Sending thoughts and prayers your way Arty.

Arty, I am sorry for your loss...

I am so sorry Arty.

Arty, I'am so sorry for your loss of Joey. You did your very best and I truly admire you for that. May Joey fly free over the Rainbow Bridge.

Arty, I am so sorry you lost her. I know you did everything you could. (((HUGS)))

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I am so very sorry for your loss. Mary

Remember that our babies are really not gone unless those who loved them forget. So sorry!

A tribute to Joey.
Joey stood out from all other Tiels, she sat perched looking at me as I looked over the other birds, As the attendant showed me a Pied tiel and was explaining how to tell the sex of the bird my eyes kept wondering to a little pure white tiel that appeared smooth as silk.
Joey was much smaller than the other Tiels, but she stood out as Perfect, she was by all means a fine looking little bird, and she was calling to me, she cocked her little head and looked at me with one eye as if to say, "I'm the one".
My wife and I knew nothing about birds, we both done some reading concerning the Cockatiel before deciding to bring a bird into our home.
I stood looking at cages and chose a nice little cage that said Cockatiel starter cage, everything a person needed was in this cage (it claimed) to start out.
The weather was bitter, Christmas was afew days away, I rushed home worried that our new family member would become ill from the cold, Heater set on high, every stop light brought more anxiety.
We were home, and the wife came home from work minutes after us.
Rose Ann opened the box and Joey stepped up onto her finger, Rose tried to pet Joey and soon found out, "Joey was a Don't touch me bird, you'll mess up my smooth feathers bird".
Joey's new cage was set up, We decided where to hang the cage, all was good, I am laid off in the winter months and I also found out I was very much against caging a bird, every morning I would open Joeys door but for the first few days she would not come out, then oneday she came out and ventured around her cage but stayed there, not flying as I expected her to, a few days passed and it happened, Joey came flying over to me and landed on my shoulder, I froze knowing I was soon to be bitten, Then I felt this warm little beak nestle into my ear, I could feel her warmth, my world stopped at that moment, everything seemed to go dark, it was just me and this little bird with her beak buried into my ear, this was all I felt, this was all I wanted to feel.
Something happened to me that day, a door opened, a door to mystery.
The wife came home from work, Joey flew to her, I sat and watched the expression on my wifes face, I saw afew tears begin to form as my wife looked at me with great question.
Joey began eating with us at the kitchen table, Books were bought, much reading was done, new toys were bought, and the round cage?....well that round cage had to go...The wife bought a much larger square cage with stand, now to get Joey to except it as her new home, Joey didn't like the new cage, when I opened the door she would always fly to her old cage, adjustments needed to be made, but we knew these adjustments would need to be made by Joey.
The more my wife read the closer her and Joey became, then the dreaded day came when my wife said she was taking Joey to a certified avian vet for a check up and to have her wings clipped, That day my world fell apart, I couldn't except Joey being caged, now this, "NO", I said "you can't do this to Joey", "Joey is a bird", "Joey is meant to be free and fly", I was torn inside, my emotions were out of control, tears began falling, I went out into the garage, I had to get away....
Rose Ann and I sat at the table,"Arty", "what if Joey gets hurt while flying?", "what if she is scared by something and flys into the wall or a window and breaks her neck?"....things were said to open my thoughts.
We didn't have a carrier at the time, So I made one and wrote all over it "don't hurt me", I wrote Pain with a bright red X going through it, I wrote "My name is Joey", "I am a very nice little bird", "But I will bite you if you hurt me".
Joey's doctor apparently was amazed by this little hand made carrier and her and the wife bacame close friends, we were introduced to a Cockatiel breeder and decided to get Joey a friend, we were told Joey was a male and we didn't want to deal with the breeding issue so we sought a male friend for Joey, The breeder showed us a few different males she had and we decided on a beautiful little Pied tiel and brought him home and slowly introduce Joey to Ceaser.
The phone rang, it was Joeys vet, she had 7 Tiels looking for a forever home, we took them in, afew days later the phone rang, A Lorikeet needed a forever home, The phone rang again, 2 baby blue Quakers were being fostered by a mated pair of Tiels, the rescue world opened.
We joined a bird club, We took classes and more classes to learn as much as we could, I began volunteering for our local wildlife rescue facility, more classes were offered.
Then the dreaded day came and we found out Joey was a female, The EGG appeared, Joey acted strange, something was wrong, but what, then Joey decided to show us what was wrong, she climbed onto the front of the cage to show us her little bottom, something was hanging out, away Joey and the wife went to the emergency vet, the world of the Prolapse opened, stitches were needed to keep the organ in, at the follow up visit with Joeys doctor a new surgeon was reccomended, the day came for the stitches to come out.
We met and talked with Joeys new surgeon, we were taught how to return the prolapse ourselfs.
Then another egg, another prolapse, the procedure wasn't working, the organ kept falling back out, away Joey went to the emergency vet, this always seemed to happen on a weekend.
Joey's surgeon spoke to us about the surgery issue, seems bones would need to be broken, much stress would be placed unto Joey and then the cost was mentioned, the wife saught alternative measures, and began speaking with Sally Blanchurd, Tammy Jenkins, and a new vet was found a Dr. Phifer, Joey was placed on Luprin shots, Joey was removed from contact with any males, including ME, all forms of stimulation were removed and the downstairs aviary was born as it was much cooler in the basement, 3 chronic egg layers entered the avairy, Parakeets began coming in, In-Field rescue was born.
More classes, more learning, 2 Nandays were rescued, A Hahns Macaw was rescued, the world of In-Field wildlife opened, The pigeon entered my world.
The wife and I were dealing with minor injuries, Splay legs, Behavoir issues, Blue Quakers arrived, African Greys, Love birds,more Keets, more Tiels.
Sqiurrels, Rabbits, Blue Jays, Robins, the world of the CAT at Large entered my world, the animal rights activist was born, the protector was born.
Joeys shots continued, our 3 chronic egg layers were under control.
All birds were receiving attention, but not the attention each deserved, welcome to the disturbing world of rescue.
Frustration began to set in, the bills began to set in, Reality began setting in.
My wife and I sat at the table and talked, we decided to start saying NO, then the phone rang, 2 Amazons came in.
My legs began to hurt badly, I was told I have a disease, I had surgery, I had a stroke, More surgery, another mild stroke, More surgery.
I became a in-field rescue for 911pigeonalert,The PROTECTOR grew.
Frustrations set in, Joey laid an egg, another prolapse, Mistakes were being made, costly mistakes.
2 humans and 60 birds, the Re-home world opened, I quit 911pigeon rescue.
Joey proplapsed again, I simply didn't see the smashed egg in the tray as I cleaned, Joey showed no signs anything was wrong, I misted the Females Joey was fanned out as if all was okay taking in her bath, 2 days later I found her fluffed and weak and hiding, we followed procedures and tried to set up an appointment, her doctor was out of town, we were reccomended here and there, No avian vets available, we cleaned Joeys organ and kept it moist as directed, Joey began to weaken, even the emergency vets were booked.
Joey had lost much weight, Joey was very weak, We kept her warm, an opening was found at a emergency vet in St Paul, Mn.
The vet said Joey would never survive the surgery, her organ has damage, they could get her stronger but in the time it would take more damage would happen to the much needed organ, infection would be a serious issue if she survived the surgery.
My wife decided to put Joey to sleep.
Joey came back home to me last night silent, many kisses were given to my little girl, many memories, many tears.
Bird Lovers, Caregivers are special people, My wife and I thank you all for walking with us as we said goodbye to Joey.
Thank you all for your prayers.
Arty & Rose Ann Tovar.

__________________

When all is done that is asked from me and I can fly no higher, I pray this day his hand extends to welcome home a flyer.
Author : http://www.pigeonrescue.com/
Website:http://pigeonworld.informe.com/index...e3a2a754004832
Watch: http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...29577913622678
Sign: http://www.all-creatures.org/alert/alert-20070124.html
E-Mail tallship30@yahoo.com

I just saw this post. I am so sorry for your loss. Sending prayers for comfort to you and your wife...Joey was blessed to have you and your wife as caregivers and family while she was lent to this earthly world. Your tribute to her is beautiful she lives on.....

My sincere condolences, and ((((Huggs))))

I want you all to understand me, this is sometimes hard for even me to do.
I am torn inside concerning the animal world, the human world alone comes with much frustrations, but when mixing the two...I become desperate for answers, answers that may never be reality.
I honestly think I can fix things, I can end there suffering.
I am obligated to help just as you are, I carry this overwhelming feeling of goodness when I do reach out to help, when I do see to there needs, I do not walk on by when seeing an animal that needs help, I stop and give that animal attention.
A friend of mine once said, "when I see a wild animal in need of help, I think this is Mother nature at work, whom and I to interfer", there's reality in those words.
There is 2 worlds living within me, they collide often as the FIXER tries to keep both worlds happy.
Joey showed me what animals are capable of, Joey taught me that all animals are as unique and individual as you and I.
Joey taught me to many things, my processor is running overtime and I feel a crash coming, I want to run...but don't no where to run to, I feel a need to be with her.....
I have to go away for awhile...I have to come to terms with this...
I have to creamate my little girl today, I am praying this offers me closure, I have held many a little ones fallen silent over the years, there is something very very disturbing within me, I have failed my little girl.
Thank you all....I have no more words.....
Arty.