NoRoomAttheInn: Nov. 17: Wales Parrot Rescue

Joan Rakrhra, of the Facebook Group Joan’s North Wales Parrot Rescue, has personality! Who else gets away with telling her husband the four-bedroom house must be sold and the nearby seven-bedroom former B&B purchased so the live-in Joan’s North Wales Parrot Rescue, the only parrot rescue in Wales, can adequately provide for its parrots?!

Courtesy of Joan Rakhra

Just hanging out (Courtesy of Joan Rakhra)

Courtesy of Joan Rakhra

Joan came into parrot rescue through the backdoor: a certified dog-sitter with three children, Joan also often kept birds at owners’ request. A native speaker of Welsh, born in the mountains by Bethesda, and married at the age of sixteen, Joan in the 1990s found herself in Llandudno and began to find true happiness in parrots, with the acquisition of Billy the orange-wing Amazon in 1998. After divorce and happily into her second marriage, Joan’s parrot rescue took off. As more and more people asked Joan to care for birds in need, the rescue formally became RSPCA-certified.

Joan will go to any necessary extreme to save a parrot’s life. Cockatoo Lola (now Rolo) emerged traumatized badly from an abuse situation. While his plucking diminished, three times he nearly killed himself by plucking out blood feathers in a fit of frenzy. At last anti-depressants gave Rolo– and thereby Joan– some peace.

Lola, Courtesy of Joan Rakrhra

Billy and Lola (Courtesy of Joan Rakrhra)

Located just off the main theater arts street, Joan’s rescue is in a restructured former B&B of 120 years age! Joan’s rescued blueandgold macaw Goldie soon was discovered as the ultimate pirate companion. First it was the two annual pirate parrot fundraisers, then it pacing the sidewalk in promotion of a pirate play; and now this winter Goldie makes his television debut with a full series of a children’s pirate superhero television show! Goldie’s got charisma and then some!

Goldie (Courtesy of Joan Rakrhra)

Goldie on set (Courtesy of Joan Rakrhra)

Goldie and cast (Courtesy of Joan Rakrhra)

Most rescues scramble for funds, regularly soliciting former patrons, having GoFundMe accounts and the like. The fame and popularity of Joan’s Wales Parrot Rescue means she can focus more on the delicious, nutritious chops she regularly prepares for the 21 parrot residents. The rescue has rehomed over 200 birds in the last three years!