Chanel enjoying a visit with his reflection in the mirror

On August 31st, 2012, MickaCoo was asked to rescue a domestic pigeon from the shelter where he would otherwise be euthanized for lack of an adopter. A MickaCoo volunteer (whose dining table was already co-opted by a pair of foster pigeons) cleared off her coffee table to make room for him. She named him Chanel. Chanel is a fancy little domestic breed called a Trumpeter whose genetic heritage includes relentless selective (in)breeding. He has way more feathers than a pigeon is supposed to, including long, primary flight-size wing feathers growing painfully out of his poor little tender feet as well as the crest around his head that, while cute, restricts his peripheral vision. Of course, inbreeding has other costs as well and fancy pigeons like Chanel are prone to all kinds of troubles that hardy feral pigeons have beat (by way of natural selection). People changed Chanel’s destiny from being one of the most successful birds in the world to being a frail and helpless one. And, without a home, Chanel was doomed. But Chanel got lucky and was rescued by MickaCoo.

Once in our care, it became clear that little Chanel was under the weather. His long feet feathers restricted his mobility and so they were trimmed. When a space became available, he was transferred to the special gentle-birds-only aviary of another foster volunteer. He’s done OK but kept to himself and sulked more than thrived. Recently we learned that hidden under Chanel’s many feathers was a fast-growing mass. His vet, Dr. Fitzgerald, tried to save he and MickaCoo the impacts of surgery by devitalizing the mass via ligature (tying off) and that worked for a portion of it but eventually, surgery was required and, on 1/28/13, was performed.

Chanel’s heart beat was erratic while under anesthesia but the surgery team finessed him through and he is home and recovering well. Dr. Fitzgerald is hopeful that she was able to remove all traces of the mass. She’d like to biopsy the removed tissue but that would cost another $170 above and beyond Chanel’s (generously discounted) vet bill of $1500. MickaCoo needs help to cover these costs. We have been generously awarded a $500 grant from the ASPCA and generous donors have already contributed almost $300 but a large balance remains.

MickaCoo never knows what a rescue will cost and rather than triaging them out, we prioritize caring for the sick and injured. We do our utmost (and drive our poor avian vet partners crazy) to keep expenses as low as possible but the reality is that avian medical care, just like canine, feline and human medical care, is costly. Chanel didn’t ask to be in this situation but he wants to live. Please help us to continue saving the lives of birds that no one else is while we simultaneously increase compassion and reduce suffering for innocent creatures. If you can, please make a tax-deductible donation today. I can virtually guarantee you that your donation will make a life-saving difference. Thank you.

2/11/13 Update from Chanel’s foster mom Jill: Chanel continues to improve after surgery and loves being back in the aviary with his friends. He has even surprised me by flying a short distance! I had never seen him take wing prior to surgery.  I think he’s feeling much better now that he can act more like a pigeon in a flock with his friends. He will always need to have his feet feathers trimmed but other than that he’s a happy-go-lucky guy who just needs a wife and a home to call his own.

I wish that the birds we’ve rescued could tell you themselves the difference you make in their lives. No one wants to suffer, to die for lack of a friend. In 2012, thanks to you, MickaCoo helped hundreds of pigeons and doves that otherwise had no one. Here’s the story of just one.

Peppermint- an abused baby king pigeon

His story begins on July 23, 2009, when we were contacted by a shelter about an injured king pigeon, colored in red magic marker and due to be euthanized. A volunteer rushed to pick him up and get him to the vet before closing. He was 4 weeks old, weak and in pain. He had infection to the bone in both ankles. His underside was filthy green from being unable to stand up out of his own poop and his feathers scribbled bright red with permanent magic marker. The volunteer named him Peppermint. We don’t know what happened to him prior to arriving at the shelter but it looked as if someone had given this fragile baby pigeon (most likely purchased from a live poultry market) to their child as a toy, confining him someplace too small for him to even stand.

Peppermint’s infected joints were so damaged that the vet warned us he might never be able to walk. His vet care, paid by donations, cost more than $2000. His foster mom cared for him tenderly and he responded by coming back to life. In the beginning, he had been so traumatized, that he was almost catatonic but, as he began to feel safe and to heal, Peppermint started squeaking and emoting like a baby pigeon should. On a home visit, watching him watch her, I told his foster mom that she was his sun and moon. And she was.

Foster mom Sherri brought him back to life

Peppermint’s legs did recover (though he still can’t fly) and he grew up to become a big, hearty young man bird. He moved into a foster aviary and his first mate was a wonderful, sweet and much older lady pigeon named Dee Dee Detroit. (We called her a MickaCoogar.) When her health took a turn for the worse and we had to separate them, Peppermint remarried.

Dee Dee Detroit & Peppermint

During his nearly three years in MickaCoo’s foster care, Peppermint worked many events as a Pigeon Ambassador (and still does once in awhile). He is pretty famous for his iconic “First Step in Pants” picture and he has won a lot of new friends for pigeons. Even so, it took till this year for charismatic Peppermint to get adopted. On May 26, 2012, Peppermint and his mate Skylar and four of their friends were adopted and moved into a beautiful aviary built just for them. Peppermint is home.

Your support of MickaCoo wrote this happy ending. Thank you.

This is the story of one pigeon, the three MickaCoo foster volunteers who nursed her back to health and the many generous supporters whose donations paid for her vet care.

On the evening of 9/5, I was contacted by staff at Animal Care & Services that they had “another injured pigeon… wounds on wing and legs” that would be euthanized if we didn’t rescue her. This king pigeon, domestic and completely helpless in the wild, had been mauled by some kind of predator but lucky enough to get taken to a shelter. A MickaCoo volunteer, Foster 1, picked up the pigeon and rushed her to an avian vet for wound care and antibiotics. She seemed to respond to treatment at first but then the infection flared up and on 9/9 she was transferred to a more experienced Foster 2 (who is also a vet tech) and rushed to another avian vet.

Wounded birds need avian vet care that most shelters don’t provide

Named Fergie by Foster Mom 2, she had blood tests, was sedated for x-ray and to have her wounds cleaned and closed, treated for pain and sent home with injectable antibiotics. With lots of tender care, Fergie’s condition steadily improved and all of her wounds healed except for one, at the hock joint of her right leg. Despite all the treatment, it remained angry and unresolved. We worried that if we weren’t able to turn it around, the infection could cost her the leg.

Fergie’s hock injury put her leg at risk

After much deliberation and several phone consultations, Fergie was driven many miles by two different volunteers to get help from Dr. Speer at Medical Center for Birds on 9/20.

Dr. Speer and Fergie in consultation

The wound was again examined and cleaned and then rewrapped so as to immobilize the joint and prevent the leg’s bending and flexing. It was a nerve wracking week waiting for her return visit because we couldn’t tell which direction the wound was going under the bandage and her poor pink foot stayed puffy and swollen the whole time.

Fergie

The following week, Fergie was once again driven the many miles to be rechecked, and when the bandage was removed, we were all thrilled with the improvement she had made. Her wound had totally turned the corner and was healing beautifully. She went home annoyed to have the bandage on for another week but all her people were giddy with the progress.

Much better!

There was more excitement still ahead for Fergie though. On 10/3, the day her injured leg was finally healed and the bandages removed for good, Fergie was treated to a celebration and let outside in an aviary to hang out with other pigeons and enjoy the afternoon while she waited for her long ride back to Foster Home 2. But Fergie had other ideas. She fell in love at first sight with handsome (and famous) bachelor Opal and got married to him right then and there! With all the pigeon hook ups I’ve seen these past five years (hundreds), I could count on one hand the number of times that has happened. Pigeons are very emotional and deliberate in their relationships and will remain single despite the availability of potential mates for long periods of time. But not Fergie. She and Opal had instant chemistry. So Fergie got to stay with Foster Mom 3 and now she and Opal are happily sharing nest building and (fake) egg sitting duties. They are available for adoption as a mated pair (we don’t split couples).

Fergie happy on the nest while Opal brings in the twigs

MickaCoo couldn’t help birds like Fergie and Opal if not for your support. We thank you with all our heart for helping us to help these pigeons and doves.