Blog - Page 25 of 39 -

February 8, 2016
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Little Bell’s Big News!

Little Bell’s Big News!

Guest Post & Photos by Jill McMurchy

Bell 082715 by Jill

Guess what? Our sweet, special little Ringneck dove Bell isn’t a girl! He’s a boy! (You can see Bell’s rescue story here.) Thank you to Palomacy volunteer Joe “Dove Daddy” Knight for questioning the (incorrect) assumption that we had been working under for so long. Based on the shape of Bell’s pelvic girdle, he recognized what we hadn’t, and then confirmed it by donating a DNA gender test. Bell is a male dove.

Bell says, C’mon you guys!

Knowing this helped us realize that the tension in his relationship with Reed, his longtime companion (and most likely his brother), wasn’t due only to Bell’s health problems, but rather also stemmed from them remaining rivals rather than becoming mates. (Same sex pairs of doves do sometimes bond and become very devoted mates but not always and, if not, their relationship can be frustrating.) We decided to try separating them and introducing them to female doves so that they could each develop the bond they had been seeking for so long.

Reed & Bell- never a bromance

Often we have a waiting list for single female doves but we were fortunate this time. We have a flock of doves we call the Dove Beans, being fostered for us by Andy’s (Rescue) Pet Shop in San Jose. They were surrendered as a nameless flock and so needing seven names in a hurry, I named them all after beans- Azuki, Lima, Turtle, Pinto, Butterbean, Chickpea and Fava. We knew there were some single females in this flock and were hopeful we could find loving wives for both Bell and Reed.

Our Dove Bean flock fostered at Andy’s

Bell’s lingering neurological issue means he needs a special, quiet home and a gentle mate. I’d keep him fostered with me but healthy Reed would most likely be thrilled to join the Dove Bean flock and enjoy aviary life so I took him to Andy’s. The day I brought him, I sat and observed the flock, trying to figure out who would be a possible bride for Bell.

My eyes kept wandering over to Fava, a very delicate, wild-type colored hen. She seemed shy and sweet and I just had a feeling she was the one so I brought Fava home with me.

I kept her in a separate cage for two days so she could get used to Bell’s body movements. The torticollis causes him to twist and sometimes fall backward, but he rights himself pretty quickly now. She didn’t seem put off! I also watched for Bell’s interest in her as a bride. He went right to work trying to impress her! His sweet little broken coo was getting stronger and stronger and at times I thought he’d hurt himself with his very enthusiastic bow-cooing!

Bell cooing his love to Fava

I put Fava in his cage (it was important that Bell stay in his own cage, he’s familiar with it and can show it off to her and is specially equipped for giving him comfort) and Bell went to town trying to impress. It didn’t take him long to make her realize he was ‘the one’!

Making friends… Bell & Reed share a meal

Fava & Bell falling in love

So let’s all give Bell and Fava Bean a big round of applause and a hearty congratulations!

Fava & Bell are married

And there’s more great news for Bell & Fava: As of January 25th, they are home! I adopted them! Fava laid an egg for them on January 26 and Bell has been happily sharing egg-sitting duty with Fava. He is quite the devoted husband and nest builder! And funny thing, ‘Bell’ is a kind of bean too!

We’re keeping a close eye on dear Reed as well. He is living with the Dove Bean flock fostered at Andy’s and, while he isn’t yet married, we are hopeful that he will win a mate soon and that they will be as happy together as Bell & Fava are.

Reed making new friends

Note from Elizabeth Young, director of Palomacy

This was such a simple and yet incredibly important breakthrough for Bell and Reed! When I first brought Bell and Reed into our foster care over two years ago, I thought that Bell was female and that Reed was male and that they were a mated pair. Why I never questioned this assumption along the way, I’ll never know. It makes perfect sense in hindsight. I’m so grateful to our volunteer Joe for examining Bell and helping us to correct this error and to better provide for both his and Reed’s needs. Having a loving mate (rather than vying with a companionable rival) has been so good for Bell! He’s blossoming and while he is still challenged with neurological issues, he is a happier and more content dove. One of my favorite sayings is: No one of us is as smart as all of us. Thank goodness for the power of collective intelligence.

February 3, 2016
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Surveying Volunteers via Rescue Group Program Assessment

Surveying Volunteers via Rescue Group Program Assessment

Our foster volunteers save the lives of birds who otherwise would have no place to go

People usually assume that Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions has a place, a shelter or sanctuary, from which to do our life-saving, culture-changing work but we don’t. We depend on volunteers to foster birds in their homes and backyard aviaries and at a couple of partner sites to do this work. And we depend on volunteers to help respond to the urgent calls from finders and shelters about birds in need. We depend on volunteers to promote and publicize and inspire adoptions and support for these amazing birds. We depend on volunteers to coach potential adopters, to produce events, to fundraise, aviary-build, cage-transport, rush birds to vets, and so much more!

Volunteer Team launching our Ploughshares Nursery Aviary

Volunteer Team launches Ploughshares Nursery Aviary

Volunteer ambassador Natalie with Noodles

Volunteer ambassador Natalie & Noodles

Volunteers Faye & Liese support our Lobby Pigeon project at HSSV

Volunteers support our Lobby Pigeon project at HSSV

Our volunteers are the heart and soul of Palomacy and so I was excited when I saw an incredible offer from the Humane Society of the US and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte to apply to participate in their free Rescue Group Program Assessment to survey our volunteers and provide concrete steps to improve organizational effectiveness.

Rescue Group Program Assessment

Now, our volunteer survey is up and available to complete until Thursday, February 14th. We need your input to do this important work to the best of our abilities. Please- if you are a current or past volunteer for Palomacy, take a few minutes to complete the survey. This is a really great opportunity for Palomacy and your voice is critical!

Dear Palomacy Supporters,
We are really interested in gaining feedback regarding our volunteers’ experience with us. Your time and energy are precious resources and we want to ensure that together we are all able to best help the birds and people counting on us.
I’m very happy to tell you that we applied and have been chosen to receive a “free assessment designed to help rescue groups run more effectively by surveying volunteers and making specific recommendations to improve the volunteer program based on the anonymous survey results. The Rescue Group Program Assessment (RGPA) was created by the Organizational Science department of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte (UNCC) in partnership with The HSUS. The survey addresses organizational commitment, volunteer recognition, communication, competence, role ambiguity, work satisfaction, satisfaction with other volunteers, organizational constraints and burnout.” (You can read more about it here.)
To that end, I would like to ask all supporters who are 1) currently volunteering for our organization, or 2) have volunteered in the past, to complete an online survey.
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has donated their time to create and then analyze the survey data collected. I believe this will be very helpful to us.
Participation in this survey is entirely voluntary and all your answers will be kept anonymous.
Your voice, opinions, and beliefs are very important to our effectiveness and for making positive change. Below is the link from the research team at UNC Charlotte. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete at most and will be open until February 14th. Should you have any questions about the survey, please contact the UNC Charlotte research team at volprogram@uncc.edu
Once the survey responses have been submitted and analyzed, the RGPA team generates a report, helps interpret the results, and assists in building a plan to improve our volunteer operations. The Humane Society of the US provides the RGPA to rescue groups at no cost.
Thank you for your service to Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions. I do hope you’ll participate in this process to improve our organization and the work that we do together.
Survey Link: Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions RGPA Survey
Thank you very much! The birds are counting on us.

signature

Pigeons in shelters need help getting adopted

January 1, 2016
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Palomacy 2015 Year in Review

Palomacy 2015 Year in Review

With your help, we accomplished so much this past year! The concept of Palomacy- pigeon diplomacy- is being embraced and put into action all over. Palomacy is more than the name of a rescue, it is a movement. We’ve engaged new partners in support of pigeon rescue; we’ve built beautiful, safe aviaries for birds who otherwise would have no place to be. Our ever-strengthening presence on social media is helping to bring together pigeon and dove lovers from all over the world. Together, we saved hundreds of birds in 2015 and we are better positioned than ever to make a unique difference in 2016. Thank you for helping us to inspire compassion and save lives. I’ve put together a slideshow review of Palomacy in 2015. Check it out. You’ll be amazed to see all that you helped make happen (and this is only a fraction of what we did)!

Thank you for being part of our life-saving, culture-changing community!

Wishing you a very happy, healthy, peaceful and compassionate new year.

January 1, 2016
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Craig Newmark: Our Biggest Supporter!

Craig Newmark: Our Biggest Supporter!

Bird lover & philanthropist Craig Newmark visits with Amelio & Pat

I am so happy to tell you that we are the proud and very grateful recipients of a $10,000 grant from the Craig Newmark Philanthropic Fund!

Once again (this is the second year that Craig has invested $10K in our work), Craig’s support ensures that we are able to continue this unique effort. Every month, despite the generous support of our donors and our extreme frugality, we teeter on the edge of being in the red. Every bird we help requires a tremendous leap of faith because we never have money in the bank… we struggle with financial insecurity as a constant threat to the work that we do.

And we are doing very important work! We are the only rescue in Northern California dedicated to helping domestic pigeons and doves. We may be the only one in the country! The work that we are doing is so unprecedented that we had to create a new word for it- palomacy.

We struggle every day to keep up with all that needs doing. We care for 100 pigeons and doves in our foster homes; we respond to the constant requests to help at-risk birds in shelters and found as strays; we counsel people with birds on how to care for them, keep them, do right by them… We work to promote awareness about homeless birds; to develop and coordinate adoptions; to provide humane education about these most common and yet completely misunderstood birds; to inspire compassion. And, while doing all of that, we have to fundraise too.

So a grant like this is extremely wonderful news!

Thank you, Craig, for all of your leadership, advocacy and charitable giving in support of so many worthy causes and thank you for including Palomacy among them!

See the start of Craig’s support for pigeon & dove rescue.

Learn more about how Craig is helping people do good work that matters.

Elizabeth, founder of Palomacy & Craig, founder of craigslist & craigconnects

December 21, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Palomacy’s Alameda Foster Pigeon Aviary at Ploughshares!

Palomacy’s Alameda Foster Pigeon Aviary at Ploughshares!

A few of the many volunteers & supporters who helped make this aviary happen

Yay! We did it!

Thanks to a lot of help from a lot of supporters, we continue to make remarkable strides on behalf of pigeon rescue! On Saturday December 19th, we finished building and introduced the first lucky pigeons into our brand new foster aviary located on a wonderful site generously provided by Ploughshares Nursery of Alameda. It is 16′ x 8′ x 8′ and, when full, will house 24 foster pigeons safely and comfortably, as they wait to be adopted into their forever home.

The Road to Ploughshares

One day in November 2014, Alameda resident Debbie found a domestic pigeon huddled weak and helpless in some bushes. Debbie was new to birds but knew this one needed help. She took her home and reached out to Palomacy. We were too full to take the pigeon, now called Ajax, into our care, but we coached Debbie who fostered her in fine style. Debbie purchased a beautiful big cage for Ajax and then took in a second foster pigeon, the handsome bachelor Theo from SFACC, to be a mate for Ajax. Along the way, Debbie, seeing how many birds needed help, got an idea. What about building a foster aviary at the beautiful, nonprofit neighborhood nursery? Debbie reached out to the staff at Ploughshares and they were interested!

Nice house!

Theo & Ajax share a bath

We did a site visit together, I eventually got the proposal submitted & Ploughshares said, Yes!

Debbie & Indy & Shimmy mark the spot

In urgent need for added foster space, we launched our crowdfunding campaign on December 10th with an ambitious plan to raise the funds needed and build the aviary all in nine days! (Thanks to some very generous donors, we had a headstart with half of the money needed already pledged.)

Launching our fundraising campaign

Our volunteer builders scoped out the site and finalized our design on December 11th…

Our amazing aviary builders Luis & Josette

SUCCESS!

Along with the challenge of bringing all the pieces together as quickly as possible, the threat of rainy storms added to the excitement. Thanks to the skills and stamina of our fast builders and some good weather, the base and back wall were installed on Thursday and then other volunteers joined in on Friday to get the majority of the structure done.

Walls going up

Friday’s volunteer builders

Thankfully, our crowdfunding campaign was also successful and when it ended on Friday night, we had achieved 101% of our goal (which was matched by Debbie taking us to the total $3K needed)!

We made it! THANK YOU!

Saturday, the day that all week had promised rain, dawned with beautiful blue skies and big fluffy clouds. We had lots of help with all the finishing touches and to welcome our first residents into their brand new foster aviary!

Getting the floor tiles in

Making the nest box towers

This nest box tower will accomodate four mated pairs

A few of our many wonderful helpers

Dooby & Whimsy waiting patiently

Introducing our first foster pigeons

Whimsy joins her friend Newark while Dooby watches

Newark says Thank You!

This big, beautiful space is a big upgrade for these five foster pigeons

This aviary is going to make a life-saving difference for a lot of pigeons

We Still Need You!

While the aviary has been installed, there is still lots more to do! We’ve got another nest box tower to build and install, real signs and pigeon profiles to make and post, floor finishing to do and daily care volunteers to recruit and train. Pigeons in an aviary are easy to care for but they do need some daily attention. Would you like to join our Alameda Aviary Team and help with the daily care? It’s very simple- and only requires about 20 minutes a day. They need fresh food and water, a poop scrape to clean up, a check of all the nests for real eggs (to be traded for fake eggs to prevent breeding). You can spend time watching and interacting with these beautiful birds and helping to socialize and publicize them too. We provide all the supplies and are happy to train you. (No prior bird experience required.) Please contact Elizabeth if you’re already a Palomacy volunteer and would like to participate or complete our volunteer application to get signed up.)

We also have a wall that needs a gorgeous, pro-pigeon mural to help tell the Palomacy story! Please contact Elizabeth if you can help with this very special project! See below for an exciting update!)

We’ll be adding more foster pigeons (up to 24 total) and participating in events to promote and publicize these beautiful, adoptable birds!

Palomacy Loves Ploughshares!

Our aviary is located about 50 yards in to the right

Come by and say Hi!

THANK YOU!

Thank you SO VERY MUCH to all of you for helping to create this amazing, life-saving home for Palomacy foster pigeons! Your generous donations of time, money, skills and resources make the difference between life and death for the birds that we are helping. Extra special thanks to Debbie for all you have done (and are doing) in support of this project and to our wonderful friends at Ploughshares Nursery and the Alameda Point Collaborative.

Debbie, Whimsy & Dooby

UPDATE 12/29/15

We had birds waiting for the life-saving shelter of this aviary and, as of 12/29, we are now fostering 14 very lucky pigeons there. The flock includes Whimsy, Dooby, Newark, Big Red, White Lightnin’, Charlie Chocolate Thunderpants, Mr. Vivian, Smokey, Max, Batman, Mocha, Delilah, Cookie & Tux. Thank you for helping us to help these amazing birds!

Fourteen pigeons fostered at Alameda Aviary

We’re already fostering 14 lucky pigeons at the new aviary in Alameda

Whimsy coming in for a landing

New fosters Batman & Mocha & Charlie Chocolate Thunderpants

New foster pigeon Cookie welcomed by volunteer

Cookie gets a loving welcome

June 2016 Update!

Thank you artist Laura Johnston for creating this gorgeous mural for us!

December 21, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on “PLEASE HELP…” An Inspiring Rescue Story

“PLEASE HELP…” An Inspiring Rescue Story

Have you ever noticed how many pigeons there are? We get so many requests for help! We can’t even keep up with meeting the needs of all the domestic birds let alone the wild ones too but we do our best to respond or, if we can’t respond ourselves, to empower those who contact us with coaching, information, referrals, encouragement…

Here’s an inspiring story about a kind person whose compassion and tenacity meant the difference between suffering or rescue, life and death, for a pigeon youngster. She didn’t just alert others and depend on them to do something. She stayed engaged and advocated for the vulnerable bird until he was safe. She made a life-saving difference.

Wednesday 11/18
I received this email from Lindsey.
Subject: PLEASE HELP INJURED JUVENILE PIGEON IN ASHBY BART
Hello,
On Monday I noticed a mother and her baby down in the BART* (*Bay Area Rapid Transit) tracks at the Ashby station, this is a pair I’ve been watching for weeks now. I immediately noticed the juvenile in distress with a broken wing. This bird couldn’t fly yet and now is injured I cried called bart police, talked to the man in the box in the station, called animal control. No one has done anything the bird is alive and well, preening and alert. BUT I have reason to believe that its very devoted sweet mother is now deceased presumably from flying down constantly to sit with her baby in between trains. I plan to bring food tonight if nothing is done and I wanted to try and get him out and take him home with me. I have raised (& released) many a wild animal back in Wisconsin but this is a new game. I’m assuming it’s illegal to just jump into the tracks and I don’t know what to do. I can not bear to watch this baby suffer or starve, I am obsessed. Please help! Specifically the bird is located on the side traveling into Oakland near the South side, you will see it bopping around if its still alive.
Thank you kindly,
I am at the office but call me if you have any questions.
Lindsey

Thursday 11/19
I referred Lindsey to Wildlife Emergency Services (1 866 WILD 911) and because we have gotten help from BART Directors in the past, encouraged her to contact them for help as well.

Friday 11/20
Lindsey succeeded in getting BART officials to remove the pigeon from the train tracks but they just set him down outside and he still needed to be rescued. I posted to our groups on Facebook at 8:53 AM and within less than one hour, the youngster was rescued and safe thanks to the compassion and swift response of Steph, one of our volunteers.

Inline image 1

The young pigeon, off the tracks but injured and without a parent to feed him

11/20 Update Posted by Lindsey
BABY PIGEON UPDATE!
Finally, after 5 DAYS someone has listened to me! This little survivor made it 5 days in the tracks with a broken wing! I made countless phone calls to every wildlife rescue place imaginable, shed countless tears, sent emails, brought food & finally I found good people. Thank you kind BART man for promising to get baby off the tracks and consoling me & justifying my feelings! Thank you Elizabeth from Palomacy for being the only one who responded to me & thank you for sending an angel Steph to go scoop up baby and make sure it gets the care it needs.
All life is precious. I am filled with hope.

Inline image 2

Finally- rescued and safe after a long hard week

Palomacy volunteer Steph comforts the rescued youngster

About this experience, Lindsey writes,
“Since moving to California three months ago I’ve noticed that pigeons are often times classified as pests, their lives are disregarded, and they are looked at with disgust. Putting aside my great love and appreciation for birds in general, I have made some observations: Pigeons are survivors, pigeons are gentle, curious, trusting, & beautiful creatures. I had the profound joy of watching a mother and her babies for weeks in the Ashby BART station. It was a gift everyday in the midst of my two hour commute, and for me a moment to appreciate life. Babies need to learn to fly and sometimes their first attempts are not successful. For one of the baby pigeons, a series of heartbreaking events landed him with a broken wing, stuck in the BART tracks, and motherless. The little survivor lasted five days in the tracks injured and alone. For five days I begged every organization I could find the number or email address to, for five days I researched the legal/safety ramifications of me jumping into the tracks to rescue this baby, for five days I dreaded my commute and cried for this baby, and for five days I had people tell me “It’s just a pigeon, there is nothing we can do.” Persistence bordering on obsession paid off. The right ear, Palomacy, heard my emotional pleas, good people took action, and this baby was given a chance at life. I’m so glad this creature will know what it is to find its own food, he will feel sunshine & fresh air, and hopefully with the help of the good people at WildCare he will experience what it is to fly. No creature ever deserves to suffer. All life is so very precious.”

Thank you, Lindsey, for all that you did to save this pigeon youngster! Thank you, Steph, for dropping everything to race to his rescue and thank you WildCare for providing the treatment and care this youngster needs!

UPDATE from WildCare
Monday 12/7
He is with three other pigeons and he makes improvements everyday. He can fly a bit and perch on lower limbs. He experienced some neurological trauma and sometimes he flops on his side and flaps, but his condition strengthens constantly.

Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions saves the lives of domestic (unreleasable) birds that are otherwise killed by helping San Francisco Bay Area shelters and finders. We provide guidance, referrals, education, long-term foster care, avian vet treatment and adoption services. Thanks to the support of our volunteers, we have saved the lives of more than 700 birds since we began in 2007 and helped countless others.

December 1, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on The Palomacy Report: December 2015

The Palomacy Report: December 2015

There is so much happening in the world of pigeon and dove rescue (and so much that needs to happen) that I’m starting a new feature- a monthly report to help keep you informed about what’s happening in Palomacy.

Palomacy Wishes You & Yours a Very Happy December

Jacob, our featured pigeon for December, is doing great! Though 23 years old, he and his young mate Hester are currently enjoying their monthly honeymoon. Order your 2016 Palomacy Calendars here

Today is Giving Tuesday
For the first time, Palomacy is participating in this rapidly growing global celebration of charitable giving

Please click here to support us during this one day campaign!
A little help makes a big difference!

Luis

Luis arrived yesterday and is our newest foster bird. He’s a beautiful Ringneck Dove bachelor who cleverly self-rescued by volunteering to join a flock of rescued pigeons in an aviary in San Francisco. He’s named in honor of Luis, a very talented and hard-working builder of aviaries for Palomacy.

Beth & Winkie

Beth & Winky

Tomorrow I’ll be picking up Winky, an approximately six year old rescued pigeon whose person Beth, though she loves him very much, can no longer care for him. He’s been on our waiting list for a couple of months.

The Need

Even with our capacity for almost 100 pigeons and doves fostered in 21 homes and aviaries, we don’t have enough space for all who need our help. There’s a single unreleasable Rock Pigeon named BB who’s been on our waiting list for a couple of months. He needs to come in within the week. I’ve been contacted about a flock of eight rescued pigeons living in San Mateo, some adopted from us and some from Peninsula Humane Society, who now need to be rehomed. There are 20 Roller Pigeons at the SPCA Wildlife Center for Monterey County in need of adopters and the Wildlife Care Association in Sacramento has 15 pigeons in need of homes (mostly Rollers & Homers). Of course, many of the Bay Area shelters also have pigeons in need of homes (even if they don’t always have all of them up on their websites).

Help on the Horizon

We are constantly reaching out to develop new partners, fosters and adopters to help. Right now, we are working on several exciting new collaborations including partnering with the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary to help pigeons, creating a new foster aviary in Alameda and helping a new animal sanctuary to include pigeons amongst their rescues. Please stay tuned for more information to follow and please- help us to inspire more rescuers and adopters for pigeons and doves. The need is far greater than the available resources. (For more on this topic, please read What Is Palomacy?) We’re also thrilled to have been selected for the Rescue Group Program Assessment (RPGA) designed to help rescue groups run more effectively by surveying volunteers and providing steps to improve organizational effectiveness. The RPGA was created by the Organizational Science department of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte in partnership with The Humane Society of the US.

Holiday Party Saturday 12/5

Mickaboo Plus Palomacy Holiday Party

We’ll be joining our very special friends at the Mickaboo Holiday Party in Walnut Creek & you are invited! I really hope you can join us! (People only please, no birds.) Please RSVP!

Thank you for your compassion.
We are so glad to be here to help birds & the people who love them.

October 29, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Our No Place Like Home Party!

Our No Place Like Home Party!

Wow! We had such a wonderful get together on Saturday for our No Place Like Home party! It was truly a gift to have so many of our amazing supporters together in one place! We work through a lot of tough situations together and, because we are spread across such a large territory, we rarely have the advantage of getting together, face to face, to celebrate this amazing work and the birds that we do it all for. And how lovely it was to be in such a luxurious setting as Leftovers Home Consignment! Plus we raised a much appreciated $3126 to help support our rescue efforts! The event was a giant love-fest and even though many of you couldn’t be there with us (and we missed you), you were very much there in our hearts.

Christiana infused the party with her magic

Max (with Dylan) & Noreen welcomed our guests

Barna served up his extra special microbrew: Pepe’s Weissbier

Clare & our amazing food team nourished us with lots of delicious vegan eats

Clare & our food team nourished us with amazing vegan treats

Julia & our ambassadors made lots of new friends for the birds

We had fantastic treasures for sale

Tina Trachtenburg’s art pigeons raised money for living ones

Leftovers donated their space and gorgeous auction items too

Our host & the owner of Leftovers, Kelly, donated a penthouse weekend for auction too!

Our people- our volunteers, fosters, adopters and donors- are what bring Palomacy to life. Together we are doing something special and important. We are making a difference. Every day, birds that otherwise would have no where to turn, are helped thanks to you.

Shae, Gina & Doug

Cheryl & Molly

Rob, Julisa & Jill

Halina, Christiana & Robert

Coo Jackman

We received so much help from so many! I could never thank you all enough for your generosity, your energy, your talents and time and amazing support! Thank you!

Kelly Hensley & the Staff of Leftovers

Christiana Reed

Clare Malone Prichard & Bob Prichard

Josette Maury

Cheryl Dickinson

Barna Mink

Barbara Fleck

Aileen Paterson

Julia Gneckow

Max Bonstin & Noreen Bonstin

Leda Hosier

Steve & Santana Anderson

Margie Gear

Chris Okon

Jill McMurchy

Ashley Dietrich

Tina Trachtenburg

Steph Fries

Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery

Donna’s Tamales

Berkeley Cinnaholic

Pet Food Express

Creative Bird Toys

The Bird Boutique

Our guests & donors

And, in all the excitement of the night, we forgot to give you your special edition No Place Like Home button!

Please email us your mailing address so that we may send them to you.

We have special No Place Like Home buttons for you!

Visit our Supporters & Partners page

See the No Place Like Home Photo Album

Limited time offer: Our special edition No Place Like Home shirts!

October 29, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Fantastic Aviary Available!

Fantastic Aviary Available!

An aviary like this can be yours!

Image not actual aviary

Thanks to a very generous donation from Virginia Donohue & Mark Klaiman of Pet Camp, Palomacy has a big, beautiful & safe Palomacy-approved aviary available for sale! (Note: A predator & rodent-proof bottom such as mesh-lined wood or cement pavers is required.)

Virginia Donohue & Mark Klaiman, founders & owners of Pet Camp

This hexagonal, powder-coated aviary is 8′ in diameter and stands nearly 8′ tall. It is in nearly new condition and we even have a volunteer team who will transport and assemble in the SF Bay Area!

It is suitable as a home for 4-8 pigeons, 10-20 doves or could house parrots, finches or canaries.

Aviaries like it retail for $3000 and we are selling it for $1700 (and all proceeds benefit the birds of Palomacy). Contact Elizabeth with questions and to purchase. But hurry- we only have one!

Learn more about the joys and how-tos of having an aviary here.

This information is provided to show more about aviaries like the one we have

These specifications are similar but may not be exact for the avairy we are offering

Santana proudly shows off the aviary that we have available (roof included but not shown)

Steve & Santana have volunteered to transport & assemble the aviary!

Volunteers Steve & Santana will transport & assemble!

Dylan & all of us at Palomacy thank Virginia & Mark for their incredible generosity!

Contact Elizabeth with questions and to purchase. But hurry- we only have the one!

October 21, 2015
by Elizabeth
Comments Off on Love Is Strong

Love Is Strong

Freckles & his mate Freddie

I had the privilege of witnessing a truly heroic act yesterday. When my big dog Ruby and I entered my bird room on our way to go out the back door, Ruby happened to come between special needs King pigeon Freddie and her mate Freckles. Ruby’s very good, she doesn’t approach the birds, and she was stopped with Freddie between her and the back door, but she is still scary to the birds (some more than others). Freckles was safe. He was behind Ruby and had the whole length of the bird room behind him to retreat to but instead, he made an incredibly courageous choice to forgo his own security to rejoin his mate Freddie. He is a big, heavy King Pigeon and he launched up from the floor, sailed over Ruby (barely clearing her head) and came down in the “danger zone” by his mate Freddie’s side. It was an awesome moment to witness. It was an heroic act. Ruby and I backed up and went out the garage way instead so as to leave this devoted couple together undisturbed. As I left the bird room, I watched Freckles escort his hobbly mate back to their cage and they spent the whole morning snuggling. Freckles chose to risk his life to protect Freddie’s. Love is strong.

Freddie & Freckles snuggling