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.

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!

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.