Become a Mickaboo Angel!

"Give of yourself as the Angels do and wonderful things will come to you."        - Ramadan  

Mickaboo currently has approximately 300 birds in foster care.  Our first commitment is to these birds and their ongoing care.  For this reason, we need to use our regular donations to maintain a cash reserve for them.  Thanks to Mickaboo's generous supporters, the Angel program has been a huge success.  Our Angels have enabled us to take in over 350 birds since April 2009.  These are birds we would not have been able to help without your generous donations. 

 
Why Become an Angel to a Mickaboo Bird?
 Unfortunately, many of the birds that come into Mickaboo's care have been injured, abused, neglected or are very ill.  As a result, they need medical attention, behavioral training and extra love and nurturing before we can place them in adoptive homes.  These birds are often times considered unadoptable at shelters and by society in general. We believe that every bird deserves a second chance.  We allow each and every one of our birds as much time as they need to find that special adopter who is willing to care for them.  As Mickaboo has grown, and we have taken in more birds, our monthly vet bills have increased significantly, averaging $14,500 per month.
 
We understand that not everyone can foster or adopt a Mickaboo bird, but would still like to help.  Becoming an Angel to a bird in need is the perfect way to do that!   You can help us take in birds from shelters or from private surrenderers who are in a financial crisis.  Your donations to Mickaboo can be directed to care for a particular bird or birds, to help defray the cost of their sometimes astronomical vet bills while they wait for forever homes.
 

Angel Species
When you become a Mickaboo Angel, you are helping us fulfill our commitment to keeping our doors open to ill, injured, abused, neglected and unwanted companion birds in Northern California and beyond.  We invite you to become the species of Mickaboo Angel that suits you best!

• Angel:   Our goal is to have an "endowment" of at least $200 before taking in a new bird. This will help us ensure that we always have sufficient funds to provide basic medical care for the birds already in our care, as well as for new birds we take in. As an Angel you will receive recognition on our website. If a bird is adopted without using your Angel money for vet bills we will shift the money to the next needy bird and let you know which additional bird you have helped us bring in.
  

• Archangel:  Archangels commit to covering the full vet costs required for a new bird to be healthy enough to adopt. As an Archangel you will receive recognition on our website and regular email updates on his/her progress.  

Please email angels@mickaboo.org and tell us what species of Angel you are, which bird you would like to support, and how you would like to be acknowledged on the website:  full name, first name only, first name and last initial.  If you do not want to specify a particular bird to support, you can also request that your donation be used for the bird most in need--we'll let you know which bird we chose.

 Every Bird Gets An Equal Chance

That's the underlying principle of Mickaboo.  Once a bird is in our care, we provide all the medical care s/he requires.  We do not "triage" birds or spend more money on large species than small.  We only euthanize a bird when s/he is suffering without the possibility of recovery.  We provide hospice care for terminally ill birds who are not suffering. Since we do not have paid employees, you can be sure that your donation goes directly to the birds.  Donations are 100% tax deductible.  A receipt will be mailed to all donors.

A special "Thank you" to PAWS for SJACS for their financial assistance for SJACS birds' medical bills, along with donations of food, toys, and crates when available.

Birds Waiting to be Matched with an Angel

Date	Species	Name of Bird	Current Situation
08/14/10	Budgie	Sparrow	Sparrow was found in a flock of Sparrows trying to find some food. Apparently she was not very successful since she is very thin and had blood in her feces. Sparrow is a lucky bird being found, rescued and rushed to the vet immediately. Every minute counts with these little guys when they are so sick. Her fortune is looking up but she will have ways to go for a complete recovery. Please consider helping this little girl by donating towards her vet bill. Sparrow has her first Angel: thank you Barbara Heiser
08/10/10	Cockatiel	Sirius	I am named after the brightest star in the galaxy - Sirius - amazing, isn't it ? Right now I don't shine so bright though with all the various health problems from feather lice to more serious stuff my Vet says I have to take meds for. I must have had a rough life which caused calluses on my feet and legs. I'm skinny and have been on a lousy diet in the past. All of this will change now that I am in Mickaboo's care. I will have a long road of recovery ahead of me and was hoping you would join me by making a financial contribution for my care ? Thank you in advance from Sirius.
08/09/10	Amazon	Deebee	Hi there, I'm Deebee a sweet 20 something year young Blue Front Amazon girl who came to Mickaboo 3 years ago. Back then my health was a mess but thanks to a great Vet and loving care from several foster parents I gained my strength back and seemed healthy since just recently when I had to get hospitalized for heavy breathing. I was grasping for air and got diagnosed with a respiratory infection. Those things take time and I will be in and out of the Vet's for quite a bit. Will you please help me cover the cost for my treatment ? Deebee has her Angels: Thank you Martha Kudlacik, Donna Cresswell and Kari Terhark
07/27/10	Amazon	Weezee	Greetings - I'm Weezee a double yellow head Amazon who ended up in a shelter. Not much is known about me except for the fact that I must have been on a very poor diet for a long time. I am lucky Mickaboo came to the rescue and introduced me to a Vet immediately. I have a severe vitamin deficiency and will have to learn to eat the healthy stuff now. Please support me in getting better one day at a time. I would greatly appreciate a donation ! Thank you in advance. Weezee has his first Angels: Thank you Martha Kudlacik and Katie Slider
07/18/10	Cockatiel	Belle	Hello, I'm Belle a sweet, beautiful girl who had to get hospitalized after an injury in my left leg gave me some major trouble. I kept falling off my perches and that made it even worse. Right now I'm not able to move around much. The Vet is trying to find out the cause of my problems which seem to be rather complex. Please help me by making an Angel donation mentioning my name ! I will keep you posted on my recovery. 07/26/10 Update I am feeling a bit better these days. The doc has prescribed anti inflammatory meds which seem to make a difference for my leg. My new foster mom says I'm moving around much easier. Yes, I'm out of the hospital ! I still have a long way to go but am confident I will get well eventually. Belle has her first Angels: Thank you Susan Schnur and Scruffy
07/08/10	Cockatiel	Chico	Chico is a young bird who is plucked and bleeding due to self mutilation. He had to come to Mickaboo to get medical help and  is still scared, lonely and calling out to the other cockatiels down the hall in foster care. We think that he is going to enjoy the company of the other cockatiels very much as soon as quarantine is over. Please help Chico to get all better so he can enjoy many wonderful years ahead. Thank you for your donation ! Chico has his first Angels: Thank you Donna Cresswell, Aron Walker and Rosemary Chengson and Scruffy
05/31/10	Cockatoo	Ricky	I'm Ricky, a pretty sad Umbrella Cockatoo. I was brought to a shelter when my owner passed away rather sudden. The people there noticed I am in bad shape so they rushed me to the Vet who diagnosed a prolapse which had to get surgically corrected. I'm a friendly bird trying to cope with lots of changes in my life. Will you please help me ? Ricky has her first Angel: Thank you Aron Walker
05/17/10	Senegal	Sepa	Sepa has been in the care of a woman who inherited her 10 years ago.  In the last couple of months she's started having head shakes which the vet wasn't able to identify.  After many tests, which came back negative, her owner no longer could afford to get her care - but was unwilling to have Sepa put down.  She feels that until the cause is identified, there's a chance that the problem can be cured or at least controlled so that Sepa can continue to live. So she surrendered Sepa to Mickaboo to give her that chance. Will you please consider a donation towards Sepa's vet care ?
04/25/10	Cockatiel	Cary	Cary was rescued from a household that couldn't afford his veterinary bills. He's a handsome and alert bird but he has a few obvious signs of illness. Most notably, his very loose droppings could be from megabacteria, some other infection or kidney problems. Cary is young and strong and we are optimistic for a complete recovery, but he may require a lot of treatment to get there. Obviously we want to get him started on that as soon as possible, so he's going to the Vet first thing tomorrow for an exam and blood work. So far in foster care, Cary is eager to be around people and enjoys trying new food. In just over 24 hours he has gone from a seed-only diet to eating Harrison's pellets, Nutri-an cakes, and greens. This guy wants to take good care of himself! Won't you consider helping him with an angel donation for his medical bills? Cary has his first Angels: Thank you Martha Kudlacik and Susan Schnur 06/13/10 Update: Cary is getting more muscle and getting healthier all the time.He has really come a long way but he has a ways to go too.
03/29/10	Macaw	JJ	JJ got surrendered because his owner could no longer take care of him. He just lost his best friend Bummer, an Amazon, to a still unknown disease and is grieving even though he is in a wonderful foster home with the best possible care. JJ will have to see a vet immediately to make sure he is healthy. Would you please help JJ out covering the necessary medical expenses ? JJ has his first Angels: Thank you L. Patra in memory of Alegre
03/29/10	Cockatiel	Katrina and Molly	We are two beautiful female cockatiels who got purchased from a chain pet store by an elderly lady. Little did she know that I, Katrina (in the background), have a bacterial infection and my friend Molly is having trouble with laying way too many eggs. We both need medical attention and lots of tender loving care to get all healthy again. We would greatly appreciate your help paying for our vet bills. Katrina and Molly have their first Angel: Thank you Barbara Broderick
02/22/10	Senegal	Grover	Grover was taken out of a stressful and unhealthy environment after she developed a feather plucking habit. So far with Mickaboo she has had basic blood tests and other lab work that has come back negative, yet Grover continues to pluck. Her foster dad is providing her with a safe and enriching environment and helping her get over her fears, but she will need more tests to help determine if she has any medical conditions which may be contributing to her plucking. Grover is a sweet but scared little girl who chirps like a cockatiel when she wants attention. We are optimistic that, with the right care and support, all of her gorgeous green and yellow feathers will grow back in. Please help us help Grover.
02/15/10	Macaw	Gypsy	Gypsy is a young female who was the spotlight of the family for 3 years of her life. Recently the family had a baby and feared that Gypsy would be a threat to their new addition. They decided surrendering her would be in her best interest. Gypsy is a young bird with a special charm about her. She is now the spotlight of her current foster home. Gypsy has her first Angel: Thank you Tina Gujer

 
Click here to become an Angel to a MickaCoo Pigeon or Dove!

Birds and Their Angels
If you don't see your Angel bird here, please be sure to check our Angel Graduates page (link below).
 

Angel(s)	Species	Bird(s) Rescued	Reason for Rescue	Picture or Link to Bird's Story
01/03/10	Cockatiel	Sweetpea	I'm Sweet Pea, a pretty little white-faced cockatiel. I used to live with my friend Rocky who was picking on me, to the point where he plucked out many of my feathers and left me scared and bleeding. That is how I came to Mickaboo. After several weeks in foster care, my physical and emotional wounds are mostly healed. I am proving to be a calm and friendly bird. I like visiting with my foster mom and I eat most of what she serves me, which means that I am starting to eat pellets and veggies. Sweetpea has her first Angel: Thank you Anonymous
01/07/10	Cockatiel	Buzz	Buzz has been dropped off at the Vet with a broken leg and bite wounds on his toes. He got attacked by a rat in his own cage. His owner never had any intention of picking him up again. Buzz has been through a lot including surgery with partial amputation today. He has a wonderful foster home lined up but will need follow up medical care. Please consider being an Angel for this sweet little guy ! 04/17/10: Buzz has his first Angel Thank you Marfa Weathers
02/13/10	Cockatiel	Rowan	Rowan has been with Mickaboo for just over a year (he came to us from the Watsonville Shelter in January 2009) but he is still experiencing medical problems. He has had pneumonia and multiple respiratory infections and his nares are prone to clogging, meaning that he will probably always be a special-needs bird. While Rowan has been doing better lately, he was experiencing shortness of breath today so his foster dad took him to the vet. He probably has another infection and will need antibiotics and nebulizer treatment. Rowan has cockatiel friends that he gets strength from and a great foster home. Rowan has his first Angels: Anonymous, Barbara Broderick and Pepper
03/18/10	Dove	Pierre	Pierre is a young adult who did not get medical attention when he was a baby dove for what is called a "splay" leg. He can only use his healthy leg to stand on which does not give him enough balance to move upright. He rubs on his belly most of the time which is not a long term solution for birds like him. Pierre is undergoing a complicated, very expensive surgery to have his splayed leg corrected. He is the sweetest guy ever and deserves a bright future with his girl friend. We are proud to introduce a MickaCoo bird on our Angel Page asking you all to please help Pierre with your financial support to pay for his surgery. 03/23/10 Pierre has his first Angels: Thank you Martha Kudlacik and Anonymous also several new Angels: Kenneth Rhoads, Sarah, Robert Radabaugh, Michael Blazin, Roberta Fabiano, Vivian Harris, Ingrid Taylar, Debbie Long Kimberly Fishman
04/28/10	Cockatoo	Sam	Sam I am.  I was born in August of 1991.  My mama adopted me just 8 weeks after I was born, and she was told I’d been weaned 4 weeks before that.  Can you believe it?  Cockatoos should be fed for several months, not weeks.  I am very, very tiny for a goffins cockatoo-probably because I did not have a very healthy start in life. I started to pluck soon after my mom had her first human child.  I was four at the time.At first I shred my feathers and played with them now I’m a full time plucker. I’m very friendly with my mom and dad but I take quite a bit of time to warm up to new people.Although Mickaboo is pretty sure my plucking is behavioral and/or emotional they will be scheduling a vet visit for me soon. Sam has his first Angel: Thank you Bernice Morgan
02/09/10	Cockatiel	Annie Merlin Pica Apollo	Hello, I'm Annie the beautiful cinnamon white face lady in the center. I am surrounded by my friends Pica on the left, his partner Apollo far right and our mutual friend Merlin in the background. We are Mickaboo's latest Mini Flock. Our mom had to surrender us because she fell very ill and since she wanted what is best for us we now live in a great foster home with lots of attention where we can settle down and relax from the stress of moving and getting used to new surroundings. We all had to have a Vet visit to make sure we are healthy and ready to eventually move to our forever home. We have our first Angels: Thank you Kathleen MacKerrow and Elizabeth Chien-Hale
01/27/10 Charlie has his first Angel ! Thank you Lisa Bobulinski "in memory of Tom" for your kind ongoing support. 03/09/10 Another Angel for Charlie ! Thank you Joan Williams-Near for your generous donation. 03/23/10 Charlie has his third Angel ! Thank you Pamela Lee 07/30/10 A new Angel for Charlie: Thank you Pat Gideon	Budgie	Charlie	Charlie was surrendered because his owner thought he had respiratory problems, but he has more than that.  He is extremely sensitive to most medications and keeps vomiting them up.  He lost weight until he was down to 23 grams.  We're hoping that careful nursing will bring him back to health.  01/17/10 Update from Charlie's Foster Mom: While Charlie continues to slowly gain weight, he has not been able to remain free of the avian gastric yeast once he stops taking the medication.  He also needs to be  kept in a warm environment (an incubator most of the time) or he starts to lose energy and begins vomiting again.  We hope that in time his immune system will become strong enough to cope with whatever is causing his recurrent illness. 07/23/10 Charlie has been doing better, although he had another relapse of the Avian Gastric Yeast that has been a problem for him.  We moved his incubator into a part of the house that houses other budgies, because he was so lonely upstairs. He became so excited about the other birds that he escaped from the incubator when we opened the door to feed him, and was flitting from cage to cage trying to avoid being recaptured.He caught his leg on one of the cages, and broke it. Sooo, he is back at the vet with his leg in a splint.He is a wonderful budgie.  He has been medicated so often that when I usually try to catch him, he dives into my open hand nose-first, trying to hide his face so I cannot medicate him!

Get updates on Angel "graduates" on the Angel Graduates page.

Please visit our In Memoriam page for Angel birds we have lost. 

 Please note!   Our birds' lives are subject to sudden changes. If a bird is removed from the Angel program, we may transfer your Angel funds to another bird in need. Becoming a bird's Angel does not imply any legal rights over the bird or its care.