Ode to Leila - Life Lessons From My Feathered Friend

I was a bird virgin. Never in a million years did I think I would have a bird as a roommate. For most of my life, I’ve identified as a dog, cat, and horse person. Mammal-to-mammal relations were my thing.

I met Leila on the last day of a therapeutic pet training at an animal sanctuary in southern Utah. We were touring the exotic bird department, and my ears rang from the cacophony of noises. Even though we were in the desert, it felt like the jungle. Parrots can be loud and intense creatures. We were greeted with screeching hellos and deafening enthusiasm.