For Robyn Snare her parrots are more than just companions, they are her lifeline to the outside world.
Robyn has been battling Parkinsons and PTSD for six years.
There were days, particularly after not being able to work during COVID, that she struggled to get out of bed, but a chance visit to what she thought was a pet shop on the Gold Coast changed her life.
The pet shop turned out to be the charity Parrots for Purpose and Robyn, who admits she had always been a dog and cat person, found herself won over by a little blue budgerigar called Raphael.
Robyn now has three of her own birds and is fostering three more.
The birds go everywhere with her, including the doctors and visits to the Bargain Centre and RSPCA op shop.
“People just see the birds and people love to see them out,” Robyn smiled.
“I am more comfortable because people approach me about the bird and it makes me more comfortable.
“People come up and start chatting to me about their bird stories. They come up and say I have made their day.”
“It gives me purpose to get out of bed every morning. Some days I think I can’t get out of bed, but I hear the birds singing and think, I’d better get up, or they will keep at me.”
Robyn’s passion is to brighten up people’s day, and she spends her time making beautiful flower arrangements which she delivers across the mountain, including to Fairhaven and Roslyn Lodge, with her parrots at her side.
Now she has put out a little stall in the carpark behind Franquette to sell her arrangements and raise money for Parrots for Purpose.
She also takes donated bread from Franquette to those in need while raising awareness about the benefits of having a companion parrot, which she said is financially cheaper and easier to look after than a cat or dog.
“It’s been a good way to meet people and become part of the community,” she said.
