Parrot Placement Program
Adopting a Parrot
Referral Fee
The Parrot Placement Team will direct you to pay your referral fee once you have completed the adoption process.
Referral Fees cannot be pre-paid and are non-refundable.
We do not collect any Referral Fees until a successful adoption has occured.
Referral Fee Rate Table is listed at the bottom of the page.
Ready to start the Adoption Process?
If you are ready to adopt, we require you to become a member of the Long Island Parrot Society and complete both the adoption application and potential adopter questionnaire.
As a local Long Island organization, we do not facilitate any long distance or out-of-NY State adoptions.
We only handle placements in the Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island, NYC, lower Westchester and lower Rockland County areas.
Policies For Adopting A Parrot Through Our Program
The Process to Become a Candidate can take *30 - 60 Days (*length of time can be longer or shorter depending on you)
An important factor to remember is that birds are given up for adoption under various circumstances, including allergies, divorce, death of a loved one, death of the owner, moving, or a baby being born to the family, as well as undesirable behavior traits such as noise, biting, feather plucking, etc. In many cases, it is a heart wrenching experience. These birds were once beloved pets, and their future depends upon LIPS finding the most nurturing environment possible.
Do not think of adoption as an inexpensive way to obtain a bird, but instead consider it as opening your home and giving a second chance to a bird that has been an integral part of the relinquishing owner’s family, possibly for many years.
There are a variety of circumstances to be considered with each adoption. The best interest of the bird takes precedence over all else, and is LIPS primary goal. The Process to Become a Candidate takes *30 - 60 Days.
*Already a member of the Long Island Parrot Society? An application for adoption for LIPS members is FREE! You must complete an adoption application in full and submit to the LIPS Parrot Placement Program.
Once we receive your completed application you will be added to the list of potential candidates and we will begin processing your Adoption Application.
** Birds are very sensitive to air quality. Unlike humans, a bird replaces nearly all the air in its lungs with each breath. Because no residual air is left in the lungs during the ventilation cycle of birds, they transfer more oxygen and more pollutants during each breath. Birds should never be exposed to tobacco smoke, chemical fumes (hairspray, cleaners, etc.), or Teflon / non-stick coated materials. Exposure to some toxic inhalants can cause immediate death; chronic exposure to other toxic can lead to premature death.
The Process Easy As 1 - 2 - 3
1. The Application
You must accurately report your level of experience so that we may place a bird with you that suits your comfort level.
Your Application must be completely filled out and returned to the Long Island Parrot Society (Non-Members need to include the $47 NON-Refundable Application Fee.)
The $47 fee includes:
- Adoption Application (annual expiration)
- 10 copies of LIPS award winning Newsletter (This is an award winning newsletter with educational articles designed to inform and entertain)
- Virtual Home Visit (via Zoom) & Interview
- Personal attention from Placement Committee Members
NEITHER FILLING OUT AN ADOPTION APPLICATION NOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE LONG ISLAND PARROT SOCIETY "GUARANTEES" YOU A BIRD. They only qualify you to become an eligible candidate.
We reserve the right to withdraw from the adoption process at any time with any applicant.
2. The Interview & Virtual Home Visit
THE INTERVIEW - Getting to Know YOU
You must have an interview with one of our Parrot Placement specialists to determine the species of bird that is right for your situation. The interview will be scheduled via Zoom. You will need a mobile device with a camera to show yourself.
The Long Island Parrot Society would like all candidates to consider attending at least one monthly meeting during the processing period. While we understand that people’s lives are very busy, it is important that the candidates show a level of commitment to education. Attending meetings does not affect your application - but it does put you "in our line of sight".
THE VIRTUAL HOME VISIT
Don't Worry About "Dust Bunnies"
A virtual home visit is mandatory for ALL CANDIDATES (including current LIPS members) prior to adopting.
LIPS may also perform random home inspections of candidates after an adoption. We are not looking for "Dust Bunnies" under your bed. We will ask to see your current birds in their cages, as well as the Quarantine site you have chosen for your adopted bird.
This is a terrific opportunity to get to know each other, answer your questions and address any concerns.
3. You Are An Eligible Candidate - Let's Find You A Parrot!
After all requirements have been met, we will place your application on file in the pool of eligible candidates. We will contact you when birds come into the program that are a match to your situation.
You can also find the current birds for adoption in the Feather Flash Mailing List, in The Parrot Beacon, our monthly newsletter, on the LIPS Profile found on Petfinder.com or by contacting your LIPS placement representative.
No "First Come - First Served"
Please keep in mind that there are many candidates, however the adoption program DOES NOT operate on first come - first served basis. Rather it matches a bird’s requirements with the wishes of the eligible candidates. It is very possible for someone who newly submitted an application to receive a bird sooner than someone who has had an application previously on file.
There are many extenuating factors in selecting the proper adoptee, i.e., birds may need to be placed in a home with or without pets or children, or specifically with a male or female primary caretaker.
Since this is a complicated process we can not guarantee that a specific species will ever be available - Nor can we promise a bird that suits you will come into the program. You will be contacted based on your application and experience. The owner of the bird then decides which home should adopt their pet.
Our number one priority is the well being of the bird and finding the best possible situation to place that bird in. There is absolutely no guarantee associated with this program that you will have the opportunity to adopt a bird. We CAN guarantee that once you are an eligible candidate we will do our best to match you with a parrot that needs a new home.
Adopters cannot use this adoption service to personally profit from the sale or trade of a bird.
In the event that the bird cannot be kept, it must either be returned to either the relinquishing owner or to the LIPS Parrot Foster and Placement Program for re- homing to a qualified member.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT??
You can look at the LIPS Profile on Petfinder.com to see the current birds available for adoption. You can also email or call the Parrot Placement committee to review any current birds in the program.
Things you should know...
- With the majority of our Placements the Long Island Parrot Society acts as a REFERRAL Service. LIPS is not responsible for problems arising out of the actual adoption of the bird. The bird’s relinquishing owner chooses the candidate from LIPS members and eligible candidates at their own discretion. If the relinquishing owner should change their mind about the adoption, the negotiation and outcome is between the adopter and the relinquishing owner.
- The Long Island Parrot Society may take in foster birds in emergency situations. In this case, the Long Island Parrot Society will act as the relinquishing owner and will choose the new home from the pool of eligible candidates.
There are TWO PLACEMENT SCENARIOS
Scenario #1
Once you have taken the first step and visited the bird still living with the owner, the decision is entirely in the current owners hands. They will decide if they want to transfer ownership of the bird or not. Sometimes they just don’t feel that you & the bird “click” – Candidates should not take this personally.
You may be required to pick up the bird from the relinquishing owner’s home, or the relinquishing owner may wish to inspect the future home of the bird.
LIPS STRONGLY recommends that you have a SIGNED transfer of ownership as protection in the event that a relinquishing owner changes their mind and wants the bird or birds returned. If the relinquishing owner should change their mind about the adoption - the negotiation and outcome is between the adopter and the relinquishing owner.
Scenario #2
Once you have notified LIPS that you are interested in a bird in the LIPS Foster Program we will set you up to meet the parrot at the foster location. The foster family wll have input as to who adopts the parrot since they will know the parrot best from having lived with it.
Either Scenario
You should never feel obligated to take a bird. If you don’t feel a connection to the bird, you are doing it (and yourself) a great disservice by adopting it. Leave the bird with the owner/foster home and we will continue to look for the appropriate home for it.
We do not guarantee the health or behavior of adopted birds.
NO MONEY SHOULD CHANGE HANDS OR EVEN BE DISCUSSED WITH EITHER THE PARROT'S OWNER OR FOSTER HOME.
Restrictions To The Program
And the reasons for the restrictions
There will be only one adoption permitted in a 6 month period. *This includes birds acquired outside of LIPS Placement Program.
There are several reasons for this restriction:
To Prevent potential "Collecting" situations.
We believe that you made a serious commitment to the bird you have just acquired. That bird deserves the opportunity to acclimate to their new environment without the disruption or distraction of another new bird in the house.
Due to the lack of space most people do not have the ability to practice proper quarantine safety. The fewer birds brought into the home allows many people to keep the new bird isolated from the rest of the flock reducing the risk of transmitting disease.
If you are interested in adopting, please click here.
To defray the costs of this program, to fund our future shelter and to help finance LIPS educational efforts, the following fees are required upon completion of a successful adoption. We accept PayPal, checks and cash.
Referral Fees are based on the species of the parrot.
$12
Parakeets, Budgies, Lovebirds
$42
Conures, Quakers, Cockatiels, Parrotlets
$52
Ringnecks, Pionus, Caiques, Jardines, Red Bellies - All Poicephalus
$152
Greys, Amazons, Cockatoos, Macaws, Eclectus
$252
RARE - Blue Throat & Hyacinth Macaws, Major Mitchells, Black Palm
If you have any questions, please contact us at (631) 456-1813 or email at parrotplacement@liparrots.org