It’s been awhile since I’ve been active on here, life has taken me in directions I didn’t really expect and recently I received news that I really did not want to hear. Since I know someone will ask, for those of you who remember Grumbles, he is remaining with me, my mom is caring for him until I finish college as he loves my mom very much. He is not going anywhere.
I can’t remember how much I posted about it so I’ll include Levi’s backstory. I adopted Levi, a female severe macaw, from the Iowa parrot rescue 6 or 7 years ago now. She was wonderful to me and I loved having her around. About a year and a half after adopting her I was given the opportunity to be an exchange student for an academic year in Germany, and as it was a scholarship and a dream of mine I went. During this time a friend of mine and fellow volunteer at the parrot rescue agreed to watch her, as what’s one more bird in her words. Well my exchange year ended with COVID and as her husband is immunocompromised we decided it was best I waited to take her back even though I was in the states again. Some time passed and COVID was still bad in our area, and I had decided on a college unexpectedly far from home so they offered to keep her until I got on my feet and could get my own place off campus rather than shuffling her back to me and forth to them again in a few months.
Fast forward to now, and my friend watching Levi is dealing with some serious mental and physical health concerns and the role of caring for the animals has went to her husband, who Levi does not like and will bite. Her husband loves all the critters but he cannot care for them all on his own as that is too much. They reached out to me a few weeks ago letting me know of this and explaining that I either need to take Levi back or return her to the rescue. Levi also hates my mom so my family caring for her is unfortunately not an option. I am an 8 hour drive from home, and while I did finally move off campus I am living with a coworker and i know it would not be safe for her here either as my housemate burns candles, wax melts, and probably has Teflon pans. As my college is in a smaller summer tourist town there is very little housing available, no less that accepts pets. Between being a full time student and working multiple jobs I also don’t feel I could provide enough attention for Levi as much as it hurts me to say. I’d also have to worry about what to do when I do go home to see family, as i feel a drive that long would be quite stressful on her and I realistically cannot afford to pay someone to care for her or trust anyone I don’t know while I’m gone.
Today I was informed that Levi must now leave my friend’s house by November 1st. I am heartbroken and feel like I have failed Levi. I don’t want to give her up but realistically I cannot figure anything out for her by the end of this month.
I don’t even know what I’m looking for by posting here… reassurance maybe? Am I making the right choice? Do I have any other choice? Am I a horrible person for letting her down and doing the one thing I promised I’d never have to do?
I can’t remember how much I posted about it so I’ll include Levi’s backstory. I adopted Levi, a female severe macaw, from the Iowa parrot rescue 6 or 7 years ago now. She was wonderful to me and I loved having her around. About a year and a half after adopting her I was given the opportunity to be an exchange student for an academic year in Germany, and as it was a scholarship and a dream of mine I went. During this time a friend of mine and fellow volunteer at the parrot rescue agreed to watch her, as what’s one more bird in her words. Well my exchange year ended with COVID and as her husband is immunocompromised we decided it was best I waited to take her back even though I was in the states again. Some time passed and COVID was still bad in our area, and I had decided on a college unexpectedly far from home so they offered to keep her until I got on my feet and could get my own place off campus rather than shuffling her back to me and forth to them again in a few months.
Fast forward to now, and my friend watching Levi is dealing with some serious mental and physical health concerns and the role of caring for the animals has went to her husband, who Levi does not like and will bite. Her husband loves all the critters but he cannot care for them all on his own as that is too much. They reached out to me a few weeks ago letting me know of this and explaining that I either need to take Levi back or return her to the rescue. Levi also hates my mom so my family caring for her is unfortunately not an option. I am an 8 hour drive from home, and while I did finally move off campus I am living with a coworker and i know it would not be safe for her here either as my housemate burns candles, wax melts, and probably has Teflon pans. As my college is in a smaller summer tourist town there is very little housing available, no less that accepts pets. Between being a full time student and working multiple jobs I also don’t feel I could provide enough attention for Levi as much as it hurts me to say. I’d also have to worry about what to do when I do go home to see family, as i feel a drive that long would be quite stressful on her and I realistically cannot afford to pay someone to care for her or trust anyone I don’t know while I’m gone.
Today I was informed that Levi must now leave my friend’s house by November 1st. I am heartbroken and feel like I have failed Levi. I don’t want to give her up but realistically I cannot figure anything out for her by the end of this month.
I don’t even know what I’m looking for by posting here… reassurance maybe? Am I making the right choice? Do I have any other choice? Am I a horrible person for letting her down and doing the one thing I promised I’d never have to do?