SOS Illawarra Bird Sanctuary and Rescue is off to a flying start, with a fundraiser for the new charity to be held at Unanderra's Atlantis Pets this Saturday.
Atlantis Pets owner Stan Michalopoulos founded the not-for-profit to care for the region’s sick, neglected and abandoned domestic birds. Stan has been voluntarily providing this service at his own expense, but the increasing costs of caring for rescued birds made it unsustainable to continue without formal support.
Stan's family, friends and coworkers all pitched in to help.
“I am ecstatic we have another organisation with so many people behind us in this movement," he says. "Birds require special care.”
Stan’s passion for birds runs deep – he is a dedicated breeder and current president of The Illawarra Parrot Club and Illawarra Bird Expos.
After relocating from Sydney to an Illawarra property 16 years ago, Stan built big aviaries, ranging from 20m to 100m long, intended for breeding.
Then people started bringing sick and injured birds to him for rehabilitation. Word spread and before long Stan became the Illawarra’s go-to guy for bird rescue, which meant he needed to build even more enclosures and medical care facilities.
Due to an influx of certain species, such as the Eclectus Parrot, Stan paused his breeding activities to focus entirely on rescue and rehabilitation.
Not all the birds could be rehomed, however, so the number of rescues in his care steadily grew.
Looking after them all has cost a lot.
“The aviaries are expensive to construct as they require specialised materials, such as high-quality mesh and reinforced concrete flooring,” Stan says.
“The birds are also placed in isolation cages during their treatment, they need medications, and a proper diet. In addition, they also undergo specialised procedures such as beak and feather testing.”
Stan set up SOS Illawarra Bird Sanctuary and Rescue as a formal charity to ensure ongoing care for the birds. The sanctuary also facilitates adoption for birds that have been surrendered by owners.
The process of surrendering or adopting a bird begins online, with forms available on the website.
As a business owner, husband and father, Stan has been able to balance his roles with the help of a small, dedicated team of volunteers, along with the generous support of local businesses that donate fresh produce and meat.
But expenses are ongoing, so funds and food donations are always needed.
To help raise money for the sanctuary, a family-friendly fundraiser will be held at Atlantis Pets, Unit 36/10-12 Sylvester Ave, Unanderra on Saturday, July 26 at 10am. Everyone is welcome.
There will be face painting, a BBQ, cupcakes, giveaways and more. All proceeds will go to the Illawarra Bird Sanctuary and Rescue.
For more information, follow Illawarra Bird Sanctuary and Rescue on Facebook, visit the website or email illawarrabirdrescue@gmail.com
