Teresa Salinas and Puppy sit together on the porch, where Puppy normally sits with Greg Para while he has his morning coffee.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
East County
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Only two more months until Teresa Salinas’ husband, Nick Salinas, returns from a nine-month military deployment in Iraq.
Until then, she’ll continue to drive from Lithia to Myakka City to visit his salmon crested cockatoo at the Sarasota Parrot Conservatory once per week.
“Puppy (the cockatoo) tolerates me,” Salinas said. “She prefers men.”
Salinas normally visits the conservatory to clean Puppy's cage, but she made a special visit July 28 to attend the third annual Christmas in July fundraiser.
Nick Salinas has had Puppy since he was a child, so the cockatoo is at least 40 years old. However, Teresa Salinas had never even touched a bird before meeting her husband five years ago.
“(Nick and Puppy) were incredibly bonded together,” Salinas said. “Greg (Para) will have coffee with her in the morning. Puppy nestles up to him and cuddles.”
Greg Para founded the conservatory, which is based out of his home. He cares for more than 70 birds. Most are rescues, but some are boarded temporarily for members of the military during their deployments.
The Christmas in July fundraiser proceeds went toward the purchase of bird toys.
The vendors included hotdogs and axe throwing. Guests were free to roam the property, interact with the animals and take a swim in the pool. Beyond birds, the conservatory is home to dogs, donkeys, pigs, tortoises and a warthog named Wallace.
Myakka City residents Lance and Jackie Jaakola live only three miles away from the Sarasota Parrot Conservatory.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
The Sarasota Parrot Conservatory cares for over 70 birds in Myakka City.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Greg Para, founder of the Sarasota Conservatory, has Puppy on his shoulder. He's watching the parrot for a soldier deployed in Iraq for nine months.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Teresa Salinas and Puppy sit together on the porch, where Puppy normally sits with Greg Para while he has his morning coffee.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Pasco County resident Raymond Hartfield gets a bullseye in the axe throwing truck.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
East County residents Gus Teixeira and Amy Yount attend Christmas in July at the Sarasota Parrot Conservatory. Yount is the CEO of Step Up Suncoast.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Siesta Key resident Martha Wells takes a selfie with a pig.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Ellenton residents Jay Walsh and Bonnie Sewell visit the Sarasota Parrot Conservatory regularly. Sewell's parrot, Tiko, moved in after Hurricane Ian when he didn't settle into their new home and became aggressive.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Sarasota resident Luke Johnson gets into a staring contest with a pair of macaws.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Sarasota resident Jamir Brown cools off in the pool.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Wallace, a warthog, visits Cameron Gomez and Kiana Knuth at the Axe and Bull axe throwing truck.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Palmetto residents Scott and Ariana Trainor first met Wallace the Warthog at an event at Bethany Baptist Church.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Jackie Jaakola only lives three miles away from the conservatory, so she's met the animals before.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
The Sarasota Parrot Conservatory hosts a Christmas in July fundraiser to buy new toys for the animals.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
A friendly pig passes through the crowd.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Cousins Jamir Brown, Reina Riley and Emeri Williams splash around the pool.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Puppy cuddles with her foster dad Greg Para.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Parrots aren't the only animals living at the Sarasota Parrot Conservatory.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Wallace the warthog enjoys having company over because he gets extra pets.
Lesley Dwyer is a staff writer for East County and a graduate of the University of South Florida. After earning a bachelor’s degree in professional and technical writing, she freelanced for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Lesley has lived in the Sarasota area for over 25 years.
