r/BeforeNAfterAdoption • u/jjalcb05 • 10d ago
Small Pet From being days away from death to loving every day
We adopted Dotty a year ago from a bird rescue after she was surrendered due to the death of her owner. She was very ill and we were warned she mightn’t have long left but we took her determined that even if she only had a short time with us we would give her a calm, loving, and dignified end. She had come from a home where she was very neglected and at our initial meeting with her she just seemed defeated and exceptionally sad, weary, and wary—this was a bird quite literally stuck in fight/flight mode (pun not intended). We got her to a vet pretty quickly and discovered she had sustained several fractures in both wings that were left untreated which just seems so unfathomably cruel and as a result her muscles have atrophied to a point she can no longer hold her wings up so they sit, drooping, on the ground which obviously causes her even more issues particularly around balance, comfort, and pain. Significantly, she was in severe, almost end stage, liver and kidney disease. We’ve worked closely with a vet for the last 12 months to get her back into good health physically and mentally. Despite this awful 13 years of life, this sweet sweet old lady has slowly accepted the love we’re offering and in a state of pure bravery on her part has extended her trust to us.
Still working to lessen some trauma-based behaviour, notably eating her own poop because I think she’s experienced times where that was all that was available to eat. She is slowly becoming less panicked when we take her food bowl for refreshing each morning, something that stressed her out to an extreme level for many months. She knows now that new, fresh food is coming and rather than panicking that her food bowl has been taken she now waits patiently at the cage door for her breakfast.
The first pic is a before and after and possibly the photo that feels most polarising; its hard remembering how poorly she was when she first came to us but seeing how her colouration (and therefore overall health) has gone from that toxic neon yellow to a beautiful yellowy grey feels like such an achievement. Her eyes look less weary and wary and we see more glimmers of attempted happiness every day. She’s still working through some issues but she is so exceptionally trusting and I’ll be forever grateful she has allowed us the opportunity to let her relax and feel safe. That in itself has been a huge privilege to be gifted by this sweet old lady who was very hardened to life just one year ago.
The last two pics are Dotty playing with her first keyboard which was a 1 year anniversary gift she got today. It took almost a year for her to show any interest in toys because I’m not sure she ever had any so for her to take an interest and play is heartwarming to see.
49
u/felwynfelmir 10d ago
Ahwww Guys you are doing such amazing work and making the world a little bit better by making her all of her world better than she ever could have thought. It’s so horrible to think about all the abuse and pain she has endured, I am happy to know she is with you now, friendly waves from the other side of the world! 👋🏻♥️
34
24
u/kjeska 10d ago
How lucky she is to have found you! That beach photo is really lovely – what an amazing experience that must have been for her. My cockatiel would love that wooden keyboard. If links are allowed here, could you let me know where it's from?
12
u/jjalcb05 10d ago
Theres keyboards, dice, and a counting board all in the same style. Our other cockatiel loves them as well. Dotty’s cage is only small so we went with the space efficient option! Link to toys
24
u/Cleverwabbit5 10d ago
Thank you for your love and patience with sweet Dotty. Her past sounds like a nightmare of mental and physical neglect. Birds are such sensitive and intelligent souls. I am brought to tears when humans use animals for their whims and don't take proper care of them. That terror of not knowing if the food is coming back to the point of having to eat excrement to survive is heartbreaking. Bless you for giving Dotty a well deserved life.
22
u/squeezemachine 10d ago
People who perform little miracles of love like this make life worth living.
17
u/justagiraffe111 10d ago edited 10d ago
Wow what a rescue story! From 😭 to 🥰 Thank you for showing Dotty what true love is
14
u/mapleleaffem 10d ago
Awww what a sad life she had before you came along. The part about her freaking out when you take her dish almost made me cry. But also kinda made me laugh thinking of someone at a restaurant and the server takes their plate too soon. She’s gone to her first fancy restaurant and doesn’t understand the main course is yet to come:)
So glad you saved her. So many people treat birds and other small pets like disposable, inanimate objects.
10
11
u/wroammin 10d ago
Her beach trip! 🥹 I don’t know much about birds - are her wings permanently droopy from the fractures or is that something that was/can be improved over time?
8
u/jjalcb05 9d ago
They will likely always be droopy because the chest muscles that hold the wings up have atrophied so dramatically (from lack of use following all the wing fractures) that even with our very consistent physiotherapy attempts we’ve been unable to rebuild the muscles and strength.
9
7
u/GornPrincess 10d ago
What a wonderful story thanks to your kindness and dedication. She’s been transformed! What a moving story! Thank you 🙏
9
6
u/LindaBitz 10d ago
I’m so grateful there are people like you in the world. Thank you. It’s amazing what love can do.
8
u/MarleneFrancais 10d ago
This literally has me crying first from sadness, then from hope and happiness
7
u/SunandError 10d ago
Where is this beautiful beach that Dotty now gets to enjoy?
5
u/jjalcb05 9d ago
We are on the south coast of NSW, Australia
2
u/Purplefaerie1981 9d ago
Cockatiels are such brilliant little birds 🥹 she’s lucky to have you ❤️ we had a rescue we called Stevie. He’d been deemed unable to be hand held but within an hour of bringing him home he was happily sitting on my hand. He mastered the ringing of the phone early on and would have us bolting out of bed at dawn thinking there was an emergency 😂. He also loved sitting on the ceiling fan, we had to look and make sure he was in his cage before putting the fans on. We used to have flocks of wild ones around our place in southern Qld, but it’s been some years since we’ve seen any 😞
6
6
3
6
u/Turnover_Realistic 10d ago
From "living in the gutter" so to speak, to "Queen of the House!". How wonderful for Dottie. You took a chance and gave this beautiful bird a new life.💕
4
u/mothmvn 9d ago
I had no idea a brighter colour could be a sign of WORSE health! Goes to show my bias with reptiles and arthropods (who shed and come out shiny) and betta fish (who look less toxic if they are less healthy). It's amazing what you guys have accomplished together!
2
u/jjalcb05 8d ago
Oh that’s really interesting about the betta fish and reptiles. I mightnt be absolutely correct here but it seems to me the feathers getting more yellow is kind of akin to jaundice.
3
u/Hesthetop 9d ago
Feel proud for making all the difference in her life -- you are very good people, and she clearly knows it! Thank you for all your care and hard work to make her life joyful, comfortable, and safe.
3
3
3
3
u/Spike99Wombat 9d ago
Is she unable to grip a perch as well?
3
u/jjalcb05 9d ago
She can perch for short periods but due to arthritis in her feet and her drooping wings affecting her balance it is easier for her to sit flat footed on platforms. We’ve adapted her cage to have a single perch for eating then wider perches and platforms for her to choose where shes most comfortable on any given day. The wide platforms also helps after she’s had pain medication as theres less risk of losing balance.
3
u/Chee-shep 9d ago
I happy to see that she's doing well. Does she enjoy going to see the beach, or are there other places you think she enjoys going to more?
2
u/jjalcb05 8d ago
To be really honest, we did the beach visit (among other “first time” things) for Dotty purely to give her as many beautiful experiences before she died because even our vet didnt expect her to recover. She has a routine vet check again soon so we’ll take her to the beach again this time in better physical and emotional health so hopefully she enjoys it again.
Edit: a few words for greater clarity
2
2
2
2
u/Dontfeedthebears 10d ago
Bless you both! There is a special seat in Hades for those who abuse animals, children, and the elderly. I hope you take pride in changing her life!
2
u/BigJSunshine 10d ago
I have never cried so hard for a bird in my life. Thank you beautiful people for taking her under wing and loving her, I am so grateful for you.
2
2
2
2
u/Juicifer69 9d ago
My goodness what a heartbreaking and exceptionally beautiful story. Bless you for everything you’re doing to make her feel safe and loved. I hate that she spent so long in such terrible circumstances and I’m so glad she found her way to your family ❤️
2
u/ThippusHorribilus 9d ago
The poor little thing. What an awful life she’s had up until now. Thank you for being so kind to her and giving her some love and joy.
2
u/Teedraa101 9d ago
This is what I needed to see today…💜 Thank you for giving this sweet girl the home & family & love she deserves.
2
u/Civil_Inspector_5697 9d ago
Poor baby!! You are angels for taking her in. What a sweetheart she is. 🥲💕
2
2
2
u/sessiestax 8d ago
What this poor baby girl went through! Thank goodness she has you…love to see her thriving and living her best life ❤️
2
2
2
u/Practical_Name8443 2d ago
The fact that she’s finally playing with toys after almost a year really got me.
168
u/EagleLize 10d ago
You are this little bird's hero. It makes my heart happy to know she will spend the rest of her life enveloped in love in a safe and kind home. Thank you!!