They rescue birds, rehabilitate them and provide them with a place to recover. But for the Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary, the past year has been one of its hardest yet.
The sanctuary is currently caring for 34 birds, but owner Jamie McLeod said donations have dropped to about half of what they once were.
“Our donations are half of what they used to be, and it’s hard,” McLeod said. “People that are donating are more concerned with human welfare now and not animal welfare.”
The decline in donations comes as the sanctuary continues to provide food, shelter and care for birds in need.
Despite the financial challenges, McLeod said the community continues to find other ways to support the sanctuary. Some people leave bags of fresh produce on the sanctuary’s porch to help feed the birds.
“We’re so grateful to the community,” McLeod said. “People love to leave us bags of fruit and veggies on the porch.”
The sanctuary is also seeking volunteers, including people who can contribute professional skills that could help the organization operate and raise funds.
McLeod said people with skills such as grant writing could make a meaningful contribution.
“If you have a skill set that would contribute to the well-being of our organization, like grant writing, whatever you think would benefit our flock,” McLeod said.
For manager Jodie McLeod, the birds are more than animals in need of care. She said they each have distinct personalities that visitors may not immediately recognize.
“The birds here are so sweet, and have lots of personality,” she said. “People don’t realize it sometimes.”
With 34 birds currently relying on the sanctuary, staff members say continued community support is critical to keeping the organization going and providing care for the animals.
