot Adoption Application
Our Goal Is Forever
WOLF RUN WILDLIFE REFUGE
Parrot Adoption Application
Our goal is forever.
Adopting a parrot is a serious, long-term commitment. Depending on the species, a parrot may live 20 to 70+ years. They require daily interaction, enrichment, appropriate housing, a healthy diet, specialized veterinary care, and an adopter who understands that parrots can be loud, destructive, messy, territorial, and capable of delivering serious bites.
Completion of this application does not guarantee adoption. Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge reserves the right to approve or deny any application based on what we believe is in the best interest of the bird.
APPLICANT INFORMATION
Full Name: __________________________________________
Date of Birth: _______________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________
City/State/ZIP: ______________________________________
Phone: _____________________________________________
Email: ______________________________________________
Occupation: _________________________________________
YOUR HOUSEHOLD
Do you:
☐ Own your home
☐ Rent
☐ Other: ______________________
If you rent, does your landlord permit parrots?
☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Not sure
How many adults live in your household? __________
How many children? __________ Ages: __________________
Does everyone in the household agree to adopting a parrot?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Is anyone in the household afraid of birds or uncomfortable handling them?
☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, please explain:
Does anyone in the household smoke or vape indoors?
☐ Yes ☐ No
THE PARROT
Are you applying for a specific bird?
☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, name/species: _________________________________
Why are you interested in adopting this bird or species?
What are you hoping for in a parrot? Check all that apply:
☐ Companion
☐ Talking bird
☐ Bird I can handle
☐ Family pet
☐ Companion for another bird
☐ Educational purposes
☐ Other: ___________________________________________
Are you willing to adopt a bird that may never talk?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Are you willing to adopt a bird that may not enjoy being held or touched?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Are you prepared for the possibility that your parrot may bite?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Are you prepared for daily screaming or other loud vocalizations?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Are you prepared for feathers, food, dust, droppings, chewed belongings and daily cleanup?
☐ Yes ☐ No
PARROT EXPERIENCE
Have you ever owned or cared for a parrot?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Please list the birds you currently own or have owned:
Species: ___________________ Years owned: _____________
What happened to this bird? ___________________________
Species: ___________________ Years owned: _____________
What happened to this bird? ___________________________
Have you ever surrendered, rehomed, sold or given away a bird?
☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, please explain:
Have you ever had a bird escape or become lost?
☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, please explain:
CURRENT ANIMALS
Please list all animals currently living in your home:
Do you have dogs? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Do you have cats? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Do you have other birds? ☐ Yes ☐ No
If you have other birds, are you willing and able to quarantine a newly adopted bird separately before introductions?
☐ Yes ☐ No
HOUSING & DAILY CARE
Where will the parrot's cage be located?
Approximately how many hours each day will the bird be alone? ______
Approximately how many hours of supervised out-of-cage time can you provide daily? ______
Who will be primarily responsible for the bird?
What type/size cage do you plan to use?
What foods do you plan to feed?
How will you provide daily enrichment and opportunities for chewing, climbing, foraging and play?
Where will the bird stay when you travel?
HOME SAFETY
Do you understand that overheated nonstick/PTFE or Teflon-coated cookware and some appliances can produce fumes that can be fatal to birds?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Are you willing to eliminate unsafe products or practices from areas that could expose the bird?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Do you routinely use any of the following inside your home?
☐ Candles
☐ Essential oil diffusers
☐ Aerosol sprays
☐ Plug-in fragrances
☐ Incense
☐ Nonstick cookware
☐ None of these
If checked, please explain how you will protect the bird from exposure:
Do you have ceiling fans? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Are you willing to keep fans off whenever the bird is loose?
☐ Yes ☐ No
VETERINARY CARE
Do you currently have an avian veterinarian?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Veterinarian/Clinic: __________________________________
Phone: _____________________________________________
Are you financially prepared for routine avian examinations, laboratory testing and unexpected emergency veterinary expenses?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Do you agree to obtain veterinary care promptly if the bird becomes ill or injured?
☐ Yes ☐ No
THE HARD QUESTIONS
Parrots sometimes develop difficult behaviors after adoption. Which of the following would cause you to consider returning the bird?
☐ Biting
☐ Screaming
☐ Feather plucking
☐ Destructive behavior
☐ Doesn't talk
☐ Doesn't like me
☐ Doesn't like another household member
☐ Doesn't get along with another pet
☐ Allergies
☐ Moving
☐ Marriage/divorce
☐ Having a baby
☐ Financial difficulties
☐ None of the above
☐ Other: ___________________________________________
What would you do if the bird bonded strongly with another member of your household instead of you?
What would you do if the bird began biting you?
If you move in the future, what arrangements would you make for your parrot?
LONG-TERM PLANNING
Some parrots may outlive their adopters.
Have you considered who would care for this bird if you became seriously ill, disabled or died?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Name/relationship of intended caregiver, if applicable:
Have you discussed this responsibility with that person?
☐ Yes ☐ No
REFERENCES
Personal Reference #1
Name: ______________________________________________
Phone: _____________________________________________
Relationship: ________________________________________
Personal Reference #2
Name: ______________________________________________
Phone: _____________________________________________
Relationship: ________________________________________
ADOPTION CONDITIONS
Please initial each statement:
_____ I understand that Wolf Run cannot guarantee a parrot's temperament, behavior, health, ability to talk, compatibility with other animals, or future behavior.
_____ I understand that a parrot's behavior may change after entering a new environment.
_____ I agree to provide appropriate food, housing, enrichment, social interaction and veterinary care.
_____ I will not breed the adopted parrot.
_____ I will not sell, trade, give away, abandon or otherwise transfer the parrot to another person or organization without first contacting Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge.
_____ If I can no longer properly care for the parrot, I agree to contact Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge regarding its return or placement.
_____ I understand that Wolf Run may request photographs or other reasonable information about the environment where the bird will live before approving the adoption.
_____ I understand that providing false or misleading information on this application may result in denial of adoption.
FINAL QUESTION
Why do you believe your home would be a good forever home for one of Wolf Run's parrots?
CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information provided in this application is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that submitting this application does not guarantee that I will be approved to adopt a parrot from Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge.
Applicant Signature: _________________________________
Date: ______________________________________________
Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge
Saving wildlife and their futures for over forty years.
I would also add a second-stage interview/home-check sheet for Wolf Run staff that applicants never see. That can include red flags, cage evaluation, other-pet safety, avian-vet verification, landlord verification, and a simple Approved / Approved with Conditions / Denied scoring section. It makes choosing between several applicants much easier.
Adopting a parrot is a serious, long-term commitment. Depending on the species, a parrot may live 20 to 70+ years. They require daily interaction, enrichment, appropriate housing, a healthy diet, specialized veterinary care, and an adopter who understands that parrots can be loud, destructive, messy, territorial, and capable of delivering serious bites.
Completion of this application does not guarantee adoption. Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge reserves the right to approve or deny any application based on what we believe is in the best interest of the bird.
IMPORTANT RETURN REQUIREMENT
If at any time, for any reason, you are unable or unwilling to keep or properly care for this parrot, do you agree to return the bird to Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge?
☐ YES ☐ NO
The adopted parrot may NOT be sold, given away, traded, surrendered, abandoned, transferred, or rehomed to another individual, rescue, shelter, sanctuary, or organization. If you can no longer keep the parrot, for any reason and at any time during the bird's lifetime, the parrot must be returned to Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge.
Applicant Initials: __________________
Agreement to this condition is required for adoption.
APPLICANT INFORMATION
Full Name: __________________________________________
Date of Birth: _______________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________
City/State/ZIP: ______________________________________
Phone: _____________________________________________
Email: ______________________________________________
Occupation: _________________________________________
Please print this and send a hard copy to: Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge/Office 499 Bob O Link Dr. Lex. KY. 40503
