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October 31, 2014
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Reaching Out

Reaching Out

In order to find great homes for domestic pigeons, we have to get the word out about them. When we started helping pigeons get adopted, there was no awareness that these birds were even in the shelters, let alone how … Continue reading

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October 19, 2014
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on MickaCoo at Wildlife Education Day 2014

MickaCoo at Wildlife Education Day 2014

I had the pleasure of spending my Saturday with MickaCoo volunteers Lisa and Faye at the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society’s Wildlife Education Day in Cupertino. Together, with the help of ambassador pigeons Amelio, Dylan and Pat and Ringneck dove … Continue reading

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Dylan’s Story

October 13, 2014 by Elizabeth | Comments Off on Dylan’s Story

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Dylan

Usually squab producers “harvest” the nestling pigeons at 28 days old. I think Dylan must have hatched a little late or been pulled from the nest a little early because when I met her, she was still very young.

Rather than being butchered as most squab are, Dylan was sold live and “released” (either in a misguided effort to save her or ceremoniously). She was lucky to be found by a nice person who called San Francisco Animal Care & Control. They picked her up at the intersection of Cameron & Nichols before she was killed by a hawk, gull, raven, dog, cat, raccoon or a mean person.

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Found stray & helpless in San Francisco

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Lucky to get to the shelter

She arrived at the shelter on September 12th. Unbeknownst to the staff, she was too young to self-feed. I was contacted on September 16th and she was starving when I picked her up that night- only feather and bone. When I opened her cage door, Dylan begged me to feed her as if I was her pigeon parent. (Baby pigeons are called squeakers because they squeak begging to be fed.)

Overfull with more than 100 birds in our foster care already, I had not planned on taking this baby in to MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue. But I couldn’t leave her. I rushed her home and started tube-feeding frequent, small watery meals to restart her GI system. She responded ecstatically- now sure that I was a momma bird.

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Sleepy with a full crop

Soon Dylan was feeling better and she was determined to learn to self-feed.

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Ready to learn the art of self-feeding

Dylan’s ordeal has had an impact. She has been a much more needy, clingy youngster than is typical. Even once able to self-feed, she was constantly begging and acted hungry all the time. I keep her close and spoil her with attention.

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Dylan supervising my work

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Dylan decides to bathe with the dirty dishes

While I’m already feeling beyond stretched with twenty foster pigeons and eleven pets (eight adopted pigeons, a parrot, a dove and my dog), I’m not sure I’ll be able to part with Dylan. Luckily, she’s a really wonderful, hard-working little pigeon ambassador and has already made lots of special friends. (Click on the photos to enlarge)

And she’s been recognized for her artistic talent as well, thanks to the Paws for Love Foundation!

I’m very thankful that we were able to save Dylan. She is, as they all are, a very special soul.

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Dylan

Please help MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue to help birds like Dylan. We are a volunteer-powered, donation-supported nonprofit project of Community Initiatives. Thank you!

 

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October 9, 2014
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Aurora’s Triumph

Aurora’s Triumph

Aurora is a young survivor of pigeon racing who was found with two broken legs. Her finders kept her in a small, unsafe cage and didn’t seek any vet care for her. When MickaCoo learned of her plight a couple … Continue reading

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