Learn About Bear Brook Feather Friend Rescue & Sanctuary

Maria chats with Bear Brook Feather Friend Rescue and Sanctuary founder Pete Lillo about his sanctuary in Newton NJ. Pete takes care of about 60 ducks and geese, all on his own!!
Most of us know about animal sanctuaries like horses or pigs, but this one is all about our feathered friends. Listen and Learn.
You can follow Bear Brook Feather Friend Rescue and Sanctuary on social media! 

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. Whata great idea on iHeartRadio. Welcome to
Maria's Mutts and Stuff and with me, I'm very excited. Is Pete Lillow
of? And hopefully I'm going toget this correct because it's a big long

(00:22):
name. It's bear Brook Feather FriendRescue and Sanctuary. Is that correct?
You hit it right on the head, yes, so, and you're located
in Newton, New Jersey. Isthat correct? I am yes, Sussex
County, New Jersey. Correct.Okay, Well tell me how did this
all begin? Where did this start? And how for you? So?

(00:46):
I've always loved animal and I've alwaysloved birds, you know, ducks,
geese and chickens. When I wasyounger, I grew up in Passaic and
Bergen County. And since i'm wehad we had farms by us, and
uh, there was a farmer nextdoor to us who had was a dairy

(01:07):
farm, and he had chickens andsome ducks and stuff, and he used
to let me feed the ducks andthe chickens, and so I was always
I was always interested. Yeah,of course, even though even though I
grew up in Patterson, then kindof made my way out here. Then
I moved to Hunting County and thenup to Trush County here, which is

(01:29):
God's country and and it's beautiful,but looking up in New York City and
we uh, you know, Ihad a couple of chickens and ducks,
and then I adopted a little duckfrom a friend of mine who was he
wasn't doing well and he couldn't walkand everything, and his name was Tippy

(01:52):
and here, yeah, I andI think I might have mentioned this in
one of my emails to you,that I used to carry him around,
used to come around with me allthe time, and I made a little
walker worm so he could have alittle you know freedom as far as like
hanging out. It's amazing. Whatwhat did you make the walker out of?
Because that's pretty clever on your part, being young and picular to make

(02:15):
a walker. So I'm pretty handy, even though that's not my my My
father was a construction guy. SoI made it out of TVC typing sure
and little castor wheel and a Igot an old baby carriage where you know,
you sit like kid's in the youknow, with their legs through sure,

(02:39):
and I did his size and hedid pretty well for a while,
but I knew he was not doingwell, and he really was touched my
heart and it was so sweet.And then he passed and I said,
you know what a lot of theseanimals, and I heard a lot of

(03:00):
stories about you know, ducks,chickens, and people buy them at tractor
supply and other places because their kidsthink they're really cute at Easter time.
I'm just going to say that,yep, at like rabbits, yep,
yep. You have no idea howI've gotten back and forth with tractors supply

(03:22):
about they need to ask people doyou have somewhere to have them? Sure
you have the right food, youhave, you know, So it's it's
a whole Yeah. So I thoughtto myself, you know what, I've
heard so many stories. I havethe land up here. I think I'm
going to start a rescue. Sowhat turned into a couple of geese and

(03:45):
a couple of chickens and a coupleof ducks turned into over probably one hundred
and fifty birds. Now, wow, that's how many you have. Now
that's amazing. Do you do Youdon't do this all by yourself. You
have others to help you. Workers, or no volunteers. No, no,
I do it all by myself.Really. I had some volunteers,

(04:06):
and you know, they're very helpfuland everything, and but I understand their
time is that's just to them.Usually older people have retired people, and
every once in a while I'll getfolks to come over. I do have
folks who have you know, I'veadopted their animals and they come to visit

(04:28):
every once in a while, whichis nice. I always encourage people to
come and visit their animals, anda couple have I did have a couple
of employees that I hired in thesummer, college kids and stuff, but
they weren't really interested in I reallywant somebody who takes an interest in the
animals, of course, So Ithink that's important. That's that's a basic

(04:53):
kind of empathy that not everybody has, no you know what. And I
I love the animals, always haveloved the animals. I had dogs.
I don't have any more. Idon't have dogs anymore, but I do
have inside birds, right, anda couple of cats, and I don't
know, they're just they're different andthey're very good listeners. They don't Oh

(05:18):
my goodness, any pet is agreat listener, are you kidding? And
the great companion, And you knowI have some kind of bond with with
my my animals out here. I'vegotten it here for now probably. I've
lived here for seven years and we'veand I've grown. I should say we've

(05:39):
grown, but I've grown. Sure. You know. The people say to
me, well, when do youtake off? I'm like, I don't,
you don't. Yeah, it's atwenty four to seven job. Twenty
four seven, three sixty five.I've taken one vacation in the last I
don't know, fifteen twenty years.I had a friend who actually watched them

(06:00):
for five days and I was abasket case. You were worried. Yeah,
of course there are my babies,and you know what they know me.
Yeah, I'm sure they do.Yeah, creatures a habit like some
of us human beings are. Andyeah, you know, I hate the

(06:23):
winners up here, but it iswhat it is, and they don't care,
right, I mean, I gotto be out there every day,
and but it's something I enjoy,right, so that the days are long,
and you know, and I havemy own business that I do when
I get up, when I getup at two thirty in the morning,
and then I do that, right, and then and then I come out

(06:45):
here till they go to sleep.Right. But you love this, so
this isn't really work. It iswork, but because yeah, because you
love it. Yeah, yeah,I would never give it up, right,
right, But I wish you hadsome help. I feel bad for
you that you're doing you see,do all this on top of your job.
And and I know that the animalsappreciate that, but I feel like
I wish you had some help,you know, like some even like a

(07:09):
high school kid who's about to graduateor something, or you know, home
in the summer, just to helpyou out. No. No, And
like I said, I I didevery once in a while, but I'm
worunate. Since I'm a little olderthis generation now, I find they lose
interest really quick. Well yeah,well that's I think, yes, yes,

(07:32):
yeah, yeah, yeah, veryAnd I've had volunteers saying, oh,
well it's muddy or smells, it'sa bond. Yeah, yeah,
exactly. I can't get my handsdirty. Yeah, I know everybody's different.
I get it too. It's justfunny though to me, I can't
get my hands dirty. Okay,oh yeah, but then your parents didn't

(07:53):
feel that way raising you as ababy. But you know now, my
father was in the army and he'slike, you want money, you go
out and work exactly right, SoI you know, I have a work
ethic. My older kids did aswell. So even though they were not
very interested in my animals either,they liked them, right, but they

(08:15):
didn't want to help. And Iget it, you know, no,
of course, of course, andyou love it and these are all your
animals and you take a very verygood care of them. So what's something
about I guess that you know,because I guess when you hear about when
you hear a sanctuary, it's usuallyyou know, for horses or you know,

(08:39):
it's not for birds. So what'ssomething that probably you've learned or is
like if there's an one answer tothis, it might not be at all.
I'm just thinking something that people probablywouldn't realize that, you know,
because you're with them all the time. Well, when when you say sanctuary,
you're right. The last thing folkswould play probably think about is ducks

(09:01):
and geese. Sure, yeah theydo. They think about horses, They
think about sheep up here, pigs, that type of thing. So you
know, I think it were different. There's not. You know, I'm

(09:22):
on a lot of Facebook pages withfolks who have similar refues for birds around
the country, a couple of friendsup here that that do similar things.
But you know, it's nobody thinksabout. So these are domesticated birds,

(09:43):
which means that they don't fly correct, meaning that they couldn't. Yeah,
they don't fly and they wouldn't surviveon their own if you put them out
in the wild, not even onenight. So the sterms sitting ducks is
yeah literally, yeah, yeah.So they have you know, they have
food, they have shelter, theyhave everything they need. So yeah,

(10:07):
I mean it's what's the shame tome is and I think why I got
into this is besides my love foranimals, is they do need so many
needs to take care of these There'sa you know a lot of cats,
a lot of dogs to meet adoptions. But you know there's hundreds and hundreds

(10:30):
of birds that folks just leave bythe by the side of the road.
I get called a lot from ourtown animal control people who find way were
birds and I'm like, yeah,okay them sure, now wayward birds.
Would that be someone who had abird and just got rid of it,
or a bird that was out inthe wild and was injured or both.

(10:52):
No, no, no, no, I can't so in New Jersey,
we can't take wild animals. Soif I found so, I get closed
every once in a while, whichis funny, not funny. We found
a squirrel, baby squirrel, right, you can't take that, Yeah,
no, no, no no.So I call animal control and they I
put them in touch with the animals, right, right, right, people

(11:15):
don't know better. The stores orwherever they get them from, don't tell
them. Right. If you putone of these ducks on the side of
the road, or a goose,or they don't they won't survive. Yeah,
of course, but people think that, and I guess, like everything
else, when they realize it takeswork and they decide I want to get
rid of it now, and sothey just put it out out in the
road, which is terrible. Yeah, yeah, and I know. So

(11:39):
I always tell people when they haveanimals, you could be an animal lover,
but if you're not going to putin the commitment, that's right.
It takes of an animal. Don'tget an animal, exactly, get a
stuffed animal. You're absolutely right,or go to the zoo. Correct,
No, you're it makes me nutsbecause I know with dogs and cats,

(12:03):
people give them as holiday gifts,and then the shelters in January, you
know, tenth, January thirtieth areloaded with all of the Christmas gifts Hanaga
gifts that oh you know, it'sstarting to get older. I don't really
like it anymore, or it's notso cute, or oh it's hard to
take care of it. Well,it's a living thing. It's a lot

(12:24):
of work, of course, No, especially for folks who live in the
city, right, who don't work. Sure, and I understand that you
don't have to work, you know, every you know, two family folks
are not home during the day,walkers are e bensive, right, I
understand that, But so then youknow, you just be responsible. I'm

(12:46):
huge for spae and neutering. Yes, yep, I always have been that
way. Unfortunately I can't really getmy bird spade neutered. But I don't
have a lot. I say,I don't have a lot who lay and
have babies, But huh, Ijust did have one of my females,

(13:09):
and I think I sent you apicture. She just has thirteen babies.
That's right, you did. Youdid send me, you know, and
if you let me, I willpost that when I when I post this,
yeah, oh yeah, she sendme. Yeah. Now, he's
a great mom. And it's amazingthat after a day or two she brings
them out and I have a bigfenced in area by my barn, and

(13:33):
she watches them, like you know, she watches them very well, and
they all follow her around. ButI'm always I'm always counting. It was
a lot, But I tell youwhat, they are adorable, don't you
know. It's it's nature and stuff. But it's I find it very rewarding.

(13:54):
I don't do it for anything,but they need somebody to take care
of them. And people think Ido love it. People think I'm crazy
sometimes and everything. But that's okay. I'm my own kind of crazy.
Well it's okay exactly. You knowwhat, you are good kind of crazy.
I think more people in the worldneed to be your kind of crazy.
So it's okay if they call youcrazy, it's a compliment. That's

(14:16):
how I look at it. Sodo you have names for all of them?
I do. I love it.Here's a funny thing too, I
know most of their voices, especiallythe geese. I know when they want
something. I could tell when they'renot feeling well or want something from me.

(14:41):
I don't consider myself for any kindof bird whisper, but I do
because of what I do for aliving. I'm very observant, so I
pay attention to you know, theirneeds. I i'm you know, since
I work out of my home,I'm able to. Most of my time
is spent in my remote office,which is my truck buck by the barn.

(15:07):
I have everything I need here,so if I have the book clients
or whatever I have to do,like, I watch them sure, and
I you know, I make mytime. I've done it for years.
No, it's worked, right,It's worked for me, so well,
that's all that matters. I thinkit's I think it's terrific. I love
that when you've reached out to meweeks ago, and you know, I

(15:28):
was like, oh, I wantto talk to him because this is so
cool. You know, it's it'slike you said, like we mentioned,
it's different. And of course therewould be bird sanctuaries, but you don't
hear about them as much as youwould say pigs or horses or whatever.
So you know, no, No, most most of them are bird sanctuaries.
A lot of a lot of folkshave like indoor birds like parakeets and

(15:50):
African grains and you know indoor right, Yeah, as far as the outdoor
wins, not so much. AndI, like I said, I've always
for some reason and like birds,they're they're they're much more intelligent than people
saying yes, that's true. Andthey're they're also flock animals, which means
they have partners. Mostly they getvery and they get very you know,

(16:12):
they get very upsetive a partner dies, especially the geese. Sure, so
it's yeah, I've done a lotof I'm not a vet obviously, and
I've done but I've done a lotof first aid and shaved the couple on
my own. And so yeah,again I don't do it for any other

(16:34):
reason, but yeah, Algy,I appreciate it, and I think what
you do is wonderful too. Isomebody told me so, you've always been
one of my favorite d days.Well sure, you're like in my top

(16:55):
five. Okay, I'll take it. Oh of all time. That's awesome.
Well, you know, I grewup so music, sports, animals
not in any order are like mythree favorite and so so any w Scottso
was like, my guy, youknow, I love Carol uh Dennetz House's

(17:19):
you got your voice, and Ilove your show. So I listened to
sports radio a lot. Okay,but but but from ten till when you're
off, I listened to you.Thank you. I'm a big Beatles guy,
and I love your workforce blocks andyou played the Dead to day,
but I love the Dead. SoI'm like, you know what, woman

(17:42):
after my own heart to play withall the great stuff. So and I
love you know, and I listenedto some of your your previous podcast and
you know the that and some ofthe other folks, and yeah, I
find it very interesting. And Ithink, you know, I've always people

(18:03):
always used to start one for whatyou do? You should? Yeah,
you could you educate people because I'msure you know, people again don't really
know as much about ducks and geeseand birds as they do about dogs and
cats. And yeah you should,No, probably not. And there's folks,
I mean, there there's a lotaround, you know. So I'm

(18:23):
trying to get my oldest son toteach me how to im not a very
I know a little about a lot, but I'm not very technologically advanced.
Right, well, I get it, but you know what, you know
a podcast for me? Right,I was gonna say, we could teach
you that, So that's not toworry. So but what I what I

(18:45):
do want to ask you is becauseI know living things don't live on air.
So can people send you donations tohelp you with the care of you
know, ducks in the case,yes, okay, people have I never
set up so this is you know, and my sontimes he goes, We're

(19:08):
you're ful, he's as you shouldask for donations. I can. I
don't like asking people for money.Well you're not asking, I'm asking for
you. If someone who's listening rightnow and thinks, wow, that's amazing.
This man does so much for allof all of these birds and ducks
and geese, and I have someextra bucks, I can you know,

(19:29):
no, as we always say,like no donation is too large or small,
somebody has an extra five dollars andsends it to you that could feed
a duck or something. So canthey? Are you open for donations if
people feel yes, And I've hadfolks, some folks you know, in
the past, have given me bagsof feed or you know water, you

(19:52):
know, supply for their water bowlsor you know I've gotten some. So
basically, you know myself, youknow, the money I make in my
own business, as I would say, eighty percent of it goes to my
farm. I figured it was somethinglike that, of course, yeah,

(20:15):
I don't. My accountant said tome, have you ever added up how
much to spend a week? Isaid no, because it would depressed me.
Yeah, and I said, Idon't go. You don't want to
do that, right right? No, So you know, my business obviously
is a for profit. My farmis non Yeah, well yeah, of
course which helped which which you know, uh, somebody who works with the

(20:38):
state, and I work with thestate a lot. But you should do
that only because it will take youfor money tax exempt wise right right?
Right? When? Why? Sothat's why I did it, and for
no other reason but to save somemoney on that end. So yeah,
listen, I would I would appreciatethat. I mean, if and you're

(20:59):
not asking, I'm asking, Sodon't feel bad. Yeah yeah, yeah,
okay, all right, I don'tyou know, my fathers to always
say, don't ever ask anybody foranything. Well, I get it.
I get it, and you're not. You're not. I'm asking for you
because I want my listeners to beaware of you and be aware of your
sanctuary. And if they have someextra money, whatever it could be ten

(21:22):
dollars, five dollars, I would, they could help you. So what's
the best What is the best way? Is it to go to bearbrook ff
dot com or through your Facebook page? What's the best way? Uh?
They could actually send uh here Iam with my technology, so they could
send it a check or the bearBrook Rescue. So so I won't have

(21:51):
my guy. I have a guywho like if my Facebook page updated?
And I think I also have anInstagram page? Yes you do because I
follow you? Okay, So peoplecan donate on Facebook, Yes, and
I follow your Instagram, Yes Ido, thank you. Yeah, well

(22:12):
I follow you too, but Iknow so well. So people can go
to bear Brook Rescue either through yourFacebook page or your Instagram and they can
make a donation that way, yesthey can, or they can inquire how
to I'm going to have my guyokay say how to? Yeah, that's
important. Who is actually very artisticand he does this for me. But

(22:34):
he has a he has a bandtoo, so he's really oh great,
Yeah that I can haven't set upI don't know what, is it a
venmo or something like that. Yes, he can do a venmo or he
can just put an address in thebio so people know where to send a
check or something. So to dothat, I do believe on my Facebook

(22:56):
it has that. Okay, theUS people have gotten touch about squirrels and
you're like, no, thank you, no squirrels. Well you know,
I'm like, wow, not awhile life, thank story. But right,
well, I mean you'res that's avery good d doer, Pete.
You know that we need more peoplelike you in the world. We do

(23:18):
well and and you as well,with all your stuff you do. You
have you have this platform that whichI think is a great thing as well
to get the word out. Welltrue, yes, true, yes,
that's very important. No, absolutely, you know, it's like giving a
voice to the voiceless. That's whatI always said. You know. It's
great. And you got to besome cool rockers, which is well,

(23:40):
which is good too. Awesome,Yeah, it's good. But it's to
me it's awesome, man, Yeah, all right, it's awesome. Cool.
So my cousin, my older cousin. I'll pay you a quick story.
Basically raised me because my my father, you know, worked and my
mother worked. He told me soI was a big Beatles person, says

(24:03):
she turned me onto the Beatles,you know, in the sixties, and
then I was always you know,the Stones and oh yeah. The music
thing to me is so I'm anold rocker. So the music you guys
plays, you know, Choke Cocker, Crouchestals and Nash, I like all
that kind of stuff. So it'sthat's kind of an outlet for me.

(24:26):
And the Birds listen to you guys. I love that the Birds are classic
rockers too. You can't beat that. They get to eat your voice,
you know, every day. It'sit's a it's a great thing. And
I do appreciate what you do andI appreciate the time that you provided me

(24:48):
today. It was great talking toyou. Well. Same here. So
Pete Lillo, have you made anyother Yes, you got me everything.
I just want people to come findyou so they can help you out.
It's Pete Lil Hello at bear Brookfeather Friend Rescue and Sanctuary. And they
can find you on Facebook, andthey can find you on Instagram, and
they can tell their friends and ifthey're in New New Jersey they can visit

(25:11):
you. Right. Well, yeah, I do encourage people to visit me.
I've had a lot of groups come. I love that during the year.
Yeah, it's with disabilities school group. I have a lot of friends
around here who have farms of horsefarms that teach disabled kids and adults to

(25:33):
ride, and they go there andthey come here, and I love having
I love having visitors. I loveand they all get a little rubber ducky
if they come. Ah, that'sa great I know you're a city person,
and you ever make your way upto Sussex County, I will just
so I can come see I wantto see you, and I want to

(25:53):
see all the birds. I definitelywill. Well, Pete, thank you.
Love that, Thanks for all yourtime. Keep doing what you're doing.
We need more people like you.Thank you, Maria, and keep
rocking. S never been a greateroperator. And do not see you Rader Varmigator