Charleston Pirate Tours Donates $1 from Each Ticket to Parrot Rescue

Charleston Pirate Tours and Island Paradise Balloon Art are donating $1 of each tour ticket and 5% of event fees to Bird Love Avian Sanctuary, a bird rescue facility in Columbia, SC. Charleston Pirate Tours mascot, Capt Bob is a former resident. End Quote

Charleston-North Charleston, SC (1888PressRelease) September 04, 2010 - Charleston Pirate Tours is now donating $1.00 from every ticket to BirdLove Avian Sanctuary, a parrot rescue in Columbia, SC. Charleston Pirate Tours and its sister company, Island Paradise Balloon Art are also donating 5% of the fee for every event at which Captain Bob, the blue and gold macaw, appears. Captain Bob was a long-time resident of the sanctuary before his adoption by Eric and Sabrina Lavender, owners of Charleston Pirate Tours and Island Paradise Balloon Art. "When we adopted Bob, we had no idea that he was going to become part of the family business," says Sabrina Lavender, "but he's a natural entertainer, so we started using him with balloon twisting events. When we started doing pirate tours, Bob was just a natural fit. Parrots need lots of interaction, so he really enjoys the attention that he gets on the tours and appearances for Island Paradise Balloon Art. He's become sort of an ambassador for parrot adoption."

On a recent trip to do pirate storytelling at the South Carolina State Museum, the Lavenders and Capt. Bob visited BirdLove, and found that many of the parrots they met, when they adopted Bob more than four years ago, are still at the Sanctuary awaiting adoption. "It was so sad to see so many birds, who would be great companions, still there." says Eric Lavender. "We know first-hand the cost in time and money that a parrot requires, and we just felt compelled to do something. We'll always be indebted to Sanctuary Co-Directors Jo Gore and Rick McGee for matching us up with Captain Bob." The Lavenders are currently making plans to adopt a yellow-naped Amazon, who will begin making tour and event appearances as soon as she is acclimated to her new home and family, which includes a number of other adopted companions from a cat and dog to a box turtle and two house rabbits.

"Rick and I are so grateful to the Lavender family for their generosity and outstanding care of Bob, says Joe Gore. "Bob came to Birdlove because no one could keep him in his cage....he is mechanically-inclined to say the least! Ha! But, Bob has a job now and is ready for bed in his cage when he gets home from "work" at night. Bob was one of the lucky ones to arrive here. So many had years of abuse behind them, and some of these require a tremendously committed person or persons to turn them around and these commitments often last many months, if not years. The saddest part of it all is that WE, HUMANS, have done this damage by not educating ourselves and learning ahead of time about the wonderful possibilities these beautiful creatures can offer us."

BirdLove's mission is to foster or adopt out all adoptable birds and to offer permanent sanctuary to birds, who are not adoptable due to behavioral or medical reasons. BirdLove currently has 30 avian residents from the smallest parakeet to the largest greenwing macaw. The monthly financial cost of housing, feeding, and medical care averages $30 per bird. Of course, caring for 30 parrots also takes a lot of hands-on work. These birds require interaction and mental stimulation, not to mention the labor involved in preparing meals and cleaning cages.

For information on donating directly to BirdLove Avian Sanctuary, volunteering, or adoption, please visit www.birdloveaviansanctuary-adoption.org/.

Charleston Pirate Tours offers walking tours and storytelling presentations on Charleston history. Island Paradise Balloon Art offers balloon twisting entertainment for events, restaurants, and private parties.

You can learn more about Captain Bob at www.CharlestonPirateTour.com and www.IslandParadiseBalloonArt.com.

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