MARDENS ARK CORPORATION

We want to change how people view their relationships with companion animals. Even if we were billionaires, we couldn't possibly house all the unwanted animals that are flooding shelters, rescues and sanctuaries today. This trend is going to continue unless something changes. A relationship with any animal should be a long-term commitment, but especially with parrots because of their long life spans, those who purchase parrots often view it with the same lack of seriousness as that which has created an epidemic of homeless cats and dogs. The difference is, many parrots can live up to 80 years. This, combined with breeders who produce more and more parrots for profit is creating a massive burden for all those who rescue the unwanted. The only way to truly solve this is by changing the way we all think about keeping parrots as companions. Our Outreach program is working hard towards this goal! No matter how many aviaries we can build, they will become overfull unless we can succeed at this goal, one parrot, one person, one heart and one mind at a time. Our canine section (doggiefuge.org) also strives for the same goals with education, help with medical care, and finding homes for at-risk dogs.

Avianrefuge.org (Marden's Ark Avian Refuge):
Not only are we speaking and authoring materials of our own, to accomplish the educational goals, but we are committed to helping with retention of companion parrots by those who are struggling to provide for them, and we are also allying ourselves with other organizations to share the messages and change the public view. This change is designed to hit the problem of unwanted parrots at the very root - BEFORE they are bought with little forethought and then tossed aside. Our program also includes strategies for working with families who are considering surrendering their parrots to consider alternatives and encourage retention.

Doggierefuge.org (Marden's Ark Dog Tales)
Our mission is to provide the needed medical care, socialization, and appropriate family for dogs in need. We work with a network of animal rescues, animal trainers, veterinarians, and people dedicated to the betterment of animal lives. We strive to help dogs that have fallen through the cracks, the ones that can be healed, emotionally and/or physically, but got overlooked by adopters or rescues by no fault of their own. Sometimes this will mean rushing a dog from a shelter to emergency surgery to save his life. Sometimes this will mean providing a environment for a dog where they can learn to trust and love humans.

Right now, our capabilities include our directors' writing abilities and their passion for putting the animals first. Our capabilities will grow as funding grows, which will require building public trust by demonstrating goals met and our vision for a better future for animals and the humans that love them. Better funding will allow us to help more animals, help more people RETAIN rather than surrender, and allow us to put out more teaching resources and possibly produce videos and other materials to help us promote the change we hope to effect.

We have forged professional working relationships with like-minded organizations. We have helped families retain their companion parrots through hard times. We have reached out and opened minds and eyes during talks, events, and seminars. What we haven't done is grow at the rate we'd like to see. We need more land, and more aviaries. We haven't gotten the birds in our care into living arrangements where they have flight and flock. Many of our residents, though they get time each day out of the cages, are still bound to spend most of their time in them. This is not acceptable and we will not cease to push forward until the goal of aviary life is a reality for all the birds that are able, and birds with special needs have the best accommodations we can offer within the framework of their own safety.

As part of our progress forward, we are in the process of trying to start a business where we can sell the foods we produce for our own birds. We plan to continue to grow this endeavor to hopefully provide financial underpinning to support the sanctuary and its mission.

Our canine section has rescued many dogs who would have otherwise been euthanized or died from their conditions. We have matched many dogs with families that will keep their commitments to them and give them loving homes for their life spans.