In addition to raising zebra finches, we have four resident society finches. They are rescues and have found a happy forever home with us. Here, they can grow old and receive the needed care. The average lifespan of a zebra finch is 5 to 7 years. For society finches, it is even shorter, about 4 years. That is very little time from when they mature until they grow old. Just like with any other species, birds can face numerous ailments related to old age. One might ask - is it possible for an elderly bird to still lead a happy life? The answer is YES! One of our society finches is blind. She has cataracts and has lost most of her vision. However, she still has full functionality, and is a happy bird. One should never give up on a disabled bird. I will not go into extreme cases where there is an ethical issue of quality of life. Birds, just like any pet, deserve the best quality of life we can possibly provide, and they rely on us, their owners, to take care of the...