Help us save cash and put bird food in the deep freeze
Sanctuary’s plea for appliance to store orders
A falconry and bird sanctuary is urging people with an old or spare freezer to donate it to the centre as it struggles to store food for its animals during lockdown.
Hootenanny Owls - run by Donna, Billy and Brandon Pickett - cares for 40 birds of prey which require specialist types of food.
But the centre on the Finlaystone Estate is paying a fortune for several deliveries of food per month because they do not have the freezer space to store a bulk supply.
The larger orders have become even more important as the coronavirus pandemic has putting increasing pressure on the distribution of the animal food.
Donna told the Express: “We had a supplier of the food but they moved the day the lockdown was introduced to Peterhead, in the north of Scotland.
“As the lockdown kicked in we set ourselves up with a supplier in England, but they only do big deliveries and we just don’t have the freezer space for that.
“He has had to do a specific delivery for us.
“Instead of their usual 40 boxes, we get five to six, which is a week’s worth of food.
“For us that’s an extra £20 delivery charge a week.
“And now, because of the Covid situation, our supplier is very shortstaffed while trying to fulfil these orders.”
Donna and her family have used the usual community for sale and charity websites to source a freezer but have been unable to find anything during lockdown.
The money the organisation would save with a freezer could be reinvested in caring for the owls, falcons, hawks and eagles in their care.
Set up at the Finlaystone estate two years ago, Hootenanny Owls started with five owls, which Donna and Billy got after they followed their son Brandon’s interest in falconry.
But, with the increased space at the estate, they have taken on dozens of injured and unwanted birds.
In normal circumstances, the sanctuary welcomes visitors to see and learn more about the birds and breeds they care for.
Donna, who has studied environmental science, is also a regular visitor to schools where she educates children on the role these birds play in the wild and the benefits they bring to ecosystems and the wider environment.
To donate a freezer to the centre, or support its work, email hootenannyowls@btinternet.com.
Our supplier only do big deliveries, we just don’t have the freezer space for that