Angel is a 26-year-old female cockatoo who has experienced immense grief in the past two years. Angel was surrendered to STAR due to both of her owners experiencing health issues for the past two years that ultimately led to their passing. During this two-year period, Angel was loved, but loved from afar. She could no longer get the proper attention that she deserved and was used to. This was a shock to her tiny system and led to Angel retreating into her grief. The once happy and bubbly personality of Angel was dwarfed by her sadness. Angel did not have the energy or will-power to take care of herself any longer, which then led to a lack of preening. Angel’s down feathers all over her body were left to calcify and were completely untouched before coming to STAR. Angel has simply given up on taking care of herself and needed some assistance from her foster home to learn how to preen once more.

Once given the proper diet, regular bathing, and all the attention that Angel could absorb, she met her forever mom and blossomed. Angel immediately fell in love with her new mom, buried her head under her mom’s chin, and whispered, “Angel is a good, good girl.” Angel’s mom was astounded at how sweet and trusting this little girl was after her all her trauma. A decision was made right then are there that Angel belonged with her new mom. From that moment on, Angel knew that she had a home where she could continue to flourish into the healthy and happy bird she once was.