June 15, 2018
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Help Spread the Word: “Dove Releases” Kill

Help Spread the Word: “Dove Releases” Kill

Photo by Cynthia Bardouka-Large

White doves are symbols of love and peace across the world so “dove release” businesses breed and use white homing pigeons for weddings, funerals, memorials, graduations and other events while do-it-yourselfers make the mistake of buying and releasing white Ringneck doves and King pigeons (neither of which have any homing abilities or survival skills). Many birds are lost, injured or killed. Palomacy is full of rescued “dove release” survivors (including homing pigeons).These domestic birds have no survival skills, do not know how to find food and are easy targets for predators because of their white color. Please celebrate your event in a compassionate way. Do not release birds and please- do help spread the word.

Why “Dove Releases” Are Cruel

The Truth About “Dove Releases”

Ringneck dove Melvin, shown here still recovering a month after his rescue, is a “release” survivor

June 13, 2018
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Palomacy Coo-loring Book!

Palomacy Coo-loring Book!

Palomacy’s first ever Coo-loring Book generously created by Artist Meg Germundson

Get yours here!

Palomacy’s first ever coo-loring book is a fun way to educate & involve even more people in recognizing the beauty in our fabulous rescued birds. Support Palomacy’s advocacy for pigeons & doves, coordinating fosters & adopters & helping birds worldwide.

This gorgeous coloring book was designed especially for Palomacy by artist Meg Germundson @quiggles.coo. Meg’s love of birds and illustration, & her two doves Quigley & Quinn (adopted from Olive’s Place) inspired the creation of this collection of bird portraits. It features 28 pages of Palomacy rescue alumni portraits, ready for you to color!

May 25, 2018
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Pigeon “Racing” Hurts Birds, Palomacy Helps Them

Pigeon “Racing” Hurts Birds, Palomacy Helps Them

Guest Post by Cynthia Bardouka-Large

This is what “self-rescue” looks like. These lucky, smart domestic racing pigeons sought help from kind-hearted strangers.

Palomacy works tirelessly to find forever homes for these birds.

Click here to support our work.

Interested in giving a loving home to one of our rescued racers? Click here to become an adopter.

Betrayal

We’ve all seen a version of this heart-warming story: a beloved dog gets separated from its family, and somehow, over hundreds of miles, manages to track them down again for a happy reunion. Domestic animals, with little ability to survive on their own, sometimes manage to pull off incredible feats to find their home and family again. Animals are all about home.

The same is true for pigeons, one of the oldest types of domesticated animal. The much-celebrated instincts of “homing” or “racing” pigeons, come down to just that: a pet trying to get back home. These birds live in a loft, are provided food, form life-long marriages with their pigeon mates, and raise their young. Then they are torn from nest, mate, loft, even from their babies, shipped hundreds of miles away to an unfamiliar place, and “tossed”, while people place bets on their ability to survive the journey home. In some races, fewer than 30% of the birds make it back.

Everyone is moved by the story of the lost dog finding its way home against the odds. But how many people would be in favor of a sport that deliberately abandoned that dog on the side of a highway, far from home, with bets placed on the odds of him finding his way back?

Pigeon racing season is upon us, and Palomacy expects an influx of broken, betrayed birds. They are found in backyards, trying to come inside houses, even landing on people’s shoulders in an attempt to find help. They are found injured by hawks and cats. They are found exhausted and starving, since they have no idea how to find food on their own. Some people try to track their owners by looking up the information on their leg bands, but pigeon racers don’t want these “failed” birds back. If they take them back at all, they are usually culled. Palomacy works tirelessly to rescue these birds, provide needed medical care, and to find loving, non-exploitative foster families and forever homes for them.

We expect our vet bills to go up significantly during this season. Please consider donating to support our work.

These are the less-lucky survivors of pigeon racing, who were unable to find help before falling victim to predators and starvation.

Palomacy provides veterinary care and rehabilitation, and with your support we are able to save many of these birds and nurse them back to health.

Thank you for helping us help them!

Thank you!

Cynthia Bardouka-Large (Palomacy volunteer)

May 7, 2018
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on The Luci Fancypants Project

The Luci Fancypants Project

Guest Post by Kyra Richter

There are no words to express the awe and gratitude I feel for the many people who contributed to the Kickstarter campaign for Luci’s book. They, each and every one of them, helped make what was a passing “you should make a book” comment a reality. I enjoyed every step of the way, and the book project has become a lot more than just a one-time experiment. The whole thing has flourished into “The Luci Fancypants Project” or, The LFP Project; all under the watchful supervision of Luci, of course! The book has sold well considering I have done little to push it due to my busy schedule and full-time job. However, what made this whole thing worthwhile were two things: hearing a friend of a friend tell me that his little girl was asking to be read the Luci story every night (!!!! YAY!!! Happy Dance!) and being able to give back to Palomacy. It may not be much, but it was all possible due to the success of the project and that made me so very happy!

Buy Luci Fancypants Pigeon

This summer looks to be full of fun and hopefully success. It started this Spring, when I was invited to come do a reading of my book at my local public library after I dropped off a copy. The librarians were so excited about the book, the story, and the fact that Luci is real that they made it a prerequisite that Luci come along for the reading. So off we went, Luci in his best duds, on an evening (and again the next morning!) to the Maud Preston Public Library in St. Joseph, Michigan to perform a reading of the story and do a meet and greet. The theme of the story time event was “I know a Chicken”.

Let me tell you, I was worried about Luci because he is nothing like all the lovely photos and videos people post of their pigeons and doves being happily held in arms and laps, soaking up the caresses and the kisses as they happily close their eyes fluff up and sit still to enjoy caresses. Nope. Not Luci. Luci has always been one feisty little fellow. I am partly to blame because I play with him and engage him in some mini “rough housing” which he absolutely adores. I was worried not so much that he’d maliciously attack, but that he’d lunge and beak someone in an attempt to initiate play and scare some poor child into forever being afraid of pigeons! But if you’re here and you’re reading this blog it’s because you, like everyone who supports Palomacy, know how fantastic these feathered angels are, and what endearing character each and every one of them has. Luci did nothing of the sort, saving his naughty behavior for home and showing off his best behavior!

Luci enjoyed being the center as much as the kids loved taking part in story time. They sang songs, sat and listened to Luci’s story, many piping in with their opinions on the friends Luci made during his adventure. And, of course, the highlight of the show was Luci when he came out and strutted about in his pants and on his leash. He let everyone touch him and never once attempted to roughhouse. The children were delighted and Luci was the consummate ambassador. When it was time to sing the “I know a Chicken” song, Luci surprised everyone by cooing to the beat! It was so much fun that Luci was invited for an encore this summer. I am sure that all of those children and at least a few adults went home with a new-found appreciation for pigeons.

Luci has not just changed his young fans. I have seen the changes in many of my friends, who tell me that they now notice the pigeons. I like to think that is isn’t just a matter of acknowledging them as birds and not pests, but they now can see what pigeons are capable of. If we can get one person to stop seeing an animal as background to be used or ignored and instead see an animal for the unique individual that each and every one of them is; an animal whose life is important and valuable and needs to be respected, then we have made a worthwhile and precious improvement to our planet and or own future on this planet.

Luci’s project has encouraged me to continue in the one way I can, given the life consuming full-time job I already have, to contribute my little grain of happiness, conservancy and compassion through art. The LFP project has given me a second wind and something to look forward to as I embrace my hobby in a worthwhile and productive way. What began as a one-story project, morphed into “well, if I can sell my art and stories to make enough to pay for my art supplies then all will be perfect” and finally became “let’s see if I can retire early and do this full-time instead!” I have two more stories in the works, both bird themed and each will have a percentage of any profits go to organizations focused on the protection of those birds or their environment. I also have a full summer art fair schedule where Luci and I will have a booth and sell my art prints and (at some fairs only) the book. As always, part of profits of pigeon themed art will always be dedicated to Palomacy.

Luci’s rescue and getting to know so many pigeons and other birds in need of our help, has made me even more dedicated to being thoughtful about what I do. My paints are non-toxic, hand-made (some even are made with honey!) natural watercolors. I use mostly cotton paper, and original paintings are set on hand made papers of natural fibers and/or placed in recycled tin frames which I paint and decorate with recycled and found materials from Lake Michigan beach glass, rocks, driftwood, to recycled saris and bullet casings. If you are interested in checking out the art, the story and a little more about how I paint, where I dedicate my charitable giving to and what themes I am playing with, you can visit www.thelfpproject.com

I am so glad that I did not give up on Luci when he was dropped off in my office. I am so grateful for Palomacy and all the people who dedicate their time, money, and love to care for pigeons and teach others how to care and love them too. Luci has change my life, and, corny as it may sound, I look forward to seeing him every time I come home from work. It is always the first thing I do when I get home: go straight to Luci’s cage, open it and hug him and kiss him and tell him just how much I love him.

Buy Luci Fancypants Pigeon

See Kyra’s 5/22/17 guest post Luci Fancypants Pigeon; A Story for Children of All Ages

Editor’s Note: We so appreciate Kyra’s very generous support of Palomacy! Thank you and Luci for helping us to help birds and their people and thank you for sharing love for pigeons!

May 3, 2018
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Please Support Palomacy as a Monthly Donor

Please Support Palomacy as a Monthly Donor

Pigeon racing survivor Calliope

Every day Palomacy helps birds who have no place to turn- displaced doves, pigeon racing survivors, unreleasable ferals, King pigeons that dodge the butcher…

We need your help to save the lives of the many doves & pigeons who, through no fault of their own, are injured, homeless, in jeopardy.

We help birds every day & by signing up as a monthly Palomacy donor, you are saying, I’m with you. I want to help save lives, raise awareness & inspire compassion. I am in.

Sign up for whatever amount works for you, cancel any time if needed. It’s safe, convenient & the most effective way to help Palomacy help birds… Signing up at $15 per month equals .50 cents per day, $50 per month is a daily contribution of $1.67. How much is Palomacy worth to you?

Ringneck dove Ezra was rescued from a cat. (Her wings & tail had been clipped short for use as a magician’s prop.)

Every day we are providing for more than 150 birds in our foster care plus helping many others from all over the country and beyond through the expert counseling and referral of our Palomacy Help Group. Every week, our website is visited by more than 1,000 people seeking help and information, every month we are engaging with more than 30,000 people about bird rescue and adoption through social media and every month our adoptable birds receive more than 50,000 views on pet adoption websites! (See what people say about Palomacy.) Together we are making a difference.

On March 1st, we had 42 generous monthly donors contributing a total of $945 each month. We need more support to sustain this effort and we have challenged ourselves to inspire 100 new monthly donors to sign up. As of May 1st, we are up 23 to 65 monthly donors contributing $1909 each month!

Please join us to support Palomacy. We need YOU!

Elizabeth Young, founder & executive director

May 3, 2018
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on COO-CHELLA! Palomacy Party 2018

COO-CHELLA! Palomacy Party 2018

Palomacy Party 9/22/18!

Have you RSVP‘d yet? Space is limited & going fast!

Join us to celebrate eleven years of unique, culture-changing, life-saving pigeon & dove rescue!

Great company- Volunteers, Adopters, Experts, Newbies & lots of Birds!

Special Celebrity Guest Commander Holly Commander Holly & First Officer Feathers!

Book Signing & Slideshow Presentation by The New York Pigeon: Behind the Feathers Photographer Andrew Garn!

Amazing Vegan Good, Craft Beer, Wine!

Music, Art, Prizes & lots of Birds!

Please RSVP (you’ll get a free raffle ticket!) & contact Elizabeth@PigeonRescue.org to get involved

Suggested $20 donation per person

All proceeds help the birds!

Get your COO-CHELLA gear here!

Graphic Design Generously Donated by Artist Sarah Meyer

Questions? Want to help? Please contact Elizabeth.

This event is not affiliated with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

May 2, 2018
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Pigeon Face & Art For the Birds

Pigeon Face & Art For the Birds

A poem by Allison Walton

Last August, a little pigeon child was in trouble. Luckily for Pigeon Face, Allison, a kind person, artist and the owner of Float Gallery, scooped her up and brought her home for care. Allison found Palomacy and we emailed back and forth about how to help the foundling. Thanks to Allison, Pigeon Face improved rapidly and was taken to WildCare for expert rehab and release. In honor of Pigeon Face, Allison is now hosting an art show, For the Birds, in support of Palomacy! The Opening Party was held April 14th and the show continues through June 9th, culminating in the Closing Party that evening from 6-9. Read on to see behind the scenes of Palomacy’s coaching, to learn more about the art show benefit Float is producing for Palomacy and the artists who are so generously participating, for the birds.

I replied,

and was happy to get encouraging news back, along with this precious picture.

And in February I received this very wonderful email from Allison!

So please, go see lots of amazing bird art while this beautiful show, benefitting Palomacy, continues through June 9th and join us for the closing party where the will be a raffle as well as pigeons in pants, of course!

For the Birds

A benefit for Palomacy, Pigeon & Dove Adoptions

Float Gallery & Rock Paper Scissors Collective Collaborative Art exhibit

Art Opening Party

April 14th, 6 to 9pm

Music by Memes

Live pigeons in pants will be at the event!

Closing party June 9th with raffle!!!

An art show for and about birds, and for people who love and appreciate them, this show is a benefit for Palomacy.

About Palomacy

Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions saves the lives of domestic (unreleasable) birds that would otherwise be killed by finding them care & homes. We provide guidance, referrals, education, long-term foster care, avian vet treatment and adoption services. Palomacy is a volunteer-powered, donation-supported project of Community Initiatives. Thanks to the support of our volunteers, we have saved the lives of more than 850 birds since we began in 2007 and helped countless others. Palomacy- it’s pigeon diplomacy! Please visit us at www.PigeonRescue.organd at www.Facebook.com/PigeonDiplomacy

Artists:

Ernest Doty

Prolific and passionate street artist Ernest Doty equates justice and vision in his pursuit for more wall space. At once a mystic and a social activist, Ernest seems to want to drag the rest of the contempoary world into an age of neo-enlightenment, kicking and screaming. His ancient characters, with their multiple. sad eyes have a message for us: their message is silence, compassion and social justice. instagram: @ernestdoty

Pancho Pescador

Born in Santiago Chile, Pancho Pescador is a visual artist, muralist, music lover and a self-taught visual activist. He has combined these disciplines to stir the henhouse and trigger critical and imaginative thinking. Pancho resides in Oakland, where he developes and exposes his visual guerillas. He is also a part of the mural and street art collective CRP Bay Area (Community Rejuvenation Project). instagram: @panchopescador

Nite Owl

Based out of Oakland, Nite Owl is a self employed designer, photographer, artist and has been doing it on his own for over a decade now. While his work may be creative, the end product isn’t necessarily for him, so being on the streets is his own personal creative outlet. Nite Owl’s biggest influence hands down has been Dr. Suess. “The creativity of this guy and his working in the “fantastic” world have really been a source for me to draw from later on down the road.” instagram: @naito_uro

Yvette Buigues

Lives and works in Oakland, California. Her work is considered to be an exploration of the emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of everyday life. Through bold images she speaks to relationships between people and animals, nature and the human condition. HeavyBlackLine.com, Instagram: @heavyblackline

FLOAT Gallery will have art from our private collection in the gallery, 20% of sales go to Palomacy. Buy bird art and support the birds! Instagram@ float-floatation-center-art-gallery

Andrea Barros

Hailing from Colombia, but grew up in the bayous of Houston, Texas, Andrea has always had a connection with nature. She has a background in photography, mixed media and mural art, as well as wood working and metal smithing. Now a long time resident of Oakland, she is and has been inspired by her surroundings from the West to the East. By capturing Oakland through her lens. instagram: @sans_andreas_fault

Kristi Holohan

Kristi is an artist, organizer, and facilitator/educator based in Oakland, California. Her work in visual Arts focuses on community relationships, nature, healing, resource-sharing, and advocacy for an equitable society through alternative incorporative strategies. In addition to her personal practice she works as an Arts facilitator/educator from a curricula lens of oppression/liberation with Restorative Practices.

Leon Kennedy

A native of Houston, Texas; Mr. Kennedy has lived and worked in Oakland, California for over 25 years. If you are out, about, and alert, you may just run into him on an Oakland street – where he is busy capturing the people and scenes of bay area life-on canvas. Kennedy paints on “everything”. Some of his most impressive works have been captured on bed sheets he has found on the streets. Yes, they are huge. And the precision and multiplicity of detail is astonishing. Works on wood, tables and chairs, glass, and metal (even hubcaps) have been known to grace a thorough Kennedy collection. Leon is rated one of the top 100 self-taught artists in the country and has work in the Smithsonian.

Karl X Hauser

Was born in Michigan City, on a small farm in northwest Indiana. He played in the dirt under the family’s trailer home, drew pictures, and learned to swim in Lake Michigan. His mother, a self taught artist who invented and painted “blue roses”, encouraged him to draw as it didn’t have the messy potential of paint. Transmission Gallery is representing Karl. https://hauspains.blogspot.com/, Instagram: @karlxhauser

Susan Tuttle

“I strive to capture beauty, humor, depth, and emotion in my photographs, collages, mixed media pieces, and jewelry designs. All of my artwork is created without digital manipulation, other than color correction for my photographs. I become easily immersed in the wonderful world behind the lens!”

Nancy Chiu

Is an artist living and working in Orange County. She doodles constantly and is passionate about breakfast food. Her work is inspired by her observation and love of nature. She also finds great pleasure in painting birds. Website: www.nancychiu.com

Bud Snow

Is a Mural Painter, Public Artist, and Photographer from Vancouver BC, head quartered in Oakland California. doyouknowbudsnow.net, Instagram @bud_snow

Cheryll May

May you experience a healing memory, feeling, thought, sensation through and within the images before you. All this is love. In rEVOLution – Cheryll www.coloursoutsidelines.com , instagram @Cheryllmay_

Mournsky

Mournsky, the artist, takes his name from a magic sword whose black blade twinkles like the night sky; with a hilt made from death knight bones. Horns tipped with violet gems branch from a demonic face, an open maw, a dark hallow. The pommel Runes spell in golden script a single word: Mourn. He also designs video games.

Lily Black

Alien abductee; Raised by wolves; Village witch. I render and draw for mixed purposes, and set things where they want or need to be. Good taste is the tool of demons. I like to smite. Eat veggies. I hear we have a new president or government or something. I also like dogs.

Liliana Herrera

Was born in Sonora, Mexico on June 3, 1993, but grew up in Oakland. She received her BA in Studio Art in Summer 2017 at Cal State East Bay. Herrera will apply for the teaching credential single subject program in the of summer 2018, She also plans to teach art for High school students. Herrera currently works as an after-school Art teacher at a dual-emerging elementary school. lilysarte.weebly.comInstagram @lilysarte

Melissa del Carmen Jimenez

Was born and raised in East Oakland, and is currently a high school student, soon to pursue a medical career. She hopes to soon start a tattooing and art business with her brother and self publish a poetry book. Most of Melissa’s art is inspired by her daily experiences with a mixture of her spiritual experiences as an individual. She paints and draws her emotional phases and spiritual growth and both physical, emotional, environmental and spiritual struggles.

Liz Mamorsky

Is Owner/Artist of Lizland Studio/Gallery of Functional & Dysfunctional Art.

lizland.com/ Instagram @lizland_studio

Cynthia Large

I am a San Francisco based artist, working in watercolor, egg tempers, oil paint, marquetry, and woodworking. I find inspiration in religious history and the natural world. Instagram: @cynthiabardoukalarge

Ashley Dietrich
I hold BFAs in Studio Art and Art History, and painting is my passion as well as my livelihood. Birds are each unique individuals with their own personalities, and I am honored to be part of so many little lives. Capturing their gestures and the complexity of feathers is a fulfilling technical challenge, but I especially enjoy creating portraits and getting to know who I’m painting. I also work as a volunteer wild bird rehabilitator, specializing in doves and pigeons. Painting allows me to work with wild birds as well as spend time with my own little flock. www.CanvasDove.com

+++

Rock Paper Scissors Collective

Rock Paper Scissors Collective is a volunteer-run organization that fosters creativity and collaboration in order to strengthen local communities and encourage sustainable practices and alternative models. We promote the sharing of ideas, skills, and resources through the celebration of art, craft, education, and performance.

rpscollective.org

FLOAT

An urban art spa is the only floatation center & art gallery in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area, floatation therapy is a unique and powerful tool that allows you to shut out the world, and drift into the deepest possible level of physical and mental relaxation. FLOAT offers new, public exhibits of local artists to stimulate and challenge your senses.

FLOAT Gallery

1091 Calcot Place, Unit # 116

(located in a store front loft of the historic cotton mill studios)

Oakland, CA 94606

510.535.1702 info@thefloatcenter.com , thefloatcenter.com

Be the Unicorn Ninja, Float Special

Celebrating 12 brilliant years of exhibiting the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Areas, most eclectic contemporary artists.

Some photos from opening night…

Allison & Palomacy foster Milo

Float Gallery

Cynthia & Miu meet artist Nancy Chiu

Miu- the pigeon as an artist

Pigeon Face by Allison F. Walton

April 8, 2018
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Reaching Out with Pigeon & Dove Diplomacy

Reaching Out with Pigeon & Dove Diplomacy

Palomacy ambassadors Samantha & Iris volunteering at the Oakland Plant Exchange

What Is Pigeon & Dove Diplomacy?

Most weekends (and some weekdays too), Palomacy can be found attending one or more outreach events, raising awareness about and inspiring adoptions for rescued pigeons and doves. Volunteers bring rescued birds to introduce them to many hundreds of people at pet adoption fairs, community events, animal rights and humane education gatherings, street festivals and more all throughout the greater Bay Area including Sacramento, Davis, Novato, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward, Sunnyvale, San Jose and lots of places in-between.

How Does It Work?

As outreach coordinator, I schedule Palomacy as a participant in as many great events as possible, add them to our Events page, and then begin recruiting volunteers to sign up to help. Our smallest events need at least two human and several avian volunteers and the big ones, like the upcoming Earth Day at the Oakland Zoo, require upwards of six or seven human helpers and even more birds (so that they can take breaks throughout the day). Each event includes a lead volunteer (often me) who brings the equipment needed (table, chairs, shade canopy, signage, flyers, etc.) and the ambassador volunteers come dressed comfortably for the setting (often in a Palomacy shirt) and equipped with their sun screen, water bottles and, if they have them, birds! We love showing off both fostered and adopted birds and encourage everyone to participate. We train you (and your birds) right there. It’s fun and easy and you’ll learn so much about these amazing birds, while helping them at the same time! (Bonus- it is an awesome bonding experience for you and your bird.) We even have loaner pigeon pants if needed and we’re happy to provide lessons on how to put on your bird’s pants. For our volunteers who don’t have their own birds, we bring additional birds so that everybody gets the joy of working one-on-one with an amazing avian ambassador.

Aria & Julie & Pirate

Why Do We Do It?

We do it because it saves lives! While people are slowly catching on to the rescue needs of dogs and cats, most have no idea that unreleasable birds need homes too! And, even if they are alerted to birds in shelters, they assume they must be parrots. The general public doesn’t know about the plight of domestic pigeons and doves- bred, used, lost and injured- and facing death if they aren’t rescued and adopted. Neither do they know what amazing companions these rescued birds are. With the shelters struggling to keep up with the puppies and kittens, the pigeons and doves, when served at all, get nowhere near the placement services… We started this rescue 11 years ago precisely to address this huge and deadly gap in the animal welfare web.

To meet a pigeon is to fall in love with pigeons

Foster volunteer Jenny & Pepper

Compassion in action

Brian & Dolucky at the Conscience Eating Conference

We Need Your Help!

We’ve got lots of outreach events coming up (four this weekend!) and we need volunteers! See event details and please RSVP here. It is fun, educational and an awesome way to totally bird nerd out!

Friday April 13th 5-7 PM, SF SPCA

Saturday April 14th, 10-3 at the Oakland Zoo

Saturday April 14th, 11-4, Berkeley Bay

Saturday April 14th, 6-9, Oakland

You can always find our upcoming events on our website!

Read one of our outreach-to-adoption stories!

April 8, 2018
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Borealis & Flip

Borealis & Flip

Flip & Borealis at the vet

Did you know that Palomacy rescues not only domestic pigeons and doves but unreleasable feral Rock pigeons too?

When Emerald found a broken-winged feral Rock pigeon, she brought her home to her small boat, named her Borealis and began searching for rescue help. But Borealis’ wing was badly damaged and with the likelihood of ever being able to fly again nearly nil, the chance of releasability was very low so euthanasia was the best even pigeon-friendly wildlife rescues would be able to offer. But Borealis wanted to live and Emerald was determined to save her.

Emerald rescued Borealis

Luckily, Emerald found Palomacy and, thanks to your support, we were able to say Yes to saving Borealis’ life. The injuries to her elbow and shoulder joints mean the wing is irrepairable and Borealis won’t fly again but pigeons are brilliantly adaptable and she is very happy now fostered in our Special Needs aviary, keeping company with Jacob and Athena, Freddy and Penny, Bearice and Waffle and making friends with another new pigeon named Flip.

Borealis & Flip hanging out in my Specials’ foster aviary

L-R: Athena, Jacob, Flip & Borealis

Flip is a little feral Rock pigeon with a special feather updo who at some point survived stringfoot entanglement but lost one foot and a toe to the injuries. When found on a stormy spring morning in Washington Square Park, Flip was soaked to the skin, skinny, weak, grounded and wearing a homemade prosthetic glued to his stump, a sort of badge of kindness that someone made for him. Flip was taken to San Francisco Animal Care & Control but he wasn’t feeling well. Flip wasn’t eating and they contacted Palomacy for help.

Flip at SFACC (with a homemade prosthetic superglued to her footless stump)

Flip’s homemade prosthetic fell off at SFACC

And again, thanks to your support, we were able to say Yes to helping Flip. With a little TLC and surrounded by lots of inspiring pigeons, Flip began regaining his strength, putting on weight and making new friends but then came a downturn. Little Flip is once again at risk, fighting to overcome a not-yet-diagnosed illness.

Flip isn’t feeling well

What is certain is that these two brave little birds will get the best care and happiest lives we can give them, thanks to you.

Borealis & Flip (with millet stalks) leaving the vet

Thank You! You are making a life-saving, compassion-creating difference.

Read more feral Rock pigeon Palomacy rescue stories-

Captain Jack’s Amazing Rescue

Baby, I’m a Star! The Story of Prince

Charlie Girl

December 28, 2017
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Alfred & Pirate: Honored with Holiday Donation Match!

Alfred & Pirate: Honored with Holiday Donation Match!

Dear Palomacy Supporters,

Thank you for being essential members of our small but powerful Palomacy team! Together we are saving the lives of pigeons and doves who would otherwise be killed. Your support for our groundbreaking work turns donations into rescue missions, bird healing, aviary building, humane education and adoptions! Together we are closing a deadly gap in the animal welfare community.

So far this year, we have directly saved the lives of 248 birds and we are helping even more, from all over the country and beyond, through our Facebook Help Group, online educational resources and 365-days-a-year coaching and referral network. Palomacy is the go-to resource for people who find the injured, lost, weak survivors of pigeon “sports” and “dove releases.”

Alfred
At the tender age of only four weeks, baby King pigeon Alfred was “harvested” from her parents’ nest and trucked to a live poultry market in San Francisco where she was sold as meat (squab). Instead of being butchered when she was purchased, she was inhumanely “released” in a park in a misguided effort to save her. She sat there, still and scared. Domestic pigeons, though unable to survive in the wild, are highly intelligent. She knew she was in trouble, instinctively fearing the ravens, hawks, gulls and cats that prey on vulnerable birds. Alfred’s life was saved when she was taken to a shelter that serves birds through its partnership with Palomacy.

Alfred, her first night home

Pirate
Around this same time, fifty miles south in San Jose, a fledgling feral pigeon, also about four weeks old, was found injured and helpless. He had survived a predator attack but lost an eye and was grounded by head trauma. A Good Samaritan took him to a pigeon-friendly wildlife rescue hoping he could be saved. He had a big personality and they named him Pirate. His injuries made him unreleasable though and he needed a forever home or he’d be euthanized. He needed Palomacy’s help and so the staff reached out to us to save him.

The young bachelor Pirate in foster care

Alfred and Pirate, after several months in Palomacy’s foster care, have both found their way home. Alfred was adopted first, instantly becoming the beloved bird child of Aria and Julie. They were head over heels for her before I even left their apartment that first night. She’s a pampered pigeon with all the best birdy accoutrements and her own Instagram account. And, when she was ready for a mate, we arranged a pHarmony date with the dashing bachelor Pirate. They had instant chemistry and soon their flirtation became courtship, then marriage, and then Aria and Julie adopted Pirate too. Home.

Pirate & Alfred, married & adopted

Palomacy relies on one employee (me) and nearly 100 volunteers to respond to the thousands of calls, emails and messages we receive seeking help for birds in trouble. We do outreach events, provide humane education, maintain a much-referenced website and publish inspiring blog posts and newsletters that are read by thousands. Our home-based fosters and compassionate supporters enable us to provide exceptional care, every day of the year, to the hundreds of injured, sick, and/or displaced pigeons and doves that no one else will help. (We don’t have a sanctuary yet, though we hope to someday.)

Please, if you can, make a year-end tax-deductible donation and help us raise the $13,000 we need to start 2018 in the black. In honor of Alfred & Pirate, their adopters Aria and Julie, will double your gift up to $5000!

Aria & Julie are matching donations in honor of Pirate & Alfred!

Together, we are making a life-saving difference.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Elizabeth, Director Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions

The Truth About “Dove Releases”​