Message to the Membership

Abstract

H ello, fellow avian enthusiasts! Here it is, 2011, and we still have birds in our lives and in our homes. Unfortunately, the propaganda and misinformation of the anti-pet coalition is managing to turn reasonable heads in their direction and the question of the future has become: "How long will we be able to keep the wolf and the legislators away from our doors?"

The answer lies in our abilities, both individually and as an industry, to put aside our differences and to focus on our common goal-the future of aviculture.

As our future begins to look a bit dim, we can choose to look at new opportunities to promote aviculture in a positive light, or we can look for reasons that nothing will work. We can choose to listen to other's ideas with a spirit of cooperation, or allow our differences to kill their projects. The thing we need to tackle this year is unity. It is time for everyone involved in aviculture to focus on the future of birds and learn to work together.

Our long-term goal is to reach out to non-bird people and introduce them to an avian friend. I have found over the years that most non-bird people are simply people who haven't met the right bird yet.

We need to inform the misinformed and correct the inaccurate statements about birds. We can no longer allow the myths to become truth or common belief among the general public. We have the power and knowledge to educate properly.

So spread the truth about bird flu, about pet birds, about humane treatment and about aviculture. It is our job to stop allowing people to misrepresent the facts about our birds.

 If you are truly passionate about birds, show it by celebrating their beauty, their intelligence, their uniqueness and their attributes as pets in the homebe it a cockatoo or be it a macaw! Shout to the sky that you love birds! It is a beautiful day when it can be shared with a bird.

Edgar A. Guest said it well:

Somebody said that it couldn't be done, But, he with a chuckle replied

That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin On his face. Ifhe worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn't be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that; At least no one has done it";

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat, And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, There are thousands to prophesy failure;

There are thousands to point out to you one by one, The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin, Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing That "couldn't be done," and you'll do it.

 

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