Harley's Haven

in home privately run rescue for birds

Goldie (B&G Macaw)

 
 
Suunday Sept 23rd 2007    I lost the a  "Big" bird  for the first time and this one was one of the first rescues I took in over 7 years ago   Her/his name was "Goldie " B&G macaw
Goldie shared a cage with her cage mate Harley (who i named the rescue after) and Harley is a catalina   both of them were not very people friendly and preferred to be with other birds instead of people.  I was one of the only ones they allowed to handle them.   They both were my first babies and have a very special place in my heart.
They had such a hard life before coming here.  I rescued Goldie from a home in New Jersey   where the the current owners did not know how to handle Goldie  (they acquired Goldie from a family member who was not taking very good care of her/him.  Goldie was cage aggressive as having spent alot of time in the cage without being handled, which in turn the current owners were afraid of getting bite so they did not handle her/him either.  So Goldie spent many years in the cage with very little human contact or out of the cage time.   
When I was done cleaning cages yesterday  it was time to do nails as I noticed Goldie's were long.    so went to get the towel and get ready for the struggle  whenIi got goldie out  noticed  Goldie was on the thin side (sometimes hard to tell just by looking, it is more noticable when the bird is handled.  ok  panic time.   was Harley not letting Goldie eat ?   checked out Harley   who seemed just fine fat and nasty as ever  so set up cage for Goldie  started formula feeding, pediatlye,   set up hospital  
 
was a very long time and as it went on  Goldie was getting worse  at 10pm  realized that Goldie was on her/his way to the bridge.   made Goldie as comfortable as possible
Goldie was not going without a fight   would try to climb up to the perch and would try to perch there  did not last long
so it was up and down for the next hour and  1/2   had a towel on the bottom for the times Goldie would fall  
tried to hold Goldie   would put up a struggle and did not want that  so i would leave Goldie alone and just sit by the cage.  around 11:30  i must have shut my eyes for a bit  cause i remember waking up to a loud screaming type noise and flapping of wings   ran to cage from the couch i was on and Goldie was on the bottom of cage on his/her side  between the tears i wrapped Goldie in a towel and said  i am holding you whether you want me to or not.   and we sat on the couch together   still trying once and a while to struggle but than just gave up   so i sat with goldie stroking his/her head and telling Goldie its ok just go to sleep  and be free.   
God how that hurt to say that. 
and eventually around midnight  Goldie took his/her last breath in my lap   
God i had Goldie for 7 years and how it hurt so much 
kept telling myself at least goldie knew love and what it was like to be loved probably for the first time in it life.  and knew not all people are mean.  
 
So go rest and be peaceful at the bridge my dear friend.  You will always be in my heart  and I will never forget you 
I  Love you always Goldie 
 
HARLEY AND GOLDIE TOGETHER  
 
 
 
 
HHAHH