(I only entered three stars for a review because I was required to enter something. I didn't want to give a lower rating based on just one disappointing phone conversation. I would prefer to leave it ... Read More
(I only entered three stars for a review because I was required to enter something. I didn't want to give a lower rating based on just one disappointing phone conversation. I would prefer to leave it blank.) We have an injured blackbird, otherwise alert and healthy, but appears to have a hurt leg and wing. We called two vets this morning, one that supposedly specializes in birds, but they tell you immediately that they won't treat a wild bird, (even a very easy going one like this one, even gentler than a parakeet or cockatiel? To be honest I think they are afraid people will ask for free care since it's a wild bird. That was the vibe I got.) They just tell you you are "required" to call one of two clinics , one of them being Dorchester Vet Hosp, because these clinics are connected with "Keepers of the Wild". So I called Dorchester Vet Hosp. Nice girl answered the phone and passed me to another woman (not sure if it was one of the vets.) Pretty disappointed with the conversation. Basically just the same as the others, and really not that nice on the phone. She said we have to bring the bird to them and sign away the bird to Keepers of the Wild. I said actually we were hoping to get medical care for the bird and release him to the location where we found him, we don't really want to pass him off to other volunteers. (We have met "wildlife rehabilitators" before and they were not vets, they were just volunteers, we have not met Keepers of the Wild personally, though. ) Anyway lady at Dorchester Vet would only repeat "you drop off the bird with us and sign it over to Keepers of the Wild"....then we "do what we can for it" before turning it over to the volunteers". It was clear we would not even get to know what medical treatment the bird would receive (if any). Why should a person not be able to get medical care for a bird and know what the care is? Anyway it's just sad it seems to be so hard to get medical care for a bird here and release him where he came from. It definitely seemed like the clinics think someone is looking for free care when it's a wild bird, and they have developed this system of passing you off. That's sad. I expect their tone is different when you call about your parrot. Read Less