It’s for the birds. Literally. Members of Pampered Parrots Avian Rescue strive to adhere to earth-friendly practices – they recycle newspapers, limit their water use, and avoid harsh chemicals by cleaning with baking soda, vinegar and grapefruit seed extract. They do this for the Earth, but also for the sake of their feathered friends. “Birds are sensitive to just about anything,” said Tracy Conant, president of Pampered Parrots. “We’re also losing natural resources, which is why we do our best to be green.” Since 1999, members of this Airway Heights-based non-profit have rescued and found homes for more than 500 birds — from finches and parakeets to canaries and macaws. They’ve also made sure to incorporate green practices to promote healthy living and ensure the safety of their birds. For the past decade, the bird sanctuary has worked with the Lion’s Club and other organizations to recycle newspaper. The bottom of bird cages need to be lined every day since dropped food, spilled water and bird poop can easily create places for bacteria to grow. Birds that are ill and quarantined need to have their cage liners changed even more frequently. Instead of paper towels and other materials, Conant uses four sheets of newspaper to line each cage. Conant also uses the newspapers for cleaning windows. “We believe in reusing and recycling,” she said. To spruce up their homes, especially the rooms where the birds stay, Conant and others use only natural products – “baking soda, vinegar and a lot of elbow grease,” she said. Birds are sensitive to chemical fumes, she said. Even using a self-cleaning oven can be deadly. Ovens are Teflon-coated so they emit fumes that can kill birds in as little as 15 minutes, she said. That’s why she and other bird owners have to clean their ovens by hand using only natural products. “If these chemicals are killing the birds, what’s it doing to us?” Conant asked. In addition to recycling newspaper using earth-friendly cleaning products to protect the birds, Conant and others use cloth instead of paper towels to clean the bird cages. Conant also uses hemp, straw and recycled materials to make toys for her birds. To treat sick birds suffering from gout, bumblefoot, eye disorders and other common avian afflictions, she often creates natural remedies from herbs that she grows in her own yard. Conant’s passion for birds began at a young age. As a child who grew on two acres of land in rural Suncrest near Nine Mile Falls, Conant got her start by raising chickens as a member of Future Farmers of America. Although they were broiler chickens that her family raised to eat, Conant named them and soon developed a fascination for birds. When she was 13, her family allowed her to keep a cockatiel. “It’s like having 2-year-olds your entire life,” said Conant, describing her experience as a bird owner and one of the founders of the Pampered Parrots Avian Rescue. “They’re interesting and mischievous but like a little kid, they give you so much love…They love to interact with people. They’re intelligent and are capable of cognitive interaction.” That’s why it breaks her heart to learn about the dozens of birds each month that are mistreated, abandoned or forced out of their homes. People give up their birds for a number of reasons, said Conant. Some have to move to places that don’t allow pets. Others have had to leave for military duty for extended periods of time. In some cases, members of Pampered Parrots Avian Rescue have had to take birds from homes where the owners have recently passed away. Many people, however, get pet birds without considering the amount of responsibility it takes to care for animals, Conant said. After a while, they decide to get rid of the bird. “They just open the door and let them go,” said Conant. “It’s a death sentence for the birds.” Since they’re domestic-raised, these feathered creatures don’t know how to find food and water. They can’t fend for themselves and have no idea how to deal with cats and other animals. According to Conant, they usually don’t know how to fly very well and are uncomfortable outdoors. Some birds also have been severely abused or neglected. Pampered Parrots receives several phone calls each day, alerting them about a bird that needs a new home. Conant works with a few foster families that can usually take in one to three birds at a time. Conant, who dedicates several rooms of her house for birds, currently has the maximum amount of birds she can handle. She has eight of her own as well as 16 rescues. Before finding them a home, rescue volunteers evaluate each bird’s health and behavior. Some parrots need to be quarantined. Others may have to spend several months in a foster home for behavior modification or rehabilitation because their previous owners taught them bad words and encouraged unhealthy conduct. “We focus on being the small rescue with heart,” according to the Pampered Parrots website. “We guarantee we give each bird individualized attention and do what is right for the bird.” The Christian organization also doesn’t sell birds but asks people to pay an adoption fee to help cover the cost of food, veterinary bills and other expenses. Pampered Parrots Avian Rescue responds to calls from throughout Washington state, north Idaho, north Oregon and western Montana. The non-profit also works in conjunction with other groups including the TLC Bird Haven in Deer Park, Wash., and the Cockatiel Relocation, which is licensed to work in the Spokane and Seattle areas. “Finding homes for birds is a recycling project of its own,” said Conant. “Not everyone is a responsible pet owner so we have to work hard to find good homes … Each time we do this, we are caring for one of our greatest treasures – the life of a bird.”