The Mollywood Avian Sanctuary's mission is to provide a permanent, safe and loving home and future for all psittacine species [hookbill parrots] that are free from contagious diseases. Birds are not offered for adoption from Mollywood. When appropriate, as often as possible, attempts are made to refer birds requiring re-homing to suitable new homes prior to their acceptance into Mollywood. Lifetime sanctuary care in a natural environment is often the best option for displaced, abused or mentally ill captive parrots that have failed to thrive in a single family home. Many pet parrots have been raised in captivity and are strongly bonded to humans. Some will thrive in a flock setting, with little human interaction, while others would not know what to do in this situation. At Mollywood their wild nature and complex needs are understood and respected.

More effective captive breeding processes in the past two decades have increased the supply and decreased the cost of parrots to the retail pet trade. This situation has contributed to making parrots the third most popular pet in the U.S., following cats and dogs. The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association's breakdown of pet ownership in the U.S., according to the 2003/2004 National Pet Owners Survey, found that birds are found in 17.3 million homes, and that 46 percent of all households surveyed own more than one pet. Other studies estimate the captive parrot population to be between 12 and 60 million in the U.S. Under-educated buyers and sellers, and miscommunications and misconceptions between them, often result in the suffering of many birds and the disenchantment of many consumers. This drives a great need for shelters and sanctuaries capable of handling displaced birds. Studies show 85 percent of all parrots are given away or sold within the first two years and that rescuers are only able to care for about 1 percent of these birds.

Parrots become homeless for many of the same reasons as dogs and cats, such as unexpected life-changing situations in the owners’ lives. As with other exotic species, people are fascinated by the idea of having a parrot as a pet, but few are prepared for the special responsibility of caring for a wild creature that will most likely outlive them. Parrots’ natural behavior and perception of the world around them often does not match what people expect of a companion animal. As a result, many birds in captivity live in substandard, neglectful and/or abusive conditions due to the lack of public education. Gradually, through increased awareness, birds in these situations are referred to sanctuaries like Mollywood.

Mollywood’s overall goals include ending the misinformation that contributes to the cycle of abused, neglected and abandoned pet birds. An important tool in the fight to improve the lives of birds is education. Community outreach and action is required to improve public knowledge regarding the status of parrots in domestic and native situations. The outreach and education initiative will begin Mollywood’s proactive efforts toward educating and re-educating the public, with the goal of reducing the high turnover rate of newly acquired pet parrots. Mollywood Avian Sanctuary’s Community Outreach and Education Initiative proposal emphasizes public education regarding the requirements and challenges of owning parrots as pets. The hope is to enlighten the public by presenting opportunities for visitors to interact with some special cases. These visits will inspire compassion for parrots that have potentially suffered due to their caregivers’ ignorance and selfishness. Emphasis will be placed on the immense responsibility of caring for a parrot, highlighting the complexity, expense and time commitment that goes with sharing daily life with these delicate creatures. The education center will also offer the chance to learn about parrots in the wild.

The Mollywood Avian Sanctuary is seeking to replicate the work at the Dutch Parrot Refuge.
At the Dutch Refuge, the top priority is public education regarding the requirements and challenges of owning parrots as pets. The hope is to enlighten the public by presenting opportunities for visitors to interact with, and learn about, some special cases. These visits inspire compassion for parrots that have potentially suffered at the hands of humanity due to ignorance and selfishness. Emphasis is placed on the immense responsibility of caring for a parrot, highlighting the complexity, expense and time commitment that goes with sharing daily life with these delicate creatures. The education center also offers the chance to learn about parrots in the wild.

The Refuge is open to the public and admission fees are used toward the care of the birds and the maintenance of the park. Donors have free access to the park all year.

The Dutch Refuge’s overarching purpose is to rescue, rehabilitate, preserve, protect and care for exotic birds, and provide them with a secure home for the rest of their lives. The Refuge guarantees that none of the parrots that come in will ever be traded, sold, or used in any kind of animal testing. Refuge birds are provided optimum nutrition, medical support, and spacious natural habitats intended to make their lives as stress free and peaceful as possible. Volunteers, and a full time avian veterinarian staff the Refuge. Private parties, organizations, and government agencies such as Customs and Fish and Wildlife Management surrender birds to the Refuge. The Dutch Refuge is the largest parrot refuge in the world at this time, by far, having taken in more than 2,200 birds since 1987, within a property measuring approximately 19.75 acres with over 100 cages and aviaries.

Once funding has been secured for Mollywood, the Dutch Parrot Refuge's founder, Tonnie van Meegen, has stated that he will come to the US from the Netherlands to assist with planning and design.