Originally posted on The Week by Catherine Garcia Since launching Parrots for Patriots in 2015, Chris Driggins has paired 90 abandoned birds with veterans in the Northwest looking for emotional support animals. Driggins, who also runs Northwest Bird Rescue in Vancouver, Washington, told Today that after leaving the service, many veterans, especially those with [...]
The Parrots for Patriots Initiative Originally posted on Little Peckers Blog Parrots for Patriots In an innovative project, rescue birds are helping military veterans to cope with their post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their struggle to adapt to life outside of the armed forces. A New Normal Many retired veterans find civilian life extremely [...]
January 6, 2017 originally posted on AFBA Former service members suffering from the physical and psychological effects of warfare have long looked to service animals for comfort and support. While most veterans work with trained mammals such as dogs, others bond with less common creatures, according to Today. Christopher Driggins, founder of the Vancouver, [...]
Parrots for Patriots’ pairs abandoned birds with veterans in need of emotional therapy Originally posted on NTD Birds are cute, funny and can be great pets and friends. A program in the northwest has come up with a novel idea of using rescued birds to heal veterans, an idea that’s only growing wings. For [...]
Early every morning, a perfect falsetto disrupts Paul Thomas’ dreams as Magoo, one of his talking African gray parrots, alerts him that it’s time to face the day. Within minutes, another parrot, Sabrina, and a cockatoo named Murphy are also chiming in, leading Thomas to sigh and reach for his slippers, then smile, knowing [...]
Article published on August 30th 2017 After a three-year stint in the Army as an ammunition specialist during the late 1970s, Christopher Driggins, now 57, found himself still fighting, long after his military career ended. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had taken hold of his life and he withdrew socially. His salvation came in a [...]
Published copy read: Rebecca Shilling was a senior master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. She? also a breast cancer survivor who underwent a double mastectomy. Both come with their own physical and emotional struggles. As Shilling told Oregon Live, “It’s real easy to get totally down.” For Shilling, a 20-year-old white umbrella cockatoo called [...]
Originally posted on Petcha.com, written by Anastasia Thrift The regular schedules, and irregular antics, of pet birds keep veterans in a routine while being distracted by these clever birds’ personalities. Chris Diggins, founder of Parrots for Patriots, places neglected birds with people who can care for them and feel love in return. Via [...]
Originally posted on Wide Open Pets by Amber King Affecting approximately 20% of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom veterans, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a growing epidemic. Soldiers, airmen, marines, and seamen leave the service only to face an enemy they didn’t see coming. PTSD interferes with everyday life causing depression, anxiety, [...]
By: Steve Williams December 27, 2018 PTSD can be a terrible and insidious health problem and a hard one to treat because of the many layers of trauma that can underpin the condition. But animal companions, and recently birds, like parrots, have proved to be a powerful source of joy and wellness for people dealing post traumatic [...]