All living creatures, including those of humanity, can fall prey to seemingly irreparable maladies that include deafness and blindness (and, of course, other issues). It’s generally thought that when one of these issues occurs, the path back is probably a road choked with obstacles that can lead to a loss of hope. But for one blind 40-year-old umbrella cockatoo known as Boo, a miracle was waiting.
At around the age of 30, Boo developed cataracts that kept him from seeing anything more than shadows. With his blindness, Boo was unable to fly, unable to perch properly, and could only walk uncertainly. A concern for his continued well-being at 40 years of age led his owner, Amy Hurst, to take him to Poquoson Veterinary Hospital, which then referred them to North Carolina State College Veterinary Hospital. The hope was to check on the possibility of a unique and uncommon eye surgery that could result in the complete removal of the cataracts.
Seeing the World Anew
With a concerted effort of the college’s Exotic Animal division of the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine and their assistive ophthalmology services, Boo underwent a delicate phacoemulsification surgery that successfully broke up the protein clumps from his eye lens that contributed to his blindness.
An ultrasound procedure was used to break up that protein mass, and a specially designed tool suctioned the broken pieces from his right eye. By the end of this procedure, Boo could fully see his caregiver and expressed happiness when asked if he could see. He replied, “Yeah. I love you,” a statement that could melt the hearts of those who heard it.
Boo has lived a lengthy 10-year span unable to see enough to function normally. With his surgery finished, he is a new bird and shows a greater lust for life than ever before. He can now ably perch comfortably and eat and drink without assistance. His feathers have grown back, and his muscle mass has increased. He’s even begun to fly again.
As stated earlier, Boo is a certified therapy bird helping children and the elderly with mental, physical, and behavioral disabilities. He was trained and passed all trials with flying colors. According to Hurst, Boo is still employed in that function, a remarkable twist considering he has a background story that found him in an abusive Skid-Row existence.
Boo’s Early Struggles
Image courtesy of Amy Hurst.
Around 25 years ago, Boo was found in a police raid and turned over to the SPCA. He was deemed to be aggressive toward humans. After having his toe chewed off by a cage mate, and another cage mate plucking his feathers, it turned out that Boo was far gentler a creature than originally thought. Once the cataracts blinded him, he began to lose weight and muscle mass. His then owner rehomed Boo to the care of Hurst. Boo was discovered to have the start of kidney disease. Cataract surgery went a long way in helping Boo develop better in a healthier manner.
Boo still has cataract in his left eye. The veterinary team and Hurst are working hard to create an opportunity to replicate their earlier success so that Boo becomes completely free of visual obstruction. We are quite proud of Boo.
You can follow Boo on his Birds in the Dog House Facebook page (here). He has similar accounts on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
What a remarkable story and an amazing outcome for Boo. Yes, I’m crying happy tears. 🥲
Thank you for sharing our story. Boo continues to amaze and inspire. We can’t wait to see what he accomplished in the next 40 years! He is deeply loved and a “once in a lifetime” bird
Boo is an amazing bird! l met Boo a little before he started his journey with Amy Hurst and loved him from our first meeting. He was gentle, loving and trusting. l saw Amy fall in love with Boo and offer him a home with her where she made Boo’s surgery happen and has since shared him and his progress with the world. l love Boo’s previous owner who adopted him after his tragic abandonment. Her love and care brought him from an aggressive bird previously deemed unadoptible to a loving, trusting sweetheart. Amy saw Boo’s heart and desire to progress further and made it happen. l love Boo and both these amazing, caring ladies!
Love you BOO And Amy
I’ve had the privilege of seeing Boo’s transition through miracle surgery. It has enabled a whole new world not only for Boo himself, but for the people he can now serve in his animal-assisted therapy role. From the elderly at assisted living facilities to special needs children with a varierty of issues, Boo is bringing joy and developmental progress wherever he goes.
After a recent outing to a Sunday School class of youngsters, Boo started receiving letters from little ones that open new communication channels, an invaluable outlet for those who may have difficulty expressing their innermost feelings.
Admittedly not a “bird person” myself, I do recognize the untapped potential of avians to reach elusive crevices of the human mind, and I applaud Amy Hurst for launching her exploration journey. Hats off also to the special veterinarians and media, and the children, parents, guardians, and birds that enable documented progress.
I live in the U K and earlier this year an African Grey parrot named Tommy was successfully operated on for cataracts and fitted with tiny contact lenses that had been made in Germany. His operation was successful and he is now living a full life. He had been in the care of a parrot rescue and about eight and a half thousand pounds was raised to pay for his surgery. It do’es your heart good to hear of such wonderful surgeries being performed. God bless the veterinary surgeons who take the time and care for our birds.
All creatures deserve an owner like Amy Hurst. People like that make the world look a lot better. Hope for a full recovery for you Boo, you deserve it after suffering for such a long time. Go for it! Lots of respect for you Amy.
Just goes to show you. A little love goes along way. What a beautiful and amazing owner you have.