Sanctuary Update: Preventing HPAI H5 (Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu)

Unfortunately, as you may have heard on the news, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5) has reached our region of New York.  At this point in time, we know this strain is exclusive to birds, so we don’t want visitors to be worried about catching it! But this strain is highly contagious and extremely lethal for birds.  Out of an abundance of caution, we are making some difficult decisions while we hope and pray for an end to this period of imminent danger. This includes pausing visits with all birds, requiring that Homestead guests visit only with staff supervision, canceling Volunteer Day on 3/19, and delaying Opening Weekend until May 7th. We are heartbroken and so sorry.  We’re also updating our bird dwellings to help keep our beloved friends as safe as possible from outside transmission (shoes or tools can carry tiny amounts of feces or saliva from infected birds into our enclosures). In twenty years of rescue, we’ve seen a lot, but we’ve never faced this before. There will be hard times ahead of us. We’re very worried about our birds. But this team is strong and we know that our friends like you are part of our strength. To everyone reading this, know that we are so grateful for your support. Please let us know if you have any questions. Thank you for being part of our Herd.