July 21, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Why “Dove Releases” Are Cruel
Warning: Includes graphic photos showing what happens to “released doves”. When you hear about a “dove release” or “wedding doves,” it usually means that Homing pigeons, selectively bred to be all white, small and dove-like, were rented so as to … Continue reading
July 20, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Gentle Kings Need Help to Escape Cruel Fate
Originally published in the Marin Independent Journal on 7/16/2011 By Elizabeth Young There is an epic but almost invisible drama at work in the San Francisco Bay Area. Every week, unbeknown to most, local animal shelters get in a couple … Continue reading
July 14, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Violet (Or What’s Wrong with Roller Pigeons?)
Violet is a strikingly beautiful, gentle, petite Birmingham Roller who is trying really hard to recover from a devastating injury. She was taken to WildCare in January, unable to walk or stand. She still cannot unless she is flapping her … Continue reading
July 2, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Buttons Do Pigeons Proud!
Palomacy volunteers like Steph Fries share their talents and expertise so generously to help us help the birds! On June 8th, I received this message from Steph: Hello again, Elizabeth! I was thinking about how you were saying that Palomacy … Continue reading
July 1, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Cher Ami: The Pigeon Who Saved 200 Men
Guest Post by Julia Gneckow Pigeons are completely devoted to their families and most have an extraordinary ability to ‘home’ back to them, a trait we’ve utilized all over the world for thousands of years. Pigeons relayed the results of … Continue reading
June 18, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Fleetwood’s Story
On 4/1/15, a brown & white Persian High Flyer pigeon with a startling injury approached a kind person in Sacramento who took him to Wildlife Care Association (WCA). The bird’s upper beak was entirely gone, torn from his face. Brianna … Continue reading
June 12, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Life Finds a Way, Guest Post by Jill McMurchy
My small aviary, already at its limit but doing fine, went from eight birds to twelve within the span of two days. How? Oops babies. Two couples, two eggs each = four new beings. Being quite involved in Palomacy since … Continue reading
June 12, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Foster & Forever Homes Urgently Needed
Our largest foster aviary, the Wulf Aviary, always housing 24 pigeons and sometimes surging to 28, has been an incredible, life-saving asset to Palomacy for almost five years. Foster volunteer Linda, who was new to pigeons when she began and … Continue reading
June 12, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Pigeon Appreciation Day 6/13/15
We appreciate pigeons every day- for their gentleness, their loyalty, their courage. Let’s share our love of these birds with everybody on Pigeon Appreciation Day- June 13th, 2015! Artists have shared their pigeon appreciation imagery with us and we encourage you to share them … Continue reading
June 11, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Pebbles: An Almost-Survivor of Pigeon Racing
Pigeon racing hobbyists breed thousands of domestic pigeons, transport them hundreds of miles from home and then release them in a competition to see which birds return first. Unfortunately, many (sometimes most) of the pigeons will never make it home. … Continue reading