Area community members enjoyed an afternoon of fun and feathers Sept. 17 at the Gillett Public Library to recognize National Pet Bird Day.
J&R Aquatic Animal Rescue, an organization based in Neenah that specializes in exotic pet rescue, highlighted the world of pet birds and other unique animals in the rescue’s care, discussing topics such as responsible pet ownership, exotic bird care and conservation challenges.
Guests had the opportunity to meet Tiki 5000, a green-cheek conure parrot, which is the 5,000th animal surrendered to the rescue.
“Tiki’s story represents the thousands of animals we’ve helped, and we’re excited to celebrate him on such a special day,” said Megan Anderson, J&R’s education specialist.
Anderson has been a zookeeper since 2018 and was working for the Brown County Zoo before joining J&R. Anderson cares for the animals at the Neenah location and regularly travels across Wisconsin leading these community education events.
Events like these are used by J&R to educate the public and increase awareness of the organization’s services.
“Releasing exotic pet species into the environment can disrupt the natural ecosystem and pose a potential threat to people,” Anderson said.
J&R was founded in 2020 by John Moyles, after he noticed a growing need in Wisconsin.
“I’ve been working in the pet industry since 1994,” Moyles said. “I began to notice that too many pets were being released into the wild or abandoned.”
J&R also hosts exotic pet surrender events. These events take place in a different city every two weeks, and allow community members a safe option to parting with unwanted pets.
“Our mission is simple but powerful,” Moyles said. “We provide a safe surrender option, ensure quality care and find new homes for unwanted exotic pets, all while educating the public about responsible ownership and the environmental impact of pet releases.”
J&R also receives exotic pets obtained by law enforcement.
“Since our start in 2020, we’ve found homes for over 8,000 animals and become Wisconsin’s number one exotic pet rescue and turtle rescue,” Moyles said.
The nearest exotic pet surrender event is scheduled for Oct. 18 in Milwaukee. A complete listing of surrender events and animals available for adoption can be found on J&R’s website, www.jraar.org.
“We take in so many pets that arrive in poor condition or with no other safe options, and to see them recover and thrive in a new environment, that, is what keeps this organization going,” Moyles said.
