Blue-fronted Amazon parrot lands in her perfect home
Roz is finally home with someone who has loved and wanted her for a long time. It took years for her to get there, but everyone is thrilled that she has finally landed exactly where she belongs.
An unforgettable meeting
Roz was in her early ‘30s when she came to Best Friends from the Parrot Education and Adoption Center (PEAC), a small San Diego-based parrot rescue organization. Before that, she’d lost the only person she’d ever bonded with, and she was having a hard time making new friends. But while she lived in a PEAC foster home, she made a life-changing connection.
A woman named Kerry Finnegan met Roz at one of PEAC’s workshops and fell in love with her. But in spite of how Kerry felt about Roz, it wasn’t the right time to bring home a new bird.
Fresh start for a blue-fronted Amazon parrot
A few years passed. Roz still hadn’t been adopted from PEAC, so she came to Best Friends for a fresh start and another chance at finding a forever home. That didn’t happen right away.
As an older lady, Roz is calm and quiet. She’s not animated or flashy, so she tends to fade into the background, especially when there are more outgoing and active birds around. But those who knew Roz at Best Friends knew that she was a special bird. They appreciated her quiet calmness and delighted in the rare moments when she would let loose and get into some mild mischief.
“Roz was pretty quiet here,” says Parrot Garden caregiver Lisa Englund. “She's not demanding of people, but she’ll do anything for a treat. She liked to hang out on the top of her cage, and every once in a while she would fly down and try to steal food out of the other birds’ cages. She also would stretch out her neck to see what was going on whenever anyone in Parrot Garden opened the fridge.”
Matthew Ross, another caregiver recalls: “One time I was putting almonds away and dropped a bunch on the floor. I could see Roz thinking ‘Wow, this is exciting!’ She started bobbing her head up and down and was just about to fly over and grab some of the almonds, so I quickly put one up on her cage to keep her busy while I picked the rest up.”
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A perfect office mate
Roz may not have had potential adopters flocking to her, but she did steal the heart of Michelle Weaver, Best Friends’ director of animal care. “I felt a connection with her almost immediately,” Michelle says. “She is so beautiful and has this quiet demeanor about her that I just loved.”
That’s why, when Parrot Garden staff needed some temporary housing for a few parrots while cleaning house prior to moving to a brand new building, Roz went to Michelle’s office.
“It was great having her in our office, as we were able to really see her personality shine through,” Michelle says. “She enjoys spending time hanging out on top of her cage, playing with toys, chattering with the other birds, and she loves her treat time.”
Roz’s stay in the animal care office was short-lived, but for a very good reason. Kerry Finnegan had never stopped thinking about Roz and was looking to adopt another companion after losing her bird. She wanted that companion to be Roz. Kerry reached out to the people at PEAC, who put her in touch with Best Friends.
A happy new home
The rest, as they say, is history. Soon Roz was getting settled with Kerry in San Diego. Finally, the two old friends met again to begin their life together.
By the third day in her new home, Roz was already doing short training sessions with Kerry and building confidence in her new environment. Within two weeks, Roz was gently taking treats from Kerry’s hands, stepping up onto a stick without hesitation and working for treats by performing a few tricks such as waving with her foot and turning around. “We'll keep working on our short stints of building trust, always ending on a positive note,” Kerry says.
As far as Kerry is concerned, Roz couldn’t be a more perfect companion. “I still can't believe how everything fell into place after so many years of thinking about Roz,” Kerry says. “I'm so grateful to the village of incredible volunteers from Best Friends and PEAC. Without this network of parrot lovers, we would not have been able to see this adoption come to fruition.”
Meanwhile, everyone who knew Roz at both PEAC and Best Friends is thrilled with her adoption. “While I miss her very much, I am so happy for her to have found a home where she will be loved and cherished,” Michelle says.
Photos courtesy of Kerry Finnegan