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September 18, 2019
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Partnering for Impact: Jameson’s Animal Rescue Ranch Pigeons

Partnering for Impact: Jameson’s Animal Rescue Ranch Pigeons

Monica & Jessica welcome rescued pigeons Snowdrop & Riley

Monica Stevens, Jameson’s Animal Rescue Ranch co-founder & CEO writes, “We are thrilled to have a pigeon aviary and sanctuary at Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch.  We look forward to sharing and educating our community about these gentle creatures who are smart, fascinating neighbors and make amazing rescue pets!  Thanks to Elizabeth and her team at Palomacy Pigeon rescue for the collaboration! #bethechange”

On August 26th, “dove release” surviving Homer pigeons Riley and Snowdrop and I visited Monica and her team at Jameson’s Animal Rescue Ranch in Napa to talk about pigeons, some of the most exploited and least served animals in the rescue community. We had a great meeting and agreed to work together to make a difference for these gentle birds. With Palomacy’s expertise and Jameson’s connections to potential aviary sites, we have an incredible opportunity to create beautiful homes that save pigeons’ lives and influence public perception at the same time. (See Aviaries for Wineries)

Monica & Snowdrop mark where the pigeon aviary will be built

And so, in record time, we combined forces to build a big, beautiful, safe pigeon aviary at Jameson’s rescue ranch on September 7th! It was an epic effort for both organizations to mobilize all the necessary pieces in such a short turnaround (over the Labor Day weekend!) but that is exactly how urgent the need is for these birds. This is exactly the 911, lights and sirens response needed. Pigeons are bred, used, endangered and lost by hundreds of businesses and hobbyists throughout the Bay Area but Palomacy is the sole rescue dedicated to helping the victims and survivors lucky enough to be rescued alive. Their need is grossly underrepresented and more rescue help is profoundly needed. Thankfully, Jameson’s has pledged their support and already 16 beautiful pigeons are now home!

Palomacy foster Cheryl readies Buster & Carlie to go home!

Palomacy volunteer Barna rush built & delivered 2 VIP feeders

Peninsula Humane Society’s Mariela thrilled long-time residents Boo & Tupelo are being adopted!

Six of Jameson’s pigeons spent their last night as fosters on my couch

On Saturday, September 7th, Palomacy volunteers, Jameson’s staff & aviary builders Josette and Luis converged at the rescue ranch to install the pre-built aviary panels and settle 16 extremely lucky rescued pigeons in their new home!

Luis begins unloading the pre-built aviary panels transported

Palomacy aviaries are designed & built predator & rodent-proof

Helen assembles the nest box fronts

Trina lines the nest boxes

Brandy finishing the nest box fronts

Luis, Felipe & Dakota make fast progress assembling the pre-built panels

You can learn all about Palomacy’s panel aviary design here. By pre-building identical 8 x 4 hardware-cloth-covered panels used for the floor, walls and ceiling, you can quickly and efficiently bolt together a strong, versatile aviary that can easily be expanded with additional panels or disassembled and relocated if needed. Jameson’s commissioned a 16 x 8 x 8 aviary (20 panels, 128 square feet) which is ideal for 16-24 pigeons. Should they ever want to enlarge it, Jameson’s could add 12 8 x 4 panels to the existing floor, sides and ceiling to double the size creating a 16 x 16 (256 square feet) enclosure! You can learn more about Palomacy volunteer Barna’s VIP pigeon feeders at www.galambtech.com and these closeable nest box fronts can be ordered from www.Jedds.com

Nath and Brandy did all the trim

While the building team worked on the enclosure, the bird team examined and weighed everybody and administered parasite preventatives inside and out. Palomacy recommends weighing and logging pigeons’ weights and providing preventative care against internal parasites with Moxidectin Plus and Ivermectin drops formulated for birds for external parasites at least twice a year.

Trina & Clover share a moment

Helen & Nath admiring Blanco

Kitty Pooky admiring pigeon Spook while we work

Abandoned Homer Fizz & unreleasable feral Beck waiting patiently for their new home to be ready

Tiny fancies Billy & Johhny Bravo are married

Rescued King pigeon Morningbell & his unreleasable feral mate Spook

Pigeon racing survivors Tupelo & Boo

Rescued King pigeons Quantum & Fig

Jameson’s staff Annalisa keeping the waiting birds company

And then- it is ready! Sixteen very lucky pigeons are HOME!

Life saving teamwork!

Making friends

Mutual entertainment for catio cats & aviary pigeons

Hello Friend

HOME!

Jameson’s commission of an aviary and adoption of 16 Palomacy-rescued pigeons not only saves their lives but greatly increases educational opportunities plus allows Palomacy to take in more birds waiting for rescue! The Jameson’s flock includes pigeons spanning the spectrum of exploitation from King pigeons Morningbell, Quantum, Fig, Clover and Buster bred for meat (squab); Homer pigeons Riley and Snowdrop, Fizz and Blanco bred, used and lost by the “dove release” business; pigeon racing survivors Carlie, Boo & Tupelo; “surplus” fancy pigeons Spanish Valenencia Figuritas Billy and Johnny Bravo and rescued and unreleasable feral Rock pigeons Spook and Beck.

Palomacy is deeply grateful to Jameson’s Animal Rescue Ranch for welcoming rescued pigeons as the newest residents to their sanctuary and for extending their compassion to include these most amazing and vulnerable beings. Learn more about Palomacy, contact Elizabeth about how you can help and watch for many exciting developments to come from our partnership for impact with Jameson’s Animal Rescue Ranch.

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September 17, 2019
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Craig Newmark Philanthropies Funding Palomacy!

Craig Newmark Philanthropies Funding Palomacy!

Rescued pigeon Miu & philanthropist Craig Newmark

Palomacy is extremely honored to receive two grants totaling $20,010 from Craig Newmark Philanthropies in general operational support of our mission to further the rescue and adoption of domestic and unreleasable pigeons and doves.

Craig Newmark, founder of Craig Newmark Philanthropies writes, “I love birds, specially pigeons. I have a lot of respect for the work that Palomacy does and it’s great to see the impact they’ve had over the years. I am proud to support them.”

And Palomacy is so proud of and grateful for that support! Ever since we first connected in 2013, Craig has been one of Palomacy’s most generous supporters. Along with his work on behalf of veterans and military families, trustworthy journalism, voter protection and women in technology, Craig has a fundamental commitment to the values of fairness, opportunity and respect which is of course, along with some bird seed, all the pigeons seek.

Craig & Pip & Arcas share a moment

Craig Newmark Philanthropies was formed to “make sure everyone is included, and treated fairly and respectfully.” Palomacy was created to do exactly that in the animal welfare community when founder Elizabeth Young discovered a strange and deadly gap. When we started in 2007, domestic and unreleasable pigeons, used in the many thousands for their owners’ businesses, sports and hobbies, were routinely lost, injured and displaced but, instead of getting the help that animals in distress are typically given, they were ignored or euthanized as “not wild” or “non-native”. Even here, in the progressive, inclusive animal-friendly San Francisco Bay Area.

That gap was especially strange when you consider not only how closely connected humans and pigeons have been throughout our history but how common they are. They are the bird of the people. Humans have been breeding and using pigeons, as meat and messengers, for sport, hobby and ceremony, for thousands of years. Pigeons were the first domesticated bird.

And all of this is made even more surprising by how smart, gentle, charming and wonderful pigeons are as companions. They are easy to help! They are deserving of help.

When we started rescuing and rehoming these domestic pigeons and doves, we had to begin bridging this strange and fatal gap. We had to do something that wasn’t being done. We created a word for what we are doing: We call it palomacy. Palomacy is pigeon diplomacy.

Volunteers Jill & Cynthia bringing the palomacy home for Craig

Today, twelve years later, we are making great progress transforming this compassion-gap into an ever growing, devoted community of kind people empowered to help these birds and each other. Together we are leading a grass-roots, volunteer-powered movement that is changing lives not only for the birds we are saving but also for the people who are no longer powerless to help these amazing birds. Birds who literally seek out their aid.

Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions provides guidance, referrals, education, long-term foster care, avian vet treatment and adoption services. Palomacy is a volunteer-powered, donation- supported project of Community Initiatives. We have saved the lives of more than 1000 birds since we began and helped countless others. We are proud to be inspiring, assisting and coaching new rescues devoted to helping these formerly un-served birds.

We are very grateful for Craig’s generous support since we first connected in 2013 (thanks to his appreciation for pigeons and kind heart). We believe that our work is very much in the spirit of Craig Newmark Philanthropies’ focus on inclusion, fairness and respect. Craig has been, for the prior four years, our most generous grantor and we are deeply grateful to have his continued support.

Palomacy thanks Craig Newmark Philanthropies for funding

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September 16, 2019
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Releasing Doves at Ceremonies: Why You Shouldn’t Do It

Releasing Doves at Ceremonies: Why You Shouldn’t Do It

Guest post by Michele Wellard

Much has been written on the subject of white “doves” released for weddings, funerals and ceremonies and why it is not a good idea. I hope that this information is starting to reach the wedding and funeral-planning public. Many “doves”, even if they are white homing pigeons, are injured, killed, or starve to death when released. The ones who are not homing pigeons, helpless white Ringneck doves and King pigeons with no ability to home, have it even worse. They are “set free” with no ability to return and no idea how to fend for themselves; wandering around, bewildered and scared, until some terrible fate occurs. I have seen for many years what happens to these birds, and I am writing this post to explain the conditions they are found in when lucky enough to be brought to a pigeon-friendly wildlife rehabilitator.

I am a wildlife rehabilitator with over 10 years experience. My team (now at Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center – a pigeon-friendly center!) treats three to four thousand animals every year. Among these are several dozen “dove release” survivors. The calls for help are usually the same. Some caring member of the public will spot what they call a “white dove” hanging around somewhere – their home, a shopping center, etc. – looking lost and seemingly unable to or uninterested in flying away. Many times, these members of the public are kind enough to follow instructions on how to catch the bird and bring it to my center for care.

For many of these birds, the “beautiful” release is their first time flying out in the wild, outside of captivity.  Having not been raised in the wild, they are especially vulnerable when flying around free. And that leads to the number one problem I see presented in dove release birds that I receive: starvation, dehydration and emaciation. Many people report that they think the bird has a broken wing because it will not fly but many times, the wings are fine. The bird cannot fly because physically it is just too weak. Sometimes, the birds are so far gone that their organs have started to shut down and there is nothing we can do to save them. Other times, with a rehydration protocol, we can rehydrate them and start to add calories, usually by tube feeding, until the bird regains strength enough to eat on their own.

Beyond starvation, most of the dove release birds are suffering from a catalogue of medical problems. They have parasitic infections like trichomoniasis, worms and  coccidia  We know that stress impacts the immune system negatively, lowering resistance to disease, and these birds are under extreme stress having just been tossed out into a dangerous landscape. Sometimes we can treat these infections with medication and supportive care, but some birds are just too far gone by the time they are found. Last month, I treated a huge, beautiful white pigeon  (who was clearly from a release) for a raging and horrific trichomoniasis infection and emaciation. Trichomoniasis is a protozoan infection that causes internal symptoms, but also can cause a cheesy discharge in the throat that hardens and expands, eventually blocking the throat and mouth. This poor bird had almost his entire esophagus blocked, and the hardened infectious material reached up to his brain, distorting the entire shape of his head. He was suffering greatly, emaciated and at death’s door so I gently euthanized him, at least able to release him from pain.

We also see a lot of broken bones with wedding release doves, too. A few years ago I received an emaciated bird that had a broken leg AND a broken wing. I was so horrified by the condition he was in that I made a video, using his body, to show that far from being a sweet and peaceful ritual, wedding and funeral dove releases are not so sweet and peaceful for the affected birds. And yet – this bird was luckier than some. Upon admitting him, I immediately gave the bird pain relief and sedation. Although I ultimately had to euthanize the bird, I consider him luckier than the ones who hide, in agony, and take days to die, alone.
But, in doing this work, I am able to save some of their lives. Wings can sometimes be splinted and healed. Less severe infections can be treated. We have re-homed many of these birds as companion pets. Others we are able to “hire” as workers at our center. One bird who had her wings spray painted pink (“flying art” or a gender reveal party?) recently helped successfully raise two orphaned wild pigeons as a foster mom. This helps the babies stay wild, being less likely to imprint on or become habituated to their human caregivers. I released those two youngsters as confident young adults and the foster mom will now be introduced to her next brood, a group of 4 nestling pigeons, brought in when a church steeple was knocked down. Hopefully she can teach them some pigeon manners.  Some foster parent pigeons will even produce crop milk after being stimulated by the babies’ begging cries, and feed the babies naturally. This makes for healthier wild pigeons, and I it gives the foster mom a natural experience she may have missed out on by being born captive.
If you find one of these birds in need of help, please try to capture it and find a “pigeon friendly” wildlife rehabilitator or rescue. If the bird is sick or hurt, some veterinarians will see them, since they are not wildlife. If they are very weak, you may be able to just pick them up with your hands, but often the bird will walk right into a cat crate for nothing more than a dish of water and a place to hide. (How to Catch a Pigeon or Dove in Need of Rescue)

 

Michele Wellard is a Pennsylvania state licensed wildlife rehabilitator with 11 years experience. She is Assistant director at Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center, a pigeon-friendly wildlife rehab clinic. In addition to wild animals and pigeons, Michele has a special interest in rescuing and advocating for companion parrots. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and 4 rescue parrots.  www.phillywildlife.org

 

 

 

Note from Palomacy Director Elizabeth Young

Please speak out against “dove releases”. Whether done by professionals using trained white homing pigeons or by do-it-yourselfers who tragically buy and “release” white King pigeons or white Ringneck doves, it is animal exploitation that risks the injury, suffering and death of the birds used.
For more information, please read
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August 12, 2019
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Coo-loring Contest Winners!

Coo-loring Contest Winners!

Quiggles Dove here! Thank Coo for the AMAZING entries! Each and every one is a treasure. We have so many rockstars in our flock! Please keep coo-loring and supporting the birds!
The results are in for Palomacy’s first ever Coo-loring Contest! We received 54 beautiful, creative, expressive entries capturing the full range of amazingness of these rescued birds. The judges faced a daunting task of choosing only one winner from each category. We loved them all!

 

Congratulations! Coo-loring contest winners will receive these prizes!

And the winners are…

Nestling  (Age 0 – 8) Alison Shaw, 8

Nestling winner Alison Shaw, 8.

Fledgling (Age 9 – 14) Liann Wagner, 10

Liann Wagner, 10.

Special thanks & congratulations to Jenny Olmstead’s Placer SPCA summer campers who won both nestling & fledgling!

Adult (Age 15 +) Ashley Castenada, 25

Ashley Castenada, 25.

We’ll be reaching out to each winner with your prize pack!

And the awesome winning designs will be available for purchase in our Palomacy store soon!

Thank coo to all of our amazingly artistic supporters!

Thank you for sharing your beautiful appreciation of these amazing birds with us!

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August 12, 2019
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on In Loving Memory of Jim Stone

In Loving Memory of Jim Stone

 

Heather Hohlowski is an amazing bird lover & rescue volunteer who has been supporting Palomacy from Day 1, way back when we started as MickaCoo in 2007. And while you may not know her, you know her work very well. Heather donated her skills to create both our beloved logos!

2007-2014

Launched 1/1/15

When Heather’s best friend of 32 years, Jim Stone, passed away, she promised to continue supporting birds in his memory. She has pledged a $5000 matching grant that will double Palomacy’s supporters’ donations & honor her dear friend’s wishes.

Heather’s best friend & fellow bird lover Jim Stone at his 60th birthday in 2010

Heather loving on pigeon racing survivor Page

Jim Stone was Heather’s best friend for 32 years… Jim was an electrical engineer here in Silicon Valley for more than 30 years, originally hailing from Wisconsin. He loved all animals but especially birds. Jim passed away at Christmas 2017, after a 14-month struggle with cancer, at age 65. He asked Heather to continue supporting birds in his memory, and that is what her matching gift is for.

 

Jim at his “retirement” party in the late 80s when he became a consultant

Jim as a senior in high school

Donate to Palomacy via GlobalGiving between Monday August 12th and Friday August 17th, and with the Little by Little Campaign and Heather’s matching grant, your donation will be doubled!
Track our Little by Little progress on the leaderboard

And extra special thanks to Heather’s step-daughter Kyla for creating this gorgeous graphic for us!

Heather & Kyla with Milo

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August 11, 2019
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Pigeon Catchers

Pigeon Catchers

An Anonymous Guest Post by the Rescuer

Warning: This post is about cruelty and while no graphic images are included, it may be upsetting. Reader discretion is advised.

Lucky people get to know pigeons and experience the amazing birds they are.  We are some lucky people, because we have had the opportunity to know many pigeons during our work here at Anonymous Sanctuary, where we provide a permanent home for farmed birds who have been displaced, abandoned or abused, and promote a completely vegan lifestyle.

About ten years ago I saw an ad for pigeons that were being sold to use for dog training or target practice.  I called the department of wildlife to find out if that was legal, and I was told that since pigeons are non-native and considered a pest, it was absolutely legal.  Pigeons have no protection. (See “Puppy Training” Pigeons Rescued)

Pigeons make homes in our chicken coops and barns here.  Some coops have six or more active nests.  Some have the two eggs, some have little yellow pigeon babies, and some have two eager little fledgling pigeons ready to take flight.  Every morning when we open the barns and coops we check the straw and make sure all the baby pigeons are safe in their nests and unharmed.  It is our job to make sure everyone here, including the wild birds we share the world with, are well.

Over the years we have scooped up baby pigeons with various issues and they all go to our wonderful vet.  These have been the opportunities we have had to get to know them well.

Pigeons bond with each other and with us.  They are trusting, affectionate, curious and they can be very funny clowns.

Mid July, we were assaulted with an atrocity of animal cruelty, right here on the sanctuary property.  Hundreds and hundreds of pigeons were crammed into plastic chicken crates in the bed of a pickup truck, exposed to the hot summer sun with no escape or access to water, parked at our gate on the sanctuary property.  A ladder was sticking out of the back of the pickup bed.  We ran out of the house to see why on earth a truck with chicken crates was at our gate. As we approached the truck, we asked the people to leave, while at the same time, I hopped the gate and circled around the back of the truck.  Dead pigeons were cramming out the holes of the crates.  The smell of death hovered around the truck.  Live pigeons were barely hanging on inside the crates.  They told us they had been watching us with binoculars and they wanted to know if they could come catch some of the feral pigeons that lived here.  The answer I gave them was a demand for them to release the pigeons they already had. 

I didn’t like their response to my demand.  This was cruelty on the highest level.  It was nearly 100 degrees outside that day, and the day before that.  The man shoved my husband and I went ahead and started opening the chicken crates to release the birds.  Very few of those pigeons were old enough to know what to do when I opened the door.  Most were still squeaking and still had the little yellow hairs they have as babies.  Many of the adults did fly out when I opened the crate doors.  

My husband walked away from the pigeon catcher to help me unfasten the tie downs on the chicken crates so I could get to the lower levels and release more birds.  The pigeon catcher started covering the crates with his body and slamming the doors shut again.  There was a struggle for a while, and some of the crate doors were zip tied shut.  Thankfully, I always have a pocket knife on me which I used to cut the zip ties.  It was so hard trying to get that evil pigeon catching man and his wife away from me so I could free those birds.  Those pigeons were dying.

During the struggle we asked the pigeon catchers why they had all those pigeons in crates, dying.  The man stated they breed show pigeons and sell them for $6 a piece.  When confronted with the fact that we knew those birds were feral pigeons and quite young at that, they stuck to their show pigeon story.

You know those nests in our coops and barns with those little eager fledgling pigeons I mentioned earlier?  Those chicken crates were filled with baby birds just like that.  Those people go onto farms with their nets and scoop young, eager, curious yet unsure little birds right out of their home nests they share with their safe and doting parents, and then they cram those babies into chicken crates.  The ones that survive are sold.  I suppose if half of those birds survive, they could make a little bit of money off of them.  They don’t care though, about them.  They don’t care that half of them die.  They don’t care that the heat and lack of water and shelter and food kill those babies off rapidly in the hot summer sun.  If those pigeon catchers had their way, they would have come onto the sanctuary property with their filthy nets and scooped our beloved feral pigeon babies right out of their nests in our barns and added those innocent little birds to the dead piles in the back of that pickup bed.

In the end, the cops were called and we were arrested because freeing birds from that situation is against the law, but that level of outrageous and heartbreaking cruelty is legal.  

Post Script

One of the officers said that catching the pigeons is the same thing as trapping mice and killing mice.  How do we fight that?  How do we show that pigeons are worth protecting when mice are not?  To us, they’re all worth protecting.

I think it would be better to be anonymous just in case, but I do want people to understand exactly what kind of property those pigeon catchers stumbled onto.  They came to the right and the wrong place.  Our bird vet laughed harder than I’ve seen him laugh in about ten years and he said if there is anything to go to jail over, that’s a good thing to go for.  He also said he’s proud of us.  I think that’s great. I love that man.

If there are charges,  I will be fighting it to the end.

The three babies I stashed are doing well. One is about ready to be released!  I want to wait until the other two are ready to go with before releasing her/him.  They will be released here and will join all our feral pigeons that call Anonymous Sanctuary home.


Editor’s Note: Readers, if you would like to donate in support of the author’s sanctuary, please PayPal Elizabeth@pigeonrescue.org with “Anonymous Sanctuary” in the note & I will transfer the funds to her. Thank you.

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August 10, 2019
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on “…an organization that benefits not only pigeons and doves…”

“…an organization that benefits not only pigeons and doves…”

Guest Post by Isabella McCracken

Isabella & foster pigeon Lola at COO-CHELLA 2018

When I was in the 7th grade, I went to summer camp at a local animal shelter. One of the days, a Palomacy volunteer came in to present on pigeons. At the time, I thought the whole concept of rescuing pigeons was a bit weird, but I didn’t know how much it would end up shaping my future.

Isabella & Yeti 2015

Later that year, when my friend rescued a lost racer pigeon named Eleven, I knew just who to contact. Not much longer after that, I converted a playhouse in my backyard into an aviary, and started fostering Eleven, along with many others over my time as a foster volunteer. Being completely responsible for another being at a young age taught me so much responsibility, and leading the very same presentations at animal shelters that taught me about Palomacy now taught me public speaking.

Isabella & Rhea & their families rescued Eleven in 2015

It is so obvious when someone is petting a pigeon for the first time that they are not only bonding with that being, but also seeing how valuable compassion for everyone can be. People realize that there is more to these individual’s lives than just being a “rat with wings”. In a way, Palomacy is an organization that benefits not only pigeons and doves but all animals, human and nonhuman, and serves a very vital role in our society. It teaches everyone to have compassion for those different than them, as it has for me.

Isabella & Eleven volunteering as Palomacy ambassadors

Palomacy outreach team at EB SPCA Adoptathon 2015

Kindness is contagious

Isabella & Rango

Marching for animal rights

Outreaching

Now, five years after first becoming a foster volunteer with Palomacy, I am a senior in high school. Because of Palomacy, I am also an animal rights and environmental justice activist. I am able to speak in front of hundreds of people without being terrified, and I am able to have compassion and see past the stigmas placed upon so many individuals. I am also so grateful for the opportunity to care for pigeons and the support that Elizabeth provided me in doing that.

Made by Isabella

Editor’s Note: Since the very first contact Isabella made with Palomacy to get help for self-rescuing pigeon-racing survivor Eleven, she has been an extraordinary volunteer, advocate and colleague in this work. She has grown with the years but she came to us so responsible and wise! As a foster volunteer for four pigeons over these years, Isabella provided their care 365 days a year, saving the lives of birds who would have had no where else to go had it not been for her. As an outreach volunteer, she has introduced many hundreds of people to who pigeons really are, helping Palomacy to inspire compassion where there had been none. And, as Isabella says, the benefits are not just for pigeons and doves.

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July 11, 2019
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Just One Day of Palomacy

Just One Day of Palomacy

Elementary school children meeting big white rescued King pigeon Dooby

Creating a new generation of caring

Every day Palomacy helps so many people to help so many birds! So much goes on that it’s hard to truly convey even just one day’s worth of what our coo-munity is up to but I’m going to try. Here is just some of the Palomacy that happened on Tuesday, July 9th, 2019.

In partnership with the Palo Alto Humane Society’s humane education program, Palomacy introduced 40 elementary school children and their teachers to the joys of pigeon rescue. Big brave King pigeon Dooby, gentle pigeon racing survivor Kensey and the show-stealingly personable feral pigeon Pip wowed everybody, kids and adults alike, with their charm and adorableness. We made 40 new friends for the pigeons, ambassadors who now know that pigeons are highly intelligent, deeply emotional, completely harmless and worthy of compassion!

A very focused group of youngsters listening to a an humane education presentation

Palo Alto Humane Society staff Leonor & Arlene introducing Palomacy

A six year old girl's face is lit up meeting rescued feral pigeon Pip

People light up when they meet a pigeon

Kids, teachers & humane education staff line up for a team photo with three rescued pigeons

The pigeons have some new ambassadors on their side

Palomacy consulted over the phone with a family in Florida who had rescued a weak, lost pigeon racing survivor who wasn’t eating. All are doing well now, Sunflower the lucky-to-alive pigeon as well as her people. Katie posted, “Love to this group and Elizabeth. Yesterday’s rescue is now named Sunflower. She is in a roomy cage in our living room, eating, drinking, pooping and watching our whole household with intent interest! Last night I was not even sure she would make it through the night.”

Screenshot of the quoted post to our Palomacy Help Group which includes a photo of the rescued racing pigeon

Pigeon racing survivor Sunflower is rescued, safe & home

In just the one day, thanks to ten hard-working volunteer moderators, our Palomacy Help Group on Facebook accepted 25 new members, responded to 94 posts and 3,247 group members viewed, interacted or commented on our expert pigeon and dove rescue content! Additionally, there were 1,677 page views of Palomacy’s website www.PigeonRescue.org by 1,338 unique visitors! And, through our partnership with AdoptAPet.com, Palomacy’s adoptable birds are viewed 1,817 times in an average day! We received $128 in donations from six generous supporters.

Screenshot showing the posts and active members graft from our group for 7/9/19

Palomacy is helping so many people & birds every day!

And there’s more! On Tuesday, one hundred and forty nine Palomacy foster pigeons and doves were lovingly, individually cared for at 26 different volunteer-provided homes and aviaries stretching from Sacramento to Sunnyvale, San Francisco to Sunol. Among them, special-needs Sizzle was driven 50 miles (one way) by his foster volunteer Chava from Fairfield to Medical Center for Birds where he was hospitalized to continue removing the painful ingrown feather cysts that, thanks to his fancy breeding, have created so many problems for his feet and eight year old King pigeon Gypsy, having laid two soft-shelled eggs, was driven by her foster volunteer Ari 54 miles (one way from San Francisco) to Medical Center for Birds. (Both are expected to do well.) Plus Chance, the brand-newly hatched feral pigeon baby rescued by a Good Samaritan from a busy San Francisco sidewalk and now fostered by pigeons Fizz & Beck, got the VIP expert care that only pigeon parents can provide.

A white board showing the names of 149 birds currently fostered by Palomacy & 40 adopted so far in 2019

Our foster roster

Fancy white & brown fantail pigeon in a vet hospital kennel

Sizzle at Medical Center for Birds

White King pigeon stepping out of a pet carrier onto vet table

Fearless Gypsy ready to talk to the vet (with mate Fish for company)

Big white foster mom King pigeon glaring defensively at the camera with tiny baby nestled under her breast

Foster mom Fizz & orphaned baby feral Chanc)

We had a great meeting with new adopter-to-be Courtney who fell instantly in love with soulful Kensey and will begin fostering-to-adopt on Friday. We counseled several Bay Area Good Samaritans on the birds they are rescuing privately (we’re still overfull) and answered adopters’ questions. We worried and strategized about how to save wait-listed pigeons and doves who are in local shelters facing a dangerously uncertain future.

A woman lovingly holds a content rescued pigeon racing survivor

New adopter-to-be Courtney falling in love with Kensey

Rescued blue bar racing pigeon keeping company with a mirror in her shelter cage

Chick Jagger survived pigeon racing & a hawk strike but she’s having respiratory issues & needs to be rescued from the overfull shelter.

Rescue-needed photos of 2 white pigeons & a white dove published by a shelter

These are just some of the timed-out pigeons & doves currently waiting for rescue at a shelter that doesn’t place birds. (Most shelters don’t meaning it is rescue or euthanasia.)

We are doing so much and yet there is so much more that needs doing! YOU, dear reader, probably do a bunch of Palomacy every day too! There are so many of us working to repair this terrible gap in animal welfare that for so long has endangered and abandoned pigeons and doves. And even with all that we are doing, our need for more support cannot be overstated. The more birds we help, the more people reach out to us. Where before there was no place to turn, now there is Palomacy and the world needs all the Palomacy it can get. Thank you for helping to power this truly unique effort. Please help us as much as you can! Please reach out and dig deep. We urgently need more adoptions and more donations. We are depending on you every day.

A beautiful white Ringneck dove lovingly cradled in her rescuer's hand

Photo of rescued Ringneck dove Sophia by Ashley Dietrich

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June 12, 2019
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Palomacy Coo-loring Contest!

Palomacy Coo-loring Contest!

August 12th Update:
2019 Coo-loring Contest Now Closed. See the beautiful entries & winning images here!

Hello! Quiggles Dove here to announce Palomacy’s first ever Coo-loring Contest! There are three age categories: Nestling 0-8, Fledgling 9-14, and Adult 15+. The winner in each group will be chosen by a panel of judges, and will each receive a special prize pack.  More details coming soon, but for now, start coloring!

CONTEST RULES:

To enter, download and print one of the three attached pages or if you have your own official Palomacy Coo-loring book, you can choose any picture you’d like to color for your entry. Only one entry per person, please!

Use any media (pens, crayons, markers …?) to complete your creation. Take a good quality photo of your entry and send to special@pigeonrescue.org with “COLORING CONTEST” in the subject line. Include your name, age, and city/state with the photo – but please do NOT sign your name on the entry!  In order to be fair, our panel of judges will not know who entered each picture.

Entries will be added to an album (check back here for the link soon). Deadline for entry is 10pm PT Wednesday July 31, 2019 and winners will be announced August 12th. Winners will be contacted for their address to send out prizes. Submitted entries/photos may be used for Palomacy promotional materials (more details on that in the fine print below).

Please share this contest far and wide!

The fine print: By entering, you warrant that the entry is your original work. You grant Palomacy the nonexclusive, irrevocable, perpetual right, license, and permission to use, modify, adapt, reproduce, publish, perform, create derivative works, and distribute the photograph or any portion thereof, throughout the world, in any printed form and any other media, via any method or device of reproduction, publication, and distribution known or later developed. You will not receive payment and you may not be notified of any publication. Palomacy may (but shall not be required to) attribute authorship and copyright ownership to you if and when it publishes and distributes the photograph, and you grant Palomacy rights in your name and identifying information to this extent. 

Palomacy assumes no liability, and you waive any and all claims against Palomacy, for printing, typographical, human or other errors of any kind in any contest-related materials or for stolen, lost, late, misdirected, damaged, incomplete or illegible entries. If the Contest is not capable of running as planned for any reason (including but not limited to infection by computer viruses, tampering, unauthorized intervention, technical failures, or any other cause), Palomacy may in its sole discretion disqualify any entry or entrant and/or cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the contest. Palomacy may in its sole discretion award a prize from among all eligible non-suspect entries. By entering, all contestants agree that the contests are governed by laws of the state of California for the resolution of all claims and disputes.

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June 7, 2019
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on A Tale of Two Fledglings

A Tale of Two Fledglings

Guest Post by Sky

Rescued fledgling pigeon Pidgey

We have always had an abundance of birds at the barn- barn swallows, blue jays, crows, geese, etc. It was no surprise when a mated pair of pigeons started building a nest in our hay loft. However, it was a surprise when I walked into one of my horse’s stalls and saw a bird just sitting on the floor. I got closer and picked the baby right up. Assuming it was injured, I began calling wildlife rehabbers but, because pigeons are considered non-native, could find no one to help. I did more research and found the Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Help Group on Facebook. I joined and posted immediately. Elizabeth and I spoke on the phone and decided the best course of action was to give the pigeon a few days of rest and to re-evaluate, assuming it was solely spinal cord swelling that would subside with time. I named the sweet little bird Pidgey. Pidgey learned how to self-feed by watching a video of Palomacy pigeon Glory when he was a fledgling excitedly squeaking and eating. Pigeons are so smart.

Rescued fledgling Pidgey supported in a rolled-towel-noodle donut

Unfortunately, the pigeon’s left foot grew numb and cold and Elizabeth and I agreed a vet visit was in order. The vet examined her and felt a bend in her left leg. The radiographs showed just what the vet suspected: a severe break in Pidgey’s left leg. It was determined that Pidgey could live a perfectly happy life as a pet and the vet placed a splint on her leg. We also took home prescriptions for Meloxicam and Gabapentin. Pidgey LOVES to cuddle and is doing well.

Pidgey broke her left leg in the 50′ fall from the nest to the barn floor

Pidgey is a very good little patient

Just when we had fundraised enough to cover Pidgey’s $400 vet bill, something else happened. Again, I walked into my horse’s stall and found another bird sitting there, Pidgey’s twin, using her wings to try to walk. I was in disbelief. This time, I brought the fledgling up to the hay loft and sat her on the floor below the nest in hopes that she would make her way back up. When I returned in the morning, she was still there. I took her home and named her Scout. I reached out to Elizabeth, Ashley, and the other moderators of the Palomacy group. Once again considering spinal trauma from the fall the likeliest option, I provided supportive care, administered Meloxicam and let her rest and keep company with her twin Pidgey.

The rescued twins, Pidgey & Scout, relaxing with Sky

Two more days went by with no improvement so I brought Scout with me to Pidgey’s follow up appointment with the vet. They took radiographs of both legs and her spine. The vet came back into the room after some time and said that both of Scout’s legs were broken.

She told me we could try to splint both of her legs or we might consider euthanasia. I quickly called Elizabeth to ask her thoughts. She assured me that we weren’t there yet, “We don’t start with euthanasia.” I agreed. Scout now has both legs in splints and is on Meloxicam and Gabapentin.

Scout broke both her legs in the 50′ fall from hay loft nest to the barn floor

Pidgey and Scout are home and doing extremely well, especially considering what they’ve both been through at such a young age. We have a long ways to go with many more follow up appointments, but I know these birds will have a long, amazing life! (And we’re adding a barrier around the hay drop to protect future fledglings from a 50′ fall.)

Pidgey & Scout- safe!

If you would like to contribute towards Pidgey & Scout’s 3-broken-legs vet bill, please click here. (If there are any funds left over, they will be donated to Palomacy.) Thank you.

I have always loved animals and since I could talk they’ve been all I’ve had any interest in. I lost my dad at the age of eleven and while my love started long before that, the animals in my life have been a tremendous source of comfort since his passing. I share my life with two horses, my pug x boston terrier mix, two leopard geckos, a hamster, a ball python, and (now) two pigeons.

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