Skye, post-op

Skye is a racing Homer pigeon — bred for the so-called “sport” of pigeon racing. These innocent birds are tossed into the sky at 4-5 weeks’ old and many, like Skye, get lost and/or struck by a hawk, hit by a car, and/or starve to death in a field or on a road. It’s possible all of these things befell Skye before his rescuer found him bleeding on the side of the road in mid-February. And, knowing this was an emergency, this Good Samaritan drove 300 miles round trip to bring him to Palomacy’s Care Director, Jill, who gave him fluids, stopped the bleeding, and kept him comfortable overnight.

Skye went straight to Medical Center for Birds (MCFB) in Oakley the next morning. One of his wings was open — with exposed bone — so he was rushed into surgery to close and stabilize the wound. He also had a broken leg, which was splinted. We can’t know how long Skye was sitting there — scared, injured, and in pain — before he was found. We can be fairly certain his owner didn’t bother looking for him.

X-rays of Skye’s wing and leg

Skye was monitored for several days at MCFB before returning to foster care, and we are relieved that he is now on the road to recovery and an eventual adoptive home, where he will be loved and treated with the respect all animals deserve.

Skye, safe in foster care

So many people had a hand in saving Skye. From the kind woman who found him — and chose not to look away — and the Palomacy emergency phone line team who fielded her call, to Jill who stabilized him and got him to the vet, the doctors and vet techs who cared for Skye during his hospital stay, and YOU, our amazing supporters whose donations allow us to rescue so many birds like Skye.

We are so grateful for our kind, compassionate, and generous Palomacy community.