06/01/2026
I never claimed I was the best, but Iām damn proud of what Iāve built here at Soaring Spirits Sanctuary.
In just over two years, Iāve learned a lot. Iāve learned from rescues I look up to, and Iāve learned from rescues I never want to be like. Iāve had my fair share of bites, blood, sweat, and more tears than I can count.
Iāve walked into some of the most horrific cruelty and neglect cases imaginableā¦cases that genuinely left a mark on me and sent me to therapy (thanks to my severely empathetic side). Iāve learned how to handle situations I never thought Iād face. Iāve become incredibly skilled at grooming, especially beak corrections, and I take a lot of pride in that. Iāve spent countless hours learning about supplements, medications, treatments, diagnoses, veterinary care, nutrition, and rehabilitation. And the funny thing is, Iām still learning every single day.
This place wasnāt handed to me. I built it from the ground up.
Iāve been thrown some absolute curveballs and had to figure things out as I went. Iāve built an incredible community of supporters who show up every time I need help. But Iāve also spent plenty of nights crying. Iāve debated closing the rescue more times than people probably realize. Iāve sat on the floor and bawled my eyes out, wondering if I could keep doing this.
But I do keep going.
Because where else are these birds going to go?
Sure, sometimes I get comments about our main aviary being in a basement. But my basement has windows. My birds get fresh air. They get outside time. They get socialized. They get out of their cages. Their cages are packed full of toys, I mean packed full. Theyāre appropriately sized for their species and often larger than the minimum requirements. There are air purifiers throughout the aviary and my home. Every bird is disease tested. I have an amazing veterinarian Dr. Vena in Johnstown. My birds get fresh chop 99% of the week (unless they manage to eat us out of house and home before I make more).
And hereās the thing: how many people, *especially* rescues, can honestly say they truly socialize their birds every day? How many can say they regularly take their birds outside to enjoy the sunshine? How many can say they actually open the cage doors and give those birds time to just be birds? How many of them put in the work to teach a bird to step up before writing them off as āaggressiveā?
Because Iāve learned that not many can.
A basement doesnāt define the quality of care. The care does.
These birds arenāt sitting in cages all day collecting dust. Theyāre interacting with people. Theyāre learning to trust again. Theyāre getting sunshine on their feathers, fresh air in their lungs, toys to destroy, healthy food to eat, and opportunities to make choices for themselves. Theyāre being treated like individuals, not inventory.
At the end of the day, Iād rather have birds in a basement that are loved, enriched, healthy, and living full lives than birds in a fancy expensive rescue building that never get touched, never get socialized, and rarely see the outside world.
And honestly? My Google reviews speak for themselves. The people who have adopted from us, volunteered with us, surrendered birds to us, sought our help, or trusted us with their beloved companions have shared their experiences publicly. Those reviews mean the world to me because they come from real people who have seen firsthand what we do here.
I guess Iām writing this as a reminder to myself, because I get real insecure sometimesā¦
Iāve done it.
Iāve built this rescue from nothing, and I have years of work to show for it. Sometimes I need to remember that I belong in the rescue space. I need to stop doubting myself. I need to remember that these birds are well cared for during their short, or sometimes very long, stays here.
Theyāre spoiled.
They know love.
They get healthy food.
They get clean water.
And for many of them, thatās som**hing they havenāt had in a very long time. Some have never had those basic needs consistently met before arriving here.
Iāve earned the trust and respect of the communities I work alongside, including various SPCAs, police departments, and animal control officers that have called me for help. Iāve had animal control officers in my house before. Iāve worked alongside investigators. Hell, Iāve even had Shannon from Birds and Beaks Rescue and Rehab in Michigan in my house before (love ya girl!).
Some days I donāt see any of that.
Some days all I see are the things I wish I could do better.
Today is one of those days.
But I need to remember that what started as a dream has become my reality.
I get to be a voice for the voiceless.
I get to save these birds.
Sometimes they repay me with bloody bites and enough attitude to make me question my life choices. Sometimes my days end with me yelling, āWHY?!ā into the universe. Sometimes I celebrate tiny victories. Sometimes I celebrate huge milestones. Sometimes I cry over losses. Sometimes I cry because a bird finally trusted me enough to step up.
But I wouldnāt change any of it for the world.
To everyone who has supported Soaring Spirits Sanctuary, donated, shared our posts, volunteered, fostered, adopted, sent supplies, encouraged me, or simply followed along on this journeyā¦.thank you.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Weāre still here.
And weāre going to keep pushing forward.
What started as a dream has become my daily reality. Some days are hard. Some days are heartbreaking. Some days are exhausting beyond words. But every single day, I get to wake up and fight for birds that otherwise might not have had anyone in their corner.
And that is som**hing Iāll always be proud of.
