Fire in My Building...

[Joanie Noel]

I'm really shaken up. I was gone all day and just got back to my apartment. Apparently 4 hours ago there was a fire in the apartment across the hall from mine. I walked into the building and a guy was standing in my apartment with the door wide open putting a new lock in the door because the firemen had to bust it open. There's a hole in the roof and the walls in the hall out there are all streaked with black. My main concern when I walked in was, "OMG are my birds okay?!" And they just turned the electricity back on... Someone had left the windows in my apartment open to circulate the air. Thank God my birds seem to be okay... I'm bringing the violet lovie back to my parents' house, though, because he has been staying in the living room and I want to get at least one of the birds out. I don't have enough small cages for the others right now. The smell of smoke is pretty bad but there isn't smoke lingering in here. With all the health problems I've been having, I had been considering finding new homes for all of my birds, and now I will probably have to do it. I'll probably have to move out of here. Or at least I won't be able to stay here for a while. Just from sitting here a half an hour, my lungs seem strained... It's so hard to find good homes for birds -- lovebirds especially. They sell them so cheap around here and there is an overpopulation of them it seems. Most of the pet stores don't even want to sell them because they don't go easily. I called the Kenosha Parrot Club around here and they said they don't handle rehoming birds at all. They told me to get in touch with the Center for Avian Rehabilitation and Education an hour away. I've been to that place and while I may have to resort to surrendering my birds, I wish I wouldn't have to. All the efforts I've made in the past week to find someone who'd like them haven't led anywhere, though.

I just can't believe this happened, as if I needed things to get worse when I was having trouble already taking care of my flock. Illness beats me down and then a fire... If anyone has any ideas about my birdies, they would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

- Joanie, Kirby, Maple, Squeaks, Aruba, and "Purple Birdie"

[bellarains]

Joanie,

Bless your heart. I'm sorry this has happened. You do however need to get all the birds out of that apartment. Their little respirtory systems most likely will not take the smoke fumes, and it is a miracle they were all alright. If you have to, put them all in a small cage, break down your big cage and take it to your parents to keep them in for the evening.

Let us know how everything is going. ((((HUGS))))sweetie.

[MaraJade]

Oh, Joanie. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

How terrifying.
My fiancee and I live in a condo complex and rarely does a day go by that I don't worry about one of the idiots next door burning the place down. How fortunate that all your birds seem to be fine. It must seem very tough and discouraging right now, but at least you can by happy that they all apparently made it through okay. it could have been worse.

Good luck to you in your search for new homes for them. You're in my thoughts.

[Joanie Noel]

Thanks Mara. And thanks, Lori, for talking to me about possible options. I went back to my apartment late last night and brought the other four birds back to my parents' house because it all was just too unsettling for me. Boy did I realize how many birds I actually have when their cages took up the whole big dining table and five lovies were squawking up at me. Sweethearts...

- Joanie -

[Keltoth]

Hi, Joanie. I know things are going badly for you in your life right now, but you have to believe that it is a temporary setback, and that eventually things will balance out and settle down to some semblance of order.

Maybe I can help just a little bit. If you need a good home for your birds indefinately until you can get things organized and balanced out, I'd be willing to pay the shipping for you birds so that you can send them here to Salt Lake City. That way, they can all stay together and can live with my flock until such time as you are ready to bring them back home to live with you again (although you might have 6 birds to bring home instead of five, if I think your odd-birdie out is getting too lonely... ). Anyway, they would be well-cared for and make lots of new friends and would be available to return to you once you felt you have things under control.

I'd hate to see you lose your babies and then regret it once things calmed down for you. At least this way, your options would be left a bit more open.

Hope I can help,

-Eric

[mjm8321]

Oh Joanie, I'm sorry this happened.

Hehehehe, on a lighter note, Robin's in Wisconsin isn't she? LOL She'll kill me.