The Avian Empire Charitable Trust

01/09/2026

17% of the way there!!!!

We’re 17% funded!

A little update on our mission to build New Zealand’s not for profit avian hospital.

We are now 17% funded for Phase One, Step One: our portable clinics.

We currently have $17,667 sitting in the hospital fund, slowly but surely getting us closer to making this thing a reality.

The portable clinics are the first physical piece of the bigger hospital plan. They give us somewhere to start operating, building services and creating the foundations for what will eventually become a permanent avian hospital.

There is still a long way to go, but seeing that number continue to climb because people believe in what we are trying to build is pretty bloody cool.

Every donation, fundraiser, purchase and person who shares what we are doing helps move that percentage a little further.

17% down. Onwards we go.

16/08/2026

Birds are certainly a lot tougher than they look!

12/08/2026

For those of you who want to understand a little more about our ongoing fight with the Veterinary Council, here’s what we’re actually fighting for.

WHAT AVIAN EMPIRE IS FIGHTING FOR

Our disagreement with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand is not about lowering professional standards, or claiming every veterinary case can be managed remotely.

It is about one question:

Should physical co-location automatically determine whether veterinary care can be provided, or should the standard be whether the veterinarian has enough reliable information to make and justify a safe clinical decision?

We absolutely accept that a physical examination is essential whenever it could materially change the diagnosis, treatment, or management of risk.

But the Veterinarians Act does not expressly require an in-person examination for every consultation. The Code requires veterinarians to have sufficient personal knowledge of an animal’s condition, but it does not impose a blanket requirement for a physical examination in every case.

That distinction matters.

For avian and poultry patients, specialist care may be hundreds of kilometres away. Transport itself can cause stress, worsen disease, or create additional welfare risks. In suitable cases, high-quality video, diagnostic testing, detailed histories, owner-assisted assessment and structured follow-up can provide a strong clinical evidence base.

Avian Empire is fighting for regulation that is clear, risk-based and appropriate to the species and situation:

• Remote care where sufficient reliable information can be obtained
• Physical examination or referral where clinically necessary
• Proper records, follow-up and emergency arrangements
• Accountable professional judgement rather than inflexible assumptions

This is not a call for deregulation.

It is a call for clear, proportionate and evidence-based regulation that protects animal welfare while preserving access to specialist care and veterinary judgement.

If more restrictive rules are necessary, the profession and the public deserve to understand why.

Show us the evidence.
Show us the reasoning.
Show us the work.

02/08/2026

Another 1%!

We’re now 16% funded!

We’ve officially reached 16% of our Phase One fundraising goal for the The Avian Empire Charitable Trust Portable Rehabilitation Clinic. Which is phase one, step one of our long-term plan of having a purpose-built clinic.

Thank you to every single person who has donated, added a donation to an order, or simply chosen to support Avian Empire. Every purchase, every donation, and every bit of encouragement helps move this project forward.

We’re quietly building something we’ve dreamed about for a long time, and it’s only possible because of this community.

Let’s keep pushing. There’s still a long way to go, but every dollar gets us one step closer.

Thank you for believing in what we’re building.

22/07/2026

Our Bird Biosecurity Crash Course is finally here!

A huge thank you to Katrina, who did an amazing job editing out our million "umms" and "ahhs" to make it much easier to watch.

To go alongside the course, I've also put together a free Bird Biosecurity Guide packed with practical information you can refer back to at any time. You'll also find the full crash course recording at the bottom of the guide.

Whether you're a backyard chicken keeper, wildlife rehabber, semi commercial producer, or you simply have a couple of budgies that enjoy time outdoors, this guide is for you.

Biosecurity isn't just about one virus. It's one of the most important things you can do to help protect your birds from a wide range of issues.

Read the guide and watch the webinar here:
https://www.avianempire.co.nz/pages/bird-biosecurity-guide

30/06/2026

July Fundraising Update!

This month, thanks to your incredible generosity, we raised $1,475 for the Avian Empire Charitable Trust. Thank you!

You may have noticed our progress bar jumped from $18,000 to $100,000, here's why.

We've been given an incredible opportunity to start building the first stage of New Zealand's dedicated not-for-profit avian hospital much sooner than expected. Chris from Bioforce Limited has generously offered us the use of part of their property in Mauku as a temporary base while we work toward our permanent, purpose-built hospital.

Rather than waiting years to afford the final facility, we're taking a staged approach.

Phase One: purchase two shipping containers and convert them into temporary consulting and treatment clinics. These aren't a throwaway investment, they'll move with us and become part of our permanent hospital down the track.

That's why our first milestone is now $100,000, and we're already 15% of the way there, with $15,139 raised.

We've also put together a concept render (with a little help from AI!) so you can picture what this first stage could look like.
Want to help us get there?

Donate via our website https://www.avianempire.co.nz/products/donate-avian-empire-charitable-trust-avian-hospital

Or make a direct donation using the bank details below
Account Name: Avian Empire Charitable Trust
Bank Account: 38-9027-0048064-00

Every donation, big or small, brings us one step closer to opening our doors and giving birds across New Zealand the specialist care they deserve.

Thank you for being part of this journey. We couldn't do it without you!

30/06/2026

Last day! just over 100 to go!!!!

Protect Access to Veterinary Care for Birds in NZ

29/06/2026

Has everyone signed? 2 days to go! https://c.org/YYtwJ6q44Y

We're only 300 signatures away from 3,000!

When we started this petition, we had no idea how many people would stand behind better access to veterinary care for birds in New Zealand.

More than 2,700 people have already signed, but we're not done yet.

Every signature sends a clear message that:
• Bird welfare matters.
• Bird owners deserve access to experienced avian veterinarians.
• Telemedicine has an important role in improving access to care, particularly for people in rural and underserved areas.

If you haven't signed yet, please take a minute to do so. It really does make a difference.

Sign the petition here:
https://c.org/YYtwJ6q44Y

If you've already signed, thank you. The biggest thing you can do now is share this post. Every share helps us reach more bird owners, farmers, wildlife carers, veterinarians and animal lovers across New Zealand.

Just 300 more to reach 3,000. Let's get there together.