Abandoned Bird Sanctuary
- All of these birds were found abandoned & starving to death during the severe Michigan winter.
- Adonis the turkey, an elderly domestic turkey, was abandoned and found his way to the Sanctuary!
- Two Sulcatta tortoises make their home at A.S.K.. Both were rescued as juveniles that could fit into the palms of our hands! Today they are over 40lbs each, and growing.
- Sulcatta tortoises can live over 50 yrs, and A.S.K. discourages their sale in the pet trade.
- A.S.K.’s specality is in special-needs rehabilitation cases, like this one that required tendon reattachment.
- Pekin boy “gang.”
- This Saddleback gosling had tendon surgery at a cost of over $500 to restore proper function of one leg that was formerly unable to outstretch itself.
- An entire flock of Chinese Crested Geese were abandoned at a public park in Kalamazoo. A.S.K.’s rescue team responded, capturing birds on land, and by kayak.
- Chinese Crested Goose flock from Kalamazoo, Michigan.
- Proud Pekin and Roan ducks at the Sanctuary.
- Rescues from Kalamazoo, Michigan.
- Nixon is a charismatic Mucovy duck that was ran over in Battle Creek, attacked by a dog, yet still survived!
- These geese were rescued from Detroit, all dumped at three different locations.
- A.S.K. has multiple flocks of birds, separated according to gender and personalities.
- Birds cannot be sexed at young ages and as a result, buyers may end up with unwanted roosters which end up discarded illegally.
- Rosa the house chicken was abandoned in Lansing, Michigan presumably as a result of having a crossbill, a genetic condition that requires feeding accomodations.
- Roosters are inquisitive and intelligent, making great companions.
- Roosters are rountinely abandoned in the city as a result of the increased popularity in urban farming and inability to sex chicks.
The illegal abandonment of farmed birds is a common problem happening everywhere. People buy ducklings, goslings and chickens/roosters on impulse for a few dollars as cute hatchling novelties only to find out that they require a significant amount of work. And they’re often surprised at just how loud and disruptive they can be.
These birds, especially ducks and geese, end up abandoned at city parks, lakes or roadside wetlands left to fend for themselves. But just because they have feathers doesn’t mean that they can survive! These are domesticated farm animals, bred flightless, or with minimal flight ability and few survival instincts. It’s also illegal to dump them.
A.S.K. conducts rescues of abandoned domestic fowl all over Michigan, predominantly in the city and suburbs of Detroit and rural and city communities of South Central Michigan. Our specialty is in rehabilitating special-needs birds; many of our rescues come to us with serious nutritional deficiencies, disabilities that impair walking or life-threatening infections requiring of extensive time and costs.
Lifelong rescue, including preventative and emergency vet care, is provided by an avian certified vet to give birds the best qualities of life for the duration of their lives. At A.S.K. birds are valued for who they are, not what they can provide us. We acknowledge that there are too many domestic birds and too few safe refuges for them, therefore no reproduction is allowed.
Special-Needs Dog Sanctuary
A.S.K. provides lifelong refuge, health care, rehabilitation, enrichment and love to previously neglected chained dogs on 100 rural acres. Our focus is on dogs that would be deemed “unadoptable” by traditional rescue programs. These are dogs that have been largely ignored their entire lives, left alone outside in all temperatures and whom have suffered immense neglect at the hands of humans. They may growl, bite or be lacking in emotional responses, but we open our hearts and home to them because they can have a new beginning with A.S.K., no matter how bad their past was. Our Sanctuary dogs serve as ambassadors to the hundreds that have not yet been rescued. Rehabilitated dogs may make special appearances at events and in schools to help break stereotypes about “bully” breeds especially. The Sanctuary is located on private property, and has a resident living on-site. It is not open to the public due to the special-needs and unpredictable behaviors of our residents with strangers. We are not a petting zoo.
Dogs live in a heated barn with constant access to outside yards and in special-needs foster home settings where A.S.K. provides 100% of their daily needs for life. Enrichment and love is an important component to Sanctuary dog life. Our dogs are an extension of our family and we intentionally keep our numbers low (20 residents or less) so that each dog receives one-on-one care for life. Toys, car rides, play dates on the property or occasionally off-site (depending on the dog) are frequent. Dogs that tolerate other dogs live with another dog.
- Sanctuary supervisors; three rescued dogs from three separate cases of severe neglect!
- Persia enjoys the company of house chickens, but not other dogs!





