07/17/2026
Miss Pearl, an umbrella cockatoo, came to The Gabriel Foundation in 2014 along with seven other birds rescued from a puppy mill that had been raided.
She and the other birds had been living in deplorable conditions and were being fed dog food. Pearl's cage was barely larger than her body, and when she arrived at the sanctuary, she was extremely shy and had lost most of the feathers on her legs, chest, and neck.
I began working with her while she was still in quarantine, hoping to help her trust people again. Using plenty of patience and her favorite treats as rewards, we slowly started making progress.
A few weeks later, she began opening up and talking to me. The first time she sweetly said "peek-a-boo" in her high-pitched little voice, I knew I had to adopt her.
After bringing her home, we continued building her confidence. I started taking her to outreach events, and that's where her personality truly blossomed.
She became the star of every event, happily stepping up onto anyone who wanted to meet her. She had gone from a shy, half-naked cockatoo into an outgoing, half-naked cockatoo.
Even in a loving home, Pearl continued to trim and pluck her feathers, a difficult habit that takes tremendous patience to overcome.
It wasn't until 2019 that she finally began slowing down the feather plucking and allowing her feathers to grow back.
As her feathers returned, so did her confidence. Today she absolutely loves meeting new people and being the center of attention wherever she goes.
And if someone dares to ignore her, she'll make it perfectly clear that she expects to be acknowledged.
Adopting Pearl is one of the best decisions I've ever made, and I can't imagine my life without her.
