Falconry equipment - falconry equipment online

The IBR vet fund was set up in 2005. It's aim is to ensure that any bird of prey that is found and needs veterinary treatment immediately, receives it. Unfortunately some veterinary practices have a policy to wait until they know who is paying the bill before they will commit themselves to treatment. With the help of the vet fund, the IBR foots the initial bill.

When a bird of prey is found and the keeper cannot be traced, either due to the breeder not informing us who the bird has been sold on to, the bird changing hands numerous times, the keeper is on holiday, or the bird does not have an IBR ring but a breeders / DEFRA ring, time will be taken to trace the owner, we don't wait. The bird comes first.

If your bird is lost / found, we are sure you would want it treated immediately - that is why the vet fund is there.

How does it work?

When an owner has not registered the bird with the IBR and we are able to reunite the lost owner with their found bird we ask for the following: £10 to register the bird (an IBR split ring is provided if the bird does not already have one) and a donation to the vet fund. We also ask that they look after the person who found and / or is looking after the bird until such time as they can pick it up.

The old traditions are the best - a bottle of Whisky or the such like or some cash. Most falconers are happy to accept a bottle of booze but reluctant to accept cash - a bunch of flowers is also a nice touch. We know a very prominent falconer who has a loft full of whisky - he doesn't drink it!

If your bird is lost/found, we are sure you would want it treated immediately - that is why the vet fund is there. Many, many birds are found that the keepers cannot be traced (i.e. if they have an obscure breeders ring, who knows who it belongs to?), these birds still have to be treated if required. That is where the vet fund comes in, after all the bird deserves it. We often treat birds where the keepers are never traced, this comes out of our pocket / the vet fund, and as we all know veterinary treatment can be expensive. These birds, once treated are re-homed with responsible keepers.