Their big, beautiful, safe rescue aviary is amazing! It is 25′ long, 16′ wide, 14′ high and brilliantly split down the center to house Ringneck doves on one side and unreleasable pigeons on the other. Everybirdy is safe while having the bonus fun of exciting neighbors.

Backstretch Horse Rescue owners Dennis and Janece had said Yes to helping Palomacy save the lives of 39 doves left homeless when their person died in April 2020. Everything had to happen in a hurry, the doves’ old aviary proved unusable and so we scrambled to modify a 15′ x 5′ x 6′ dog kennel by wrapping it in hardware cloth. It was a fine temporary solution but we were aiming for a big, beautiful Backstretch aviary.

Every few months, I’d check in with Dennis for updates about the doves (they were much loved and doing great) and for a status check on the combo pigeon and dove aviary project (no real progress). Palomacy supporter Heather had created a sketch I could use to help visualize the possibility.

Over this same period, Palomacy adopter and volunteer Sindy and I were talking a lot about ways to develop more adopters. Sindy had funded aviaries for a couple of new adopters and by, eliminating that financial barrier, she saved the lives of 30 pigeons. It got me to thinking.

Dennis and Janece were perfect adopters who had the space, skills and desire to create a big aviary. Palomacy has so many birds needing a home… maybe if I could find a donor to pay for the materials, Dennis could build it and we’d all get the aviary we needed! My thoughts turned to Marian, an incredibly compassionate lifelong rescuer who, when she could no longer care for her 36 unreleasable pigeons, had funded a big beautiful aviary for them in partnership with adopter Angela.

In April 2021, I went to Backstretch to check in on the doves and talk to Dennis about my idea. I brought pigeon racing survivor Miles to assist me.

We talked through design ideas, expectations and worked out a mutual agreement. On May 24th, amazing angel funder Marian provided $5,400 for materials and Dennis started aviary building! He worked out the specs, calculated the quantities, ordered all the stuff- mesh, lumber, roofing, hardware. He cleared the ground, set the posts, poured the concrete foundation and built an incredible palace for rescued pigeons and doves!

I kept checking in. These things always take longer than expected and then on July, 23rd, Dennis sent me this photo!

I said, See you tomorrow and the very next day, Jill and Nath and I had the great pleasure of delivering 12 incredibly lucky pigeons and transferring 39 doves into their aviary/palace!

Of course, the birds needing rescue never stop coming.

Just a week later, Palomacy was asked to rescue ten doves (had started out as two) that were living outside in an unsafe-outdoors cage and who had to rehomed because of “remodeling”.

We never want to crowd birds nor do we want to overload our adopters. We considered our options and asked Janece and Dennis if they’d add another ten doves to their very lucky flock of 39 and they said, Yes. On July 31, Jill and our dove whisperer Liese transported these luckiest of lucky doves to their new home at Backstretch.

Palomacy’s team of 40 foster volunteers are always caring for about 200 adoptable birds (in their homes and backyard aviaries). We are always full, never having the luxury of extra space so losing even one foster aviary has a big impact. We had known since the spring that one of our fosters, Robin, was selling her home and that we would have to transfer her 12 foster pigeons. Even so, despite our best efforts, when the time came in September, we hadn’t yet found placements for them.

And yes, you know where I am heading: We asked Dennis and Janece if they would take in 12 more pigeons to join their original 12 and they said, Yes. On September 8, Robin transported her 12 foster pigeons from Sacramento to Sunol and from there, Jill and Nath transported them home to Backstretch!

Backstretch’s big, amazing aviary is now full. They are giving 49 doves and 24 pigeons their best possible life. In addition to all the rescued horses and donkeys and goats and cats and chickens they’re caring for. You can learn more about Backstretch and how to support them at www.Backstretchrescue.org.  You can help Palomacy continue rescuing birds by fostering or adopting and/or by donating towards an aviary.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who are helping.