AHPA MEETING MINUTES -
Club Meeting January 12, 2009
Written by: Pat Bentley

• The last of the three Senegal parrots Flo had acquired in December, was re-homed before the meeting started.
• New and returning officers were announced.
• Ron from the OC 16 show, “The Pet Hui”, would like to do another feature on our club.  Flo asked us to come up with ideas for a segment.  Our own Bruce, da Bird Guy, has been featured previously on this show.  The Pet Hui airs Wednesdays at 7:30 pm.
• Our yearly membership dues are due.  This year they are $30/family and $25/single.
• The group filled out a membership info sheet, and a questionnaire on what we think is important for our club, kinds of activities we should offer, and how our meetings should be conducted.
• We will be creating a membership directory, which can feature our special bird interests.  This directory can keep us connected, for example, with networking to find a lost bird.
• Our sister club in Pennsylvania sent us a for-fun quiz on the external parts of a bird.
• The group has been asked to gather household objects to be recycled into types for birds.  We will be making these toys at our next meeting in February.  Suggested objects included paper cups, cardboard boxes, untreated wood, rope, wine corks, plastic kid toys, and phone books.
• A breeding pair of cockatiels need a new home, as well as a pair of handicapped Eclectus’s.
• A woman named Bridget asked for our advise in convincing her husband to re-house their birds while their home is being renovated, to avoid traumatizing them with noise and fumes.  Hubby is adamant that the birds should stay home.
• Secretary Pat will follow up on her suggestion that we publish announcements of our club meeting times and events in free local newspaper calendar sections.
• Secretary Pat asked if shelters allow birds during a disaster.  Flo said that there is a law on the books allowing birds but has heard that all pets are still turned away.  Pat will look into this issue further.
• As always, many wonderful bird companions were in attendance, the pupus were great, and the socializing was fun.