About Avian Haven Richmond Hill
We're the small, bird-obsessed team Richmond Hill owners turn to when they can't take their flock with them. Here's how we got started and what we stand for.
We're the small, bird-obsessed team Richmond Hill owners turn to when they can't take their flock with them. Here's how we got started and what we stand for.
The idea for Avian Haven came from a frustration plenty of local owners will recognize. After a decade of living with exotic birds here in Richmond Hill, we kept running into the same wall every time a trip came up: kennels for the dog were everywhere, but a sitter who truly understood a parrot? Nearly impossible. The handful of options that existed treated a cockatiel like a hamster — fed, watered, and otherwise ignored.
So we built the service we wished we'd had. Avian Haven was founded on a stubborn belief that birds are smart, sensitive, deeply routine-driven animals who deserve a sitter paying real attention — and that owners deserve to actually relax while they're away. The benchmark we set on day one still holds: if it wouldn't be good enough for our own birds, it isn't good enough for yours.
These days our guests come from right across the area — the older streets around Mill Pond and Richmond Green, the newer family pockets of Jefferson and Oak Ridges, and the Bayview Hill homes in between. Whether it's your bird's first overnight or your tenth booking of the year, the standard of honesty and care doesn't change.
Handing over a family member is a big ask. We earn it the slow way — doing exactly what we said we would, telling you the truth even when it's a minor worry, and being the same on day ten as we were on day one.
With birds, the small stuff is the whole job. The exact food mix, the cover-up time, the one toy that calms them down — we write it all down and we actually follow it. Nothing gets waved off as a minor preference.
Loving birds and running a dependable service are two different things, and we take both seriously. Bookings are organized, updates arrive when promised, and there are no shortcuts dressed up as efficiency.
At the end of the day, these are living creatures who get anxious when their world changes. We move slowly, speak softly, and let nervous birds come to us on their own terms — the same way we'd want a stranger to treat ours.
It starts with a proper conversation, not a drop-off. Before your bird ever stays, we sit down and learn the whole picture — what's in the food bowl, when the lights go off, which family member it bonds to, what it sounds like when it's annoyed, and any history a vet has flagged. All of that becomes a written plan our team follows to the letter once your bird arrives.
From there, good care is mostly about paying attention. We watch how much each bird eats, how active it is, and whether its mood shifts day to day, because birds hide illness until they can't — and a sitter who knows the baseline catches the change early. You hear from us throughout, so being away never means being in the dark.
Our team combines years of hands-on avian experience with a genuine passion for bird welfare.
Every member of our care team has extensive experience with companion birds — from budgies to macaws. We invest in ongoing avian care education and personally oversee every care plan and intake consultation.
Our team specializes in working with all parrot species, including large parrots and nervous birds. We use patience and positive reinforcement to build trust, putting even the most anxious feathered guests at ease.
We manage booking logistics, daily update delivery, and ongoing client communication with care. Every client receives prompt responses, clear information, and a smooth experience from initial inquiry through to pickup.
Our team's expertise is built on years of hands-on experience and ongoing avian care education.
Our team is trained in bird-specific first aid and emergency response, including recognizing signs of illness, injury stabilization, and safe transport to veterinary care.
Our founder has over a decade of experience keeping and caring for exotic birds, from small finches to large macaws, providing deep species-specific knowledge.
We stay current with avian care best practices through continuing education, veterinary consultations, and active involvement in the bird care community.
We maintain a direct relationship with a qualified avian veterinarian for consultations and emergency referrals, ensuring your bird has access to professional medical care when needed.