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November 21, 2023
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on I’m Ace

I’m Ace

Content Warning: Injury photos included

I’m Ace. I’m one of more than 400 birds you have helped Palomacy to rescue this year. I had been struggling along on string-tangled feet about as long as I could. One foot was actually gone- it had dried up and fallen off after a long, painful string entanglement- and the other one, my “bad foot”, was totally tied up and infected. Walking was excruciating and I was getting weak from lack of food. People always think about a bird’s wings but we pigeons really depend on our feet too- we’re constantly foraging and launching and landing. And then the worst suddenly happened: a hungry hawk swooped by and grabbed me! I was clutched tight- squeezed- in his strong, sharp talons. I was terrified and energized both. I wrenched and struggled as hard as I could and amazingly – I got loose. I fell to the ground hard, now with a broken leg and my whole tail ripped out, the feathers still gripped by the hawk, probably. But I was alive! I limp-scurried to hide under the nearest cover I could- a bush against a wall- and waited terrified the hawk would come back. Luckily, he didn’t but now what? I was hurting and stunned and helpless.

Hurt & hiding

And that’s where you come in. Someone saw me huddled there and called Palomacy and a volunteer took the call and reached out to another volunteer who came immediately to my rescue. She took me to the bird hospital- Medical Center for Birds- and they took such good care of me! I got pain medicine, subcutaneous fluids, gavage feeding and antibiotics that first day. Then came the radiographs and eventually the surgery and steel pin to put my busted leg back together and they detangled and treated my mangled foot. It was a lot and scary sometimes but mostly I was just incredibly surprised and relieved. They gave me food! I had clean water! They talked to me and oohed and ahhed about how tough I was to still be alive after all I had been through. And they are right. I am tough!

Rescued!

My busted leg & string-entangled foot

My foot after all that string was removed!

Pre-surgery radiograph

Waking up after surgery

Fostered & recovering (showing my pinned leg with pin edges taped)

Me & Dr. Galusha after she removed the steel pin from my repaired leg

Now, months later, I am all healed up and living like a king in a big, beautiful foster aviary with a bunch of other rescued pigeons. The lady who feeds and waters us also cleans up for us and she catches me sometimes to change the padding bandage on my stump leg. You gave me this gift of life.

I’m not really sure how I got so lucky as this but I am really glad I did. I wish everyone could be treated so kindly. I wish everyone could be rescued when they’re in trouble and I wish everyone could live a good, safe, happy, peaceful life.

YOU made that happen for me and for so many others. THANK YOU! Please keep doing what you’re doing. You’re saving lives and inspiring compassion and you are, with your kindness and generosity, making this world better.

Your online donation to Palomacy for GivingTuesday via GlobalGiving will earn a much needed bonus match. (On donations up to $2,500 per donor, starting at 9 PM PT Monday 11/27 till 8:59 PM PT Tuesday 11/28)  The more everyone gives, the bigger the match will be. And the more Aces will be saved.

Thank you again.

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October 19, 2023
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Palomacy’s 2024 Calendars & Contest

Palomacy’s 2024 Calendars & Contest

Scroll down to see the images chosen for our 2024 wall calendars!

Order your calendars here!

We love our rescued and adopted pigeons and doves every day, 365 days a year (366 in 2024). And we love honoring your birds in our Palomacy calendars, shared all over the world! Your support for this special fundraiser helps birds every day.

It’s your support that makes it possible for us to rescue so many displaced, injured & ill birds: hawk-struck King pigeon Freedom, PMV survivor Willy, beloved and profoundly missed youngsters Crouton & Sprout (RIP), concussed and near death Paige, timed out shelter rescues Nilla and Graham and literally hundreds more. It’s your support that enables us to help so many birds & people on so many levels: responding to more than 1,000 online coaching & referral requests every month; providing foster homes to 240 birds; screening & assisting adopters for hundreds of placements; producing our unique rescue-centric website for more than 2,000 visitors daily… & so much more.

Thank you to our 221 participants- entrants & voters- who raised $7,358 & blew us away with 395 incredible images!

Presenting Palomacy’s 2024 Wall & Desk Calendars!

 

 

Extra special thanks to our Top Ten calendar contest fundraisers! (Click their photos to see stories.)

#10 Chase by Melanie, Palantine IL $195

#9 Mirando by Natalie, Chicago IL $200

#8 Ollie by Adrienne, San Jose CA $210

#7 Sizzle by Nath, San Leandro CA $215

#6 Speck by Louise, London, England $220

#5 Princess Snowflake by Tim, Pacifica CA $230

#4 Santino & Jose by Ranjini, Santa Clara CA $250

#3 Tikki by Cole, Las Vegas NV $310

#2 Baku by Vicki, Calgary AB Canada $456

#1 Moose by Jenna, Oceanside CA $520 

Congratulations to the entrants selected to be featured in the 2024 Palomacy Wall Calendar!

While we want the calendar to brighten walls with beautiful and striking photos, we also look for entries that tell a story.

These images showcase a diverse representation of birds the Palomacy community helps and interacts with: from the feral pigeons we inhabit a shared space with to the abandoned, injured, and lost pigeons and doves that have found a home with us.

Winning entries weave thoughtful, interesting stories that add depth and personality to who the bird or birds featured are. Whether it’s through the photo or the accompanying story, they communicate something about pigeons and doves emotionally. This may be their quirks as individuals, the hardships they’ve overcome, or their relationships with others, both bird and human.

Thank you for sharing this piece of your lives with us, and we look forward to amplifying your voice to Palomacy supporters across the globe.

2024 Calendar Cover: Plover by Adrienne, San Jose CA

January: Moose by Jenna, Oceanside CA

February: The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes by Shae, Fairfax CA

March: Pancake by Sonya, Albany NY

April: Eggo by Cynthia, San Francisco CA

May: Voodoo by Ash, Eucalyptus Hills CA

June: Pomelo & Puffles by Adrienne, San Jose CA

July: Ender by Avia, Miami FL

August: Santino & Josè by Ranjini, Santa Clara CA

September: All but Two of the Flock, by Stassia, Grass Lake MI

October: Pickles by Dion, San Francisco CA

November: Polly by Ari, Stephentown NY

December: My Aviary in the Winter by Sindy, Jacksonville OR

 

Thank you to each & every one of you- rescuers, adopters, fosters, volunteers, photographers, artists, voters, donors & advocates! Together we are changing the course of the future for these amazing birds, from abuse to appreciation, from exploitation to adoption.

Thank You!

2024 Palomacy Calendars can be ordered here & will be shipping by 11/15/23.

And extra super special thanks to our calendar producers- super volunteers, Heather Hohlowski & Julian Zhang, for so generously investing many, many hours of their precious time & their incredible & diverse talents into this project, with such grace & patience throughout, all to help the birds. We could never afford their paid work & are blown away by the enormity of their volunteer contributions, here & all throughout Palomacy’s efforts. We are truly grateful, Heather & Julian.

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October 15, 2023
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Opal

Opal

Guest Post by Jill McMurchy

Opal rescued

Opal came to Palomacy through a local parrot store. From time to time people bring them pigeons and they immediately call me. They told me she seemed healthy, was eating well and active.

 

But upon examining her, I found four puncture wounds hidden underneath her feathers. Wounds and injuries are often hard to see because feathers can hide so much. If the injury didn’t bleed much, you would see no evidence. What seems like a small puncture could be deep and life threatening and even if the wound is small, depending on the bacteria that was introduced, a small wound can become fatal.
Opal and I headed to an avian vet and she was put on antibiotics and for the topical, we are using Manuka honey. Sticky and messy but it works wonders with shallow wounds. (She came in with the purple dye on her, likely a failed effort by the person who flew her to deter hawk attack.)

 

Lots of elegant balancing while preening to do

Best of all, I was able to take Opal because when I reached out on social media, I found a wonderful new foster volunteer, Jesse. Palomacy can’t continue to help pigeons without new volunteers fostering and new adopters giving them forever homes. Upon meeting Opal, Jesse’s mom was moved to write this post on Facebook (further raising awareness).
.
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October 14, 2023
by Shae
Comments Off on Art for the Birds: Ajax Made Me Do It!

Art for the Birds: Ajax Made Me Do It!

Guest Post by Shae Irving

If you asked a year ago whether I’d have a website for my artwork today, I would have said no. I would have said someday I might — when I have a meaningful subject, a body of work, and the energy it takes to make a website happen. Maybe in a few years. But then our Ajax died.

Ajax was a powerhouse pigeon who was born with the magic to make people do things. As a baby, she captured the heart of her rescuer, Debbie, who knew nothing about pigeons when she found Ajax hiding under a bush. A car had struck this tender young bird, and it wasn’t clear if she would live.

Young Ajax and her finder, Debbie, in 2015

Debbie fell in love with Ajax and developed such regard for pigeons that she spearheaded and primarily funded Palomacy’s life-saving foster aviary at Ploughshares Nursery in Alameda. Score one for Ajax.

Ajax was partnered with Theo, and both were eventually adopted from Ploughshares. (Two more points for Ajax!) The pair had a long stay in a happy home until  Theo passed away and Ajax’s special needs led to a decision to rehome her. She was an old girl when she came to me as a foster. The accumulated stresses of her early injuries weighed on her, and she could no longer handle the pressures of life in a busy aviary. I thought I’d have her for only a week or two, but something about her level gaze and stately ways made me fall in love with her, too.

Ajax inspired me to create a small aviary for hens who needed a VIP life in the slow lane. I put her into that aviary with two other girls, and wouldn’t you know it, they took one look at her and got stars in their eyes. Ajax had two doting wives for the last nine months of her life.

Little, bigger, biggest: Ajax with wives Wink and Gracie.

What does any of this have to do with artwork and my website? When Ajax died of a condition affecting her lungs, we were bereft. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye, so I started to paint her. It was my first pigeon painting, “The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes.” She’s wearing a magic red boot on her right foot– the one that had been badly mangled by the car.

The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes, 2022

I’ve done “better” paintings since, but my whole heart went into this one. It now hangs above my desk at home. After I finished it, I kept going, one pigeon at a time — painting and drawing, learning and loving each opportunity to connect with the bird and, often, with the bird’s person.

It’s what Ajax wanted me to do.

Three recent paintings: Lucito, Dandelion Puff, and Steve!

I created the website to make a home for this growing flock of artbirbs and raise funds for pigeon and dove rescue and adoption. A percentage (usually 50%) of all proceeds from the bird art on the website goes to Palomacy and, occasionally, other pigeon or wildlife rescues.

I also plan to regularly give away art prints and sometimes original work to friends of pigeons and doves. My current giveaway is this print of the series In Your Hands, honoring (L to R) feral rescues Glory, Baby Mo, Flicky, Crouton, Grown-up Mo, and Pijimoto. Each bird is drawn on a 3 x 3 inch distressed post-it note and reproduced here.

I hope you’ll visit shaeirving.com and enter the drawing by signing up for my not-very-frequent newsletter!

About Shae & Palomacy: A king pigeon named Luna rescued Shae in 1993. In the years before the birth of Palomacy (originally MickaCoo), two more lost king pigeons — no other animals, just white kings — found Shae. In those days, it was almost impossible to find information or assistance for domestic pigeons; it seemed like a miracle when she discovered, in 2011, that a new organization had formed to take care of pigeons and doves. She has been a Palomacy volunteer, adopter, fosterer, and donor since then. She’s worn many pigeon-related hats, would love to have an actual pigeon hat, and is now excited to bring more awareness to pigeons and support Palomacy with her artwork.

Today Shae with her 12-year-old King Yuzu

1990s Shae with OG King Luna

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October 5, 2023
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Feathers & Fashion: Celebrating Cooture!

Feathers & Fashion: Celebrating Cooture!

Party Post Script

Wow!  Our Celebrating Cooture party was awesome! Very well attended with guests coming from San Jose to Sacramento and everywhere in between. Thank you so much to all our guests who were such good sports despite some chaos, lots of dear old friends and dear new ones. I think many who came pigeon-curious are now officially pigeon positive! There are for sure some featured fostered pigeons feeling new hopefulness for adoption. And, thanks to the incredibly generous donors who provided for all of our needs this party throughout, we were able to raise money ($3,475 from the party and $3,987 from our Auctria Auction, thanks to 25 donors and 73 beautiful items!) that will go straight towards the birds’ current vet bill of $13K (while still honoring our no-money-required-to-attend tradition).

Go straight to the photo albums here!

What an amazing experience to flock together in celebration of pigeon and dove rescue party style! It’s been extraordinary to have such incredibly generous support from so many contributors! San Damiano Retreat in “Where’s Danville?” Danville CA made our event possible in the kindest way. Thank you and extra special thanks to Emilio & Lisa.

 

Our headliner, Mother Pigeon of Brooklyn, helped connect us even more closely to the amazing worldwide coo-mmunity (!) of compassionistas drawn together by the love of pigeons. Bev Letard of Bev’s Bird Boutique designed and donated a royal flock’s worth of haute cooture Flyper frocks.

 

Pro photographer, animal rights activist and friend of Palomacy Rachel Ziegler donated her day to shoot our photos. We feasted on a vegan char-cooterie crowned with a chocolate fondue all lovingly dished up for us by Mary, Heather Ha., Nath and Darren. Sindy of Sindy’s Pigeon Service wrangled our raffle offerings and Shae, Heather Ho. and Kyla worked our merch table all of which was greatly enhanced by the incredible generosity of Ash and FleaCircusDesigns.com (Poes!)

Christiana made our haute fashion dreams come true with exquisite bespoke Broadway stage-worthy sets and brought her own set up and tear crew of helpers- Halina and Bob!

And we had a whole army of volunteers who helped us before, during, modeling and through clean up: Aileen, Tim, Micael, Jerri, Liz, Julian, Michelle, Cheryl, Josette, Luis, Nicole, Chris, Helen, Jill, Adrienne, Sarah, Lauren, Ranjini, Ana, Josie, Tiffany, Dion, Atlas and Jenna.

So many contributed to help to create this event and no one more so than our volunteer party producer Heather Hamilton! Heather, THANK YOU! Palomacy’s 2023 party and auction would not have been possible without all of your contagious enthusiasm and dedicated heavy lifting throughout.

Here are a few words from Heather:

Palomacy’s celebration of cooture at Feathers & Fashion was unforgettable. The guests were dressed to impress! Both feathered and non-feathered partygoers looked their best. Everyone loved Mother Pigeon’s special guest appearance, where the Priestess of Pigeon Religion talked about her art, advocacy, love of pigeons, and answered questions from the audience. The fashion show had the paparazzi snapping photos left and right, as the models strutted down the runway and the audience learned more about some of Palomacy’s special birds seeking their forever homes. Everyone enjoyed good food, great conversation, and reveled in their love of pigeons. Palomacy’s work was furthered by the fundraising effort and we’re grateful for everyone who came to this very special event.

 

—————————————————————————————–

Palomacy’s 2023 Party!

Here’s your link to all the party details & to RSVP (free raffle/drink tickets)!


San Damiano Retreat is very generously hosting our event in Danville CA. Overnight stays are available and so is car pooling and BART shuttle transport assistance!

We are still filling fun and exciting volunteer roles of all kinds. Please email Heather.M.Hamilton19@gmail.com to help.

We can’t wait to have Mother Pigeon virtually join our flock at 3:30 PM PT!

All of our feathered friends’ stunning runway fashions have been designed & generously donated by Bev’s Bird Boutique!

Order all your Celebrating Cooture merch here– T-shirts, hoodies, phone cases, mugs, stickers & more!

Get to our auction– donate your treasures & bid for others’ all in support of pigeon & dove rescue! Auction ends 10/23.

We are super excited to have animal rights activist and pro photographer Rachel Ziegler helping us!

Are you a doer? Or party shy? Or love helping? Our party volunteers have the most fun! Volunteer to volunteer. Join us!

 

Questions or ideas? Please call/text us at 415 851-5948 or Email Elizabeth@PigeonRescue.org

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September 26, 2023
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Tootsie the Splash

Tootsie the Splash

Safe except for that right foot…

Tootsie is what’s called in the “dove release”* business a ‘splash’ meaning that she has a splash of color mixed in with what were supposed to be her pure white feathers. She’s a little Homer pigeon youngster and her breeder “set her free” in a park (splash birds are typically culled one way or another). She was rescued from a park where she was trying but failing to keep up with the resident feral pigeon flock. When she was rescued, both her eyes were raw and crusty with infection and she was missing her tail feathers and her foot was crushed, evidence of a narrow escape. (*See Why “Dove Releases” Are Cruel)

Palomacy has rescued lots of these domestic pigeons, “set free” splash dove release business rejects. Even though the parents are pure white and the grandparents pure white and so on, these domesticated pigeons are the same species as the gray feral city pigeons and their DNA sometimes throws color despite all the white-white breeding. But dove releasers don’t want splash pigeons. Their business depends on the fantasy of the all white birds they falsely call “doves”.

They are always young- usually about two to three weeks old, and found sitting alone and helpless in parks they could never get to on their own (not yet walking or flying) or sometimes next to trash dumpsters. Most breeders kill the splash hatches and some give them away but there are those who tell themselves they’re being kind this way. They know the youngsters can’t survive and that they will be immediate magnets for predators so it’s a surprisingly cruel option. Only the luckiest are rescued alive. (See more rescued splashes.)

Tootsie recovered in supportive foster care with the help of Medical Center for Birds’ vets. Her eyes cleared up and then flared up again and we worried that the persistent corneal ulcer in her left eye might cost her vision.

Tootsie’s first vet visit

Corneal ulcer

Tootsie fostered

Vet tech Natalie appreciating Tootsie

Dr. Schollemann & Tootsie

Follow up eye stain showed great improvement

Her eyes slowly improved and her tail feathers grew back in while her crushed foot steadily withered. It was too damaged to recover and we opted to let it self-amputate rather than run the risk & expense of surgical removal. It was a long process and towards the end, Dr. Baden assisted by clipping off her stiff, awkward dead toes giving her a more comfortable interim stage.

Tootsie’s crushed necrotic foot

Dr. Baden’s dead toe trim

 

Trimmed to a more comfortable shape

As the weeks passed, Tootsie’s foot continued to resolve and in September the last of the dead bit fell off and she was fully recovered and in good shape with healthy eyes, a regrown tail and a cute little pink hoof of a foot stump.

 

Tootsie healed up & heading home!

On September 6th, I had the pleasure of delivering little Tootsie to her new avairy home with adopter Barna and his flock.

Barna welcomes Tootsie

Barna’s flock’s nest box town (Tootsie top left)

Tootsie is happy to be home

Thank you to everyone that helped save Tootsie from our Help Group Mods and Jill who helped coordinate her rescue and fostering and Art who caught her in the park and fostered to Dion who took her in and got her to me for long term fostering and her vet care team at Medical Center for Birds- Drs. Baden and Schoellmann and vet techs Natalie and Nick and adopter Barna and all the behind the scenes team members who update our database, website, and social media and process the medical records and invoices and YOU- our donors and supporters and cheerleaders who made Tootsie’s rescue and so very many others possible. THANK YOU EVERYBIRDY

Want to foster or adopt? Please complete our application here and you can always make a donation to help keep the Palomacy happening here.

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September 25, 2023
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Madame Puff Ball

Madame Puff Ball

Guest Post by Jill McMurchy

Smart leaning

Madame Puff Ball was found as a helpless stray and turned into Oakland Animal Services (OAS) unable to walk. While OAS accepts pigeons, has a beautiful, life-saving aviary, and helps a great many (unlike most shelters), they don’t have the staff or resources to provide avian vet care so they contact Palomacy.

On August 11th, we had a volunteer drive her to Medical Center For Birds right away. Her x-rays showed nothing of concern, in fact, Dr. Baden said they were boring. It seemed there was no obvious physiological reason for her paralysis (other than likely bruising and swelling affecting her spinal column). I picked her up and brought her foster home so we could start her rehab together. I’ve have experience with pigeons who have had spinal trauma and through a combination of anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, time and mostly the pigeons’ own determination and resilience, they can often recover from the paralysis.
In Madame‘s case, I believe her body and brain need time to reconnect and relearn how to walk again. As of now, she is almost there! We use a sling to help her remember how to distribute her weight and help her muscles to gain strength. We do hydrotherapy to get weight off her legs and allow them to paddle, simulating walking. I massage her legs and have her push on my hands while she lays on her back. Her progress has been slow so far but she’s in good spirits, eating and preening and strong.

 

She’s determined. I follow her lead. Soon she will stand tall once again!

 

Wearing her suspension sling to rebuild strength & balance

 

Powerful wing flaps generate lift-assisted standing

See Madame Puff Ball’s story continued here.

Additional stories about pigeons living with and/or recovering from spinal trauma:

Ava

River’s Flow

Saving Beatrice

Violet (Or What’s Wrong with Roller Pigeons?)

Part 2: Violet To Go

Earl Gray

Please support Palomacy with a donation. We need you. Thank you!

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September 17, 2023
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Connecticut Animal Cruelty Statute Is “For the Birds”

Connecticut Animal Cruelty Statute Is “For the Birds”

Guest Post by Sindy Harris

Content Warning: This post includes bird deaths.

Connecticut state law has a broadly worded animal cruelty statute.  Yet, at this time last year, that statute was simply overlooked by the New Haven Police Department and Animal Control in the face of a clear case of animal cruelty, which was both intentional and malicious.  This prejudicial oversight by these bodies must be corrected.

In July of last year, an urgent request about the rescue of six domesticated pigeons was posted in the Palomacy Help Group on Facebook.  Palomacy is a nonprofit pigeon and dove rescue located in the San Francisco Bay Area that has grown to include a nationwide group of volunteers, bird lovers and advocates.  The post concerned six pigeons in New Haven, Connecticut that someone was trying to sell on Craigslist for hunting dog training.  Pigeons are frequently used in this cruel way.* They are never out of their small cage except for training sessions which can include having tape wrapped around their wings and being stashed in bushes.  The idea is the dogs find the pigeons and bring them back to the owner unharmed.  Of course, that is why it is called dog “training” since the dogs don’t understand the “unharmed” part right away.

The Palomacy post was an urgent call out for help for these six birds, which were advertised on craigslist for sale at $10 a bird.**  The ad showed six, very thin, domesticated pigeons in a cramped cage, missing noticeable clumps of feathers and looking generally unhealthy.  Paola Chacon-Paul (“Paola”) responded to this call out for help.  She spoke to the man selling the pigeons.  He identified himself as Hadj Monsour (“Monsour”).  He wanted $10 a bird plus money for their small, rusty cage.  By the end of the conversation, he refused to take less than $100.  This was fine with Paola since she only wanted to save these birds from their torture.  They agreed to meet at what Paola believed to be Monsour’s home in New Haven on July 31, 2022.  Instead, the address took her to a Mobil gas station in New Haven.

Paola and her husband, John Paul, live outside of New York City in Westchester County.  They drove three and a half hours that day to meet Monsour.  But, they were late.  As anyone knows who has driven from New York to Connecticut, there is often unpredictable traffic delays.  Paola called Monsour and let me him know that they were running about an hour late.  This was not a problem for Monsour, as he relayed to Paulo.  He and his 10 year old son (who apparently came with him to drop off the pigeons) would go to a nearby Walmart for the hour.  They did just that and left the six pigeons in the car.  The pigeons were in a small box with no holes for air.  It was approximately 85 degrees on July 31, 2022.

When Paola and her husband arrived at the address they had been given by Monsour, they were confused.  It was a gas station in New Haven and not his home, and Monsour wasn’t there.  When they called him for an explanation, he told them that he was still shopping with his son at Walmart and would be at least another half hour at the store.

When Monsour finally arrived, he took a small box out of his car and threw it into the trunk of Paola and John Paul’s car.  The trunk was open because Paola was getting out the six carriers they brought to transport the birds home.  Paola and John Paul could not understand what was going on.  Why did Monsour throw a box into the trunk?  And, how could there be six birds in a closed box with no air holes which was not even 4 inches tall?  A pigeon could not even stand in a box that size.  As such insanity started to dawn on them, Monsour grabbed the money for the birds from John Paul and literally took off.

Paola and her husband then opened the box.  Four of the beautiful pigeons were dead.  Two were gasping for air.  Paola knew how important it was to cool them down.  She poured cold water under their wings and on their bodies and and blew air into their mouths.  John Paul tried CPR on two birds that appeared to have just died since both were still twitching.  The other two were stiff.  This desperate effort went on for about 10 minutes, as the gas station attendant and others watched.  Only when the gasping stopped and the two that had lived could take a sip of water, did Paola and John Paul leave the gas station.

Animal cruelty killed these pigeons

 

Through OnStar, Paola immediately notified the New Haven Police Department about what had just happened.  She was told that there was nothing they could do.  The officer she spoke to over the phone told her to call Animal Control in the morning because it is responsible for animal cruelty cases.  Paola tried the New Haven Police Department again the next day, hoping for a different response by another officer.  Nothing changed; however, she was given the number for New Haven Animal Control.

Paola then called Animal Control.  She got the same line:  There was nothing they could do because she “hadn’t gone to the man’s house” and did not have his address.  Paola already learned from the Mobil gas station attendant that there was video footage of the events, undoubtedly including the license plate of Monsour’s car.  She also had the Craigslist ad that had the owner’s phone number, and Paola had his name.  She also had pictures of the airless box and dead birds.  Animal Control insisted that they could not help.

Meanwhile, Paola and John Paul were getting the two birds that survived the help they needed.  They were turned away by every emergency vet contacted and had to get through the night on their own until their regular vet opened in the morning.  The pigeons were not only severely dehydrated, but they were emaciated.  They were filthy and full of parasites, and their little bodies were badly bruised.  One was so dehydrated she needed to remain with the vet for rounds of subcutaneous fluids.

At the vet

Miraculous survivors

 

Paola’s update to the group

It is high time for incidents like this to change, and this one must be corrected.  Had there been six puppies in that miniscule box, left in a hot car with no air or water for at least an hour and half, there most certainly would be action taken, particularly if four died.  Connecticut law doesn’t just cover animal cruelty when it comes to dogs and cats.  It applies to “any animal.”  See CGS Section 53-247(a)  Indeed, the New Haven Municipal Code defines “animal” very broadly.  It states:  “Animal means any brute creature including, but not limited to, dogs, cats, monkeys, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, birds and reptiles.  It shall include quadrupeds and amphibians.”  See New Have Municipal Code Sec. 7-1., Definitions, Animal.  So, the fact that these beautiful, tortured creatures were domesticated pigeons should not have changed a thing in the way this tragedy was handled.  Birds are covered by the state and local animal cruelty statutes.

This was also a clear case of animal cruelty, even malicious and intentional. See CGS Section 53-247.  Section 53-247(a) provides that people failing to provide “necessary sustenance” to an animal are guilty of animal cruelty.  The statute specifically provides that animal cruelty includes failing to “supply any animal with wholesome air, food and water.”  A person “inflicts cruelty” on any animal if he or she “carries it or causes it to be carried in a cruel manner.”  See also New Haven Municipal Code Section 7-3(a).

It is undeniable that Monsour did not provide these six birds with “necessary sustenance.”  They were knowingly deprived of air and water for at least an hour and a half in a car on a hot day.  They were also undeniably carried in a cruel manner.  All six pigeons were crammed in a box, no taller than 4 inches, where none could even stand up.  The box contained no air and no water for an hour and a half at least.  Undoubtedly, these poor birds were trapped in that heartless situation for far longer than that, as Monsour needed to drive from his home to the Mobil gas station, then to Walmart, shop with his son, and then return to Walmart to meet Paola and her husband.

It is unconscionable that such animal cruelty by Monsour didn’t even get him a fine.  It didn’t even make it on paper as a police report, especially because it was malicious and intentional.  Monsour clearly knew the size of the box he had six birds in.  He knowingly left them in that box, without air or water, for a minimum of an hour and a half, in the heat.  He left them in that condition, while he shopped at Walmart with his son.  The fact that he threw the box in Paola’s trunk and grabbed the $100, then taking off, is further evidence of his knowing brutality.  Four birds died that day at Monsour’s hands, and two others were so deprived of oxygen that it is a miracle they survived.  The medical records of the emergency vet further show that the two birds who survived had suffered for longer than one day.  Both pigeons were severely dehydrated, emaciated, full of parasites, bruised and broken.

It is not too late to prosecute this monstrous act of animal cruelty.  And, it is time to start enforcing the animal cruelty laws, as intended.  The law is written to cover “birds.”  These beautiful birds were also domesticated; just like a puppy or a kitten, they were born in captivity, raised by a human being (fed, watered and given shelter) and have no survival skills.  These beautiful six got the bad luck of the draw, like some dogs and cats do, by getting a heartless human as their owner.  They deserve the same protection other domesticated animals get and the same justice.

Here is Sindy’s letter to the Connecticut Attorney General:

 

Here is the article that Sindy & Paola got written about the case.



 

Cynthia A. Harris (“Sindy”)
In a former life, Sindy was a lawyer in California.  For the majority of her career, Sindy worked as a staff attorney for five civil judges in Contra Costa County Superior Court.  She fell in love with domesticated pigeons after her husband, Steve, found a white homing pigeon on the freeway and brought it home because it would not fly away.  Both Steve and Sindy were Adopt-A-Highway volunteers for litter pick up in California.  With the help of Palomacy, the couple realized that this pigeon (who they named, Glory) was self-rescuing. Glory has inspired so much! Sindy and Steve had their first aviary built in Benicia, California for Glory and adopted 25 or so, more rescues to fill it. Since that time, Sindy and Steve have rescued, fostered, adopted, or rehomed at least 200 domesticated pigeons in need of help.  Sindy has designed and had built nine other aviaries for domesticated pigeons in need as well as funding materials for two dovecotes going up at farm rescues, one in Texas and the other in Vermont. In January 2022, the couple opened an online store (Sindyspigeonservice.com) to sell food and supplies to the rescue and rehab communities.  Proceeds from the sales go to build aviaries for domesticated pigeons in need.

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*See “Puppy Training” Pigeons Rescued for more on this.

**Learn more about reporting bird sales on craigslist here.

Learn more about craigslist founder Craig Newmark’s support for Palomacy.

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September 7, 2023
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Doves: Birds of Chaos, Pixies in Disguise

Doves: Birds of Chaos, Pixies in Disguise

Guest Post by Adrienne Ruork

Whoever decided that doves were an emblem of peace and love was the biggest con artist of all time. Unless doves have since evolved with humanity’s embrace of satirical humor, we’ve been victims of this fallacy our whole entire lives. From Sunday bible teachings, to Greek mythology taught in high school, to cartoons and other media depicting doves as heralding peace—it’s been ingrained in our brains that doves are peaceful, gentle birds.

Plover, a rescued Eurasian-Collared Dove, enjoying flying about in a predator and rodent-proof aviary. Photo by me.

Lies. It’s such flippant deceitfulness that I dare say it’s on par with the big ones like Santa Claus, Milli Vanilli singing their own songs; and pigeons being disease-riddled, stupid birds. Anyone who has spent any amount of time with a dove knows they are pixies in disguise. They prey upon and weaponize our naivete all with a blink of those sweet, beady eyes and an adorable beak smack or two. Isn’t it just the cutest thing when they puff up and start smacking their beak with contentment? And when they nuzzle their own face down into their feathery bosom, it makes me wanna—hey wait a minute! See? I’m falling for their trickery right now! 

While pigeons are Lords of the Leisure Arts, doves must be the Chancellors of Chaos—and this is coming from someone who has rehabbed raccoons and crows, two of the most notoriously devious wildlife here in California. Ringneck doves, for example, are often nicknamed laughing doves for a reason— because they cackle like little flying maniacs who laugh at the mischief they wrought upon their caretakers. Eurasian-Collared doves do nothing but scream; I would know, I have two. They’re so unhinged they feel the need to scream when landing upon your head as if to remind you of their unpredictability. What better way to assert dominance than to scream at everyone around you? I mean, it works for toddlers, and those are some of the most capricious beings on this planet.

Doves are constantly on the prowl for something to do. They’re busybodies, unlike their pigeon counterparts who love to loaf it up in the sun. Even when doves are perched, they’re still doing something, whether it be preening or plotting world domination. Those pebbly eyes are like spy cameras scanning their territory for potential threats. Threats, of course, being other doves encroaching on their favorite spot, or even their favorite human slave. If you’re lucky enough to be deemed worthy, a dove will consider you their property and defend you against anything that comes near. If a dove were a color, they’d be green because of how jealous they can become. That’s not to say they can’t coexist with other doves. Quite the contrary. 

Eurasian-Collared Dove, Maple, staring into my soul with the intent of who-knows-what. Photo by me

At their core, doves are flock animals. They seek accomplices their own kind for dominance protection against predators and competition. The more the better in the wild, but in captivity they do best in a flock of at least four. It’s possible to have one to two doves in an indoor setting, but only when the humans become their flock. They can easily thrive with humans who are homebodies and can spend a lot of time worshiping the very perch they stand on. If you work out-of-home, or spend a lot of time elsewhere, a single dove would not bode well; they can easily become depressed, stressed, and insecure all alone.

 

For indoor doves, Palomacy recommends a cage with a minimum dimension of 32”Wx32”Hx21”D. This is suitable for one to two doves. However, as with all animals in captivity—the bigger the better. For specific information on cages, check out our article on proper cages and housing here. Photo by Elizabeth Y.

The two most common species of dove that Palomacy gets through its doors is the domestic ringneck dove; and the non-native, technically invasive Eurasian-Collared Dove (EUCD). They are very similar in size, but ringnecks have a wider variety of color than their EUCD counterparts. They can come in many colors such as white, peach, fawn, cream, and even pied.

Lindy, a pied dove, showcasing the beautiful patterns some doves can have. Photo by Liese H.

EUCDs on the other hand are a more modest tan or gray with a gorgeous hint of lavender winking through in some light. Rarely, a EUCD can be more on the creamy fawn side, completely throwing off even the keenest of experts into thinking it’s a domestic ringneck at first glance. What better way to overthrow society by blending in with the crowd?

The majority of both species wear the trademark “ring” on the nape of their neck. It’s a crescent moon-shaped band of usually black feathers, but in some colorations, it can be a lighter ring of brown or even peach.

White ringneck doves, again probably just to screw with us, have a white ring.

Idyll (left) and Garfie (right) with their nearly invisible white on white rings . Photo by Liese H.

Despite being two different species of dove, they can co-exist in a mixed flock since they are both of similar size and temperament. As for what kind of temperament each has, well, truthfully that’s as unique as our own fingerprints. Eurasian-Collared Doves are known to be territorial and rowdy, but they can also be loving and cuddly towards their mate or their chosen human(s). Despite being a domestic species, not all ringnecks necessarily want to be handled and would much prefer to be admired with the eyes. Each will have their own likes and dislikes, their own level of tolerance of proximity to one another, their own picky preference for a place to perch. Some are shrewd, some are demure, some will be shy one minute and then bold the next. And then there’s some who will be so clingy they become akin to a fashion accessory.


JillBonnet was named after the fact that she loves to sit atop heads like a fancy little bonnet. Picture by Liese H.

There is truly no disadvantage to any dove, regardless of their personality. Ignoring the fact that I began this article claiming that doves are the Chancellors of Chaos, it’s said with the utmost love and adoration. Indoor doves, when given the opportunity to free fly throughout the house, will surely find a spot to coo for you for hours. They’ll perch on top of the refrigerator to watch as you make your morning coffee, they’ll join you on the back of the couch as you catch up on your favorite show. And in their predictably unpredictableness, they’ll land on your head during the most important zoom call of your life and laugh or scream their lungs out.

In a flock dynamic, doves can really begin to shine with their dispositions and idiosyncrasies. Unlike pigeons, who are relatively monogamous, doves are known to be quite the little swingers. They’re a little less concerned with conventional (and human) definitions of relationships, and spend a lot of their time being busybodies with, well, anybody. While it probably doesn’t hold a candle to college kids during spring break, doves tend to jump around with whom they can by day and retire to their nest with their main mate at night.

Snuggly mates Eggbert and Avery in their nest. Photo by Liese H.

There are squabbles over seed, battles for the best sunbeams, dive bombing each other for hogging a good preening spot. There’s always a cacophony of hysterical laughing from the ringnecks and maniacal screaming from the EUCDs. Needless to say, doves are pure entertainment. There’s never a dull moment with a dove, whether you have one or an entire flock of them.

Sometimes there isn’t a clean moment either. If you’re lucky enough to befriend a dove, you’ll soon learn they have an uncanny similarity to a dog in that they’ll not only beg for food, but they’ll take matters into their own beak to taste whatever it is you’re eating. Plover, my EUCD, somehow beguiled me into giving her a tiny taste of Pringles. Since that fateful day, I can no longer buy Pringles lest she land upon my hand as soon as it dives in to grab a chip. Once that chip emerges from the depths of that iconic cardboard tube, she crunches down before I can even begin to raise it to my own lips. The delicate treat then crumbles through my very fingertips, landing upon my lap (and the floor) like shattered dreams. Needless to say, it’s good motivation to no longer buy junk food.

Dinner time has been messy chaos. On one particular occasion, my mom and I had just sat down to a simple dinner of spaghetti. With a lot of sauce. The red kind. The kind that stains. For reasons only known to the twisted depths of Plover’s mind, she decided to divebomb and crash land in my mom’s spaghetti. She stomped around on the plate with pride, mashing the pasta between her toes as though grape-stomping an artisanal wine to go with our meal. Her breast and legs were tainted red much like my fingers after eating an entire bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos. Dinner was certainly ruined, but the memory of this silly little dove making spaghetti wine was entirely worth the struggle of bathing her afterwards.

Left: Plover post-spagetti winemaking. Middle: Plover post bath. Right: Plover getting a blow dry atop my head, possibly (?) regretting her life choices.

Despite the ruckus these birds may kick up on a daily basis, doves have an undeniable charm. There’s the draw of innocence from their vibrant eyes. The way they tilt their head to view their world is the very essence of pure curiosity (something, as humans, we lose as we age). This is why I liken them to pixies—they’re blithe and spirited creatures of whimsy and mischief. There’s comfort in their presence, even if they’re on the other side of the room merely observing you as you go about your day, or you’re watching your flock simply exist in the moment. They’re very much soothing to the soul to have as companions in any capacity. Through spending time with my doves, and through my time volunteering with Palomaccy, I’ve come to an epiphany that the peace doves are known to represent is more of an inner peace they bring to the lives of their caretakers. And to me, that is a peace that is far worth the occasional chaos.

Plover inspecting a plant. Doves absolutely love to root through plants and munch on their leaves. Protect your dove by choosing non-toxic, bird safe plants. Protecting your plant from the dove is another story. Photo by me.

 


Adrienne has been a volunteer with Palomacy for only a short while, but she hit the ground running. Aside from caring for twenty-two rescue pigeons and two rescue doves, she is also the Bird Database Coordinator for Palomacy, as well as a member of the Phone and Social Media teams. Her hobbies include snuggling pigeons, cleaning pigeon poop, taking pictures of pigeons, thinking about pigeons, huffing pigeons, getting wing-slapped by pigeons, and basically forfeiting any and all free will to her pigeon and dove overlords.

 

 

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June 3, 2023
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Nilla & Graham

Nilla & Graham

Guest Post by Jana Paradiso

Our experience as a first-time pigeon foster family

My daughter Shree got into pigeons in the Fall of 2022. She just developed an affinity for them, and that’s how we started to appreciate the gentle, unique nature of this bird. We had only ever had dogs as pets; I grew up with cats but developed allergies to them so can’t have them in our home. We are animal-lovers but were always just a dog-family.

A friend of mine told me about Palomacy. After learning about the organization and Elizabeth’s work, I knew that my family and I wanted to help out as volunteers. Shree and I spent a lot of time on the Palomacy website, reading up on pigeons. We filled out the application to volunteer and shortly after, Elizabeth invited us to help out at a Pigeon Palooza event at Oakland Animal Services. It was Shree’s and my first time being up close and personal with rescued pigeons. We learned so much during that one afternoon! Elizabeth and the other volunteers were super helpful and generous with their knowledge.

Shree & Jana

In early April, Elizabeth contacted me to see if we were able to foster two recently rescued pigeons, Nilla and Graham. I was nervous since we’ve never had birds in our home but the Palomacy website has a ton of information to help answer questions and provide links to resources. Elizabeth had the supplies to get us started and spent a couple of hours at our home to set-up the cage and get Nilla and Graham settled. She showed us how to put on pigeon pants too. Our family was so excited to have them in our home, to help them heal and be safe, and also to get to learn in real-time how to care for them. We have a small dog (Licorice, 9 yr old min-pin chihuahua mix) and it was good to have Elizabeth, who also has a dog, help Licorice and us acclimate to having birds in the house.
Nilla and Graham are very, very sweet pigeons. They were rescued separately, a few days apart, but in nearby locations in San Jose in the end of March 2023. Both had leg injuries and Nilla had a back wound. Nilla’s wound healed and his feathers grew back, though he still has a bit of a limp with his right leg. Graham shows no lingering injuries and is a very strong bird. They have hearty appetites, eager and excited for breakfast every morning, and enjoy treats of diced carrots and lettuce.
Over the 2 months that they’ve been with us, they’ve become good buddies. Elizabeth is pretty sure they are both males. While these two pigeons haven’t paired up, they are good roommates to each other. Nilla likes to preen Graham, especially by their food bowl, and Graham returns the favor occasionally. They often sleep next to each other, though sometimes they sleep in their own spots.
Nilla, our handsome white potato, has a warm presence and is curious, gazing deeply into your eyes. He is comfortable being held and loves head scratchies. He coos often, sometimes Graham joins in with his higher pitched coo. Nilla can sit by the mirrors for an extended time, cooing with his “buddies.”
Graham, with his soft tan feathers, is more independent. He’ll tolerate being held for a little bit but he likes to launch off your hand and fly to spot of his own. Initially, we weren’t sure whether he was a female or male, though Elizabeth thinks he most likely is a boy. He often makes a soft bark when we walk by the cage, in a show of his sassy attitude.
As with any pet, you have to be the one to figure out how to make time for them and care for them properly. We made sure we had a good spot for the cage and the supplies nearby. We change out the paper liner every morning, wipe down the sides of the cage and shelf, and bring a clean bowl of breakfast and water to start the day fresh. I’m home here and there during the day, and my husband works from home, so we’re able to do quick “housekeeping” (clean the poop, takes less than a minute), have some chats with them, and make sure their water and food is all set. We keep a vacuum cleaner nearby, and my daughter or I do a quick vacuum once or twice daily. I do a thorough cleaning of their cage about once a week (or sooner if needed), while the birds are having time around the house with the other humans. We had planned on trying to build a small aviary or purchase one, but don’t have a good outdoor space for it at the moment, as we have some construction on our home in the near future.

It did take some time for our dog, Licorice, to adapt. We would tell her, “Leave it,” and gently guide her away from the cage door, while also letting her see the birds out of the cage, at a safe distance for both of them. It was a matter of being patient to allow everyone to get used to being around each other, helping the birds feel safe, and desensitizing Licorice so that she didn’t want to chase them all the time.

We love hearing the pigeons throughout the day, since they are near our main living area: Nilla’s deep coos, Graham’s surprised-sounding coos, and their impressive wing flaps. It has been great getting to know them and help them adapt to life with humans. Unfortunately, one of my daughters started getting allergies every time she is near them for more than a few minutes or holds them, so we are going to see if they can be placed with another foster home for now. We have really loved having Nilla and Graham in our home. It is a joy to feed them, to put their pigeons pants on and have them out with us. We are not sure if we will be able to be fosters for pigeons for long-term but may try to help with short-term, so that the allergies can abate.

While we are going to take a break from fostering, we will be on hand as volunteers at events since we love Palomacy. Bringing Nilla and Graham as pigeon ambassadors was so special. Introducing other folks to rescued homing, racing or feral pigeons is great – you get to see people’s genuine reactions to how wonderful pigeons are and help them open their hearts and homes to fostering and adopting. Viva la Pigeon!
Jana is a San Francisco resident with a soft spot for animal & plant friends and a fierce streak for reproductive equity & justice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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