Illinois Parrot Rescue moves to Aledo, adds ICU unit and quarantine space

Land of Illinois Parrot Rescue has moved out of the family living space in Woodhull and into a larger Aledo property built for the kind of care parrots in crisis often need. The new setup can hold 20 birds, and 15 spaces were already filled, with a waiting list beginning to form as the rescue added a traveling ICU unit and dedicated quarantine space.

The shift marked a major step for founders Ashley Covemaker, DJ Covemaker and Zoey Covemaker, whose family had been taking in parrots for years before starting the rescue. The organization describes its mission as deeply personal, rooted in the family’s experience as a special-needs family, and says it is now officially a nonprofit as it expands and standardizes the sanctuary. Adoptions were temporarily paused during the transition.

That pause came as the rescue pushed to equip the new site for birds that arrive with neglect, severe health problems or end-of-life needs. The traveling ICU unit had been on the family’s wish list since the beginning of 2026, and it became central to the move because it gives the rescue a way to stabilize birds that need more than a basic cage and food bowl. The quarantine room adds another layer of protection, letting new arrivals be isolated so illness can be controlled before birds are mixed together, a critical step when working with exotic species.

The property still was not fully finished. The rescue said it still needed an air-conditioning unit, heat upgrades and additional wall fixtures before the transition could be completed, and a state inspection was ahead. Volunteers were also being sought to help keep the operation running smoothly as the rescue settled into Aledo.

The move also came with a local legal hurdle. City records show a public hearing on April 20, 2026, for a special permission request at 602 Southeast 13th Street. The agenda identified the applicant as Ashley Unakis and described the request as for Twenty Parrot Rescue to keep exotic animals not in compliance with the municipal code. Aledo’s code includes a section on exotic animals, and the city can enforce its ordinances through police and code inspectors.

For a rescue built around parrots that can live for decades, the new Aledo site represented more than a change of address. It gave the Covemaker family a safer, more medicalized home base for birds that may need months or years of care, while their operation moved from a family setup to a more durable rescue structure.