The Trouble With Mickaboo

We are a group of current and former volunteers and insiders, deeply troubled by systemic failings within the Mickaboo organization, stemming from a leadership team with no accountability, which prioritizes control and self-preservation over transparency, ethical care and mission-driven decision-making. We would not place our own birds with Mickaboo if we were no longer able to care for them ourselves, and cannot in good conscience allow others to do so, or continue to donate, without more transparency from the organization.

In response, we have conducted a comprehensive audit to gather available information, identify key issues and propose a plan for meaningful change. We have prepared two versions of the report: a shorter, eight-page summary referred to simply as the “Report,” and a more comprehensive version called the “Detailed Report.” A third section, titled “Focus Birds,” highlights individual cases that exemplify many of the issues discussed throughout. A Recommendations section proposes reforms and corrective actions.

We have included recent communications between a journalist, Mickaboo leadership, and ourselves. In these exchanges, leadership responded to the journalist’s questions about our concerns with untruths and deflection. We then followed up with documented evidence that exposed those misrepresentations and clarified the facts.

Shortly after receiving our response, leadership declined to answer any more questions, searched internal records for the dissenters, and expelled two of us (Melaine Bryant and Vincent Hrovat) from the organization. Rather than acknowledge it was in retaliation for speaking to the press or raising concerns, they fabricated an unrelated excuse. Further details on this will be shared throughout this site, but an explanation of the origins of this excuse can be found here. This act of retaliation is yet more evidence of the systemic problems outlined in our report.

Leadership has accused us of pursuing a personal agenda that is misaligned with Mickaboo’s values, asserting that those who disagree should simply leave. But our agenda is—and always has been—transparency, accountability and oversight in service of what should be everyone’s shared goal: providing the highest standard of care for the birds.

We have made every effort to support our claims with evidence drawn directly from within the organization. In response, leadership has demanded that we destroy this material, citing confidentiality and ownership by the organization. While we agree that personal data—such as that of volunteers, adopters, and surrenderers—must be protected and has not been included here, nonprofit organizations do not have the privilege of operating in secrecy. Transparency is essential to accountability.

If we have missed a reference or if you have questions about any of the content, you may contact us at the email address below. Please note, however, that we will not respond to every inquiry, and certain materials will only be shared with serious or qualified parties.

We’ve also added comments sections to the posts on our Updates page. You must be registered and signed in to comment–though don’t feel you must provide your real name ;-).

reports at thetroublewithmickaboo dot com