MickaCoo is changing the way the Bay Area responds to domestic pigeons like Rumi. In the past, they were routinely euthanized. Now they are treated with compassion, just as every creature should be.

This adorable baby king pigeon, barely 4 weeks old and bought from a live poultry market as “squab” wound up at San Francisco’s only open door shelter- SFACC. Because she was sick, they contacted MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue for help.

Rescued baby king pigeon (squab) at SFACC

Though we are overfull and stretched beyond our resources, MickaCoo Advisory Committee Chair and super-active volunteer Cheryl chose to take on the care for this terrified baby. She named her Rumi. With Cheryl’s care and loving tenderness, Rumi is no longer paralyzed with fear and is making a swift recovery. Previously mute, she now squeaks with joy when she sees her foster mama. (Baby pigeons, also called “squeakers” squeak for their parents to feed them.) Rumi would gladly ride around in Cheryl’s arms all day if she could. Your support is what enabled us to save baby Rumi.

Baby king pigeon Rumi is happiest in her foster mom’s loving arms

With your support, MickaCoo is creating awareness about the plight and potential of domestic pigeons and doves. We have placed more than 500 in wonderful non-breeding, non-sporting forever homes and we’re caring for 100 more in our foster homes and aviaries. We have helped countless others with our hotline and humane education activity. And we’re seeing others follow our lead.

We believe that everyone deserves compassion and we’re committed, with your help, to closing this gap in the animal welfare community. We believe that helping to stretch the world’s compassion to include nonhuman animals like Rumi benefits everyone.

Thank you for supporting the unique work of MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue!

Update I’m very sorry to report that after her initial rally, Rumi took a downturn and was rushed to Medical Center for Birds for in-hospital care. Despite everyone’s best efforts and loving support, baby Rumi, too young and frail to overcome the bacterial and fungal infections attacking her, died on 6/20/13, another victim of the squab industry.

If you can, please join us tomorrow, Saturday June 8th at 2 PM for our second annual event This Flock Rocks! We would love to see you and thank you in person.

Join us for lots of fun!

If you can’t come tomorrow, please make a donation that will earn an extra 50% Bonus Match from GlobalGiving this Wednesday morning June 12th (Bonus Match funds run out early).

Earn a 50% Bonus Match for donations made Wednesday morning 6/12

And have a very happy International Pigeon Day on Thursday, June 13th!

MickaCoo and baby Rumi and so many others thank you.

On August 29th, 2012, Petal, a young king pigeon found stray three weeks earlier in Golden Gate Park, had developed neurological issues and was scheduled for shelter euthanasia. MickaCoo picked her up and took her into our foster care instead.

Petal at the shelter

While there are good arguments to be made for triaging in rescue, MickaCoo has chosen not only to accept the injured and sick birds but to prioritize their intake. We do so knowing these birds will cost the most money, require the most care, bring the most heartache and take the longest to adopt. But they are the birds that need us the most. Healthy birds are sometimes adopted from shelters (more and more these days!) but the sick and injured are still more likely to be euthanized in a shelter than they are to receive avian vet care, regardless of the treatability of their condition.

Petal in loving hands

Petal was supported and nurtured and recovered her ability to self-feed. She put on weight and got feisty. Her torticollis (neck twisting) persisted though and prevented her from progressing into an aviary (where she would have been bullied) and so her foster mom, Cheryl, continued to care for her as an indoor bird.

On October 7th, Cheryl picked up another death-row bird, this one timed out at the San Jose shelter and with no where else to go. She named him Wyatt.

Wyatt welcomed to his foster home

Upon examination, we discovered that Wyatt had been injured and stitched up.

Wyatt’s stitches were a surprise

Injured racing pigeons are typically sewn up by their owners but the risk for infection is very high (and can be deadly). We took Wyatt to be examined by Dr. Speer at Medical Center for Birds for assurance that he was healing properly. Happily, he was.

Dr. Speer examines Wyatt

Fostered in Cheryl’s bird room, Petal & Wyatt had started flirting through the cage bars pretty much from the start. When they were introduced, they immediately declared themselves engaged and, almost as quickly, married.

Wyatt & Petal share a romantic bath

Wyatt is a very sweet, gentle homer (as they so often are) and he never gets impatient with his special wife Petal. They are an adorable couple. They are happy to be alive and grateful to MickaCoo’s supporters for saving them when their lives depended on it.

Because Petal’s neurological symptoms are aggravated by tension and excitement, she needs a mellow and easy going environment. We think she and Wyatt would be fine in a small aviary with another gentle pigeon couple or, of course, as cherished indoor pets. They need a home. They are ready for a home. Other birds, in trouble like these two once were, need their foster spot.

Petal & Wyatt are totally adorable

It’s not hard to provide a wonderful, happy life for a pair of pigeons. And MickaCoo will show you how and hold your hand throughout. And the pigeons will teach you too. To adopt, please complete our online application. To make a donation in support of this unique rescue, please visit our Donate Page.

Thank you.

Polka Dot the self-rescuing racer

Last October, an exhausted racing pigeon limped into Laurie’s kitchen through her cat door. Laurie was quite surprised to find him there. But Laurie is an animal lover who rescues cats and has volunteered with wildlife rescue and she knew that this brave little bird needed help. She delivered him to WildCare (who kindly took him in despite his being domestic) but fretted knowing that once he healed up, if not claimed, he’d be transferred to a shelter and perhaps killed for lack of an adopter. Coincidentally, Laurie had just met Linda, one of MickaCoo’s volunteers, and the flock that she fosters in her beautiful backyard aviary. Laurie reached out to Linda and Linda put Laurie and I in touch.

Of course, MickaCoo was full with a waiting list so taking Laurie’s self-rescuing pigeon into our care wouldn’t be easy but I gladly talked with Laurie about how she could provide a home for the racer when he was ready to leave WildCare.

By mid-November, the self-rescuing racer was doing well and Laurie had decided that she just might want to create an aviary for him. I had the pleasure of doing a home visit with her in December. I brought along rescued King Pigeon Olivia to assist and we talked about all kinds of lovely aviary possibilities that could be created.

Laurie Meets Olivia

Gary & Olivia making friends

Gary & Laurie in the spot that will become Polka Dot’s aviary

As things often do, it took a little longer than planned but by January 30th, Laurie’s beautiful new aviary was ready and she went to WildCare to pick up not only her self-rescuing racer, but also a little Birmingham Roller that had bonded with him through their cage bars. She named them Polka Dot and Pansy.

I was there to help introduce them to their new home (!!!) and it was an amazing afternoon. Polka Dot, the racer, is male and Pansy, the roller, is female and they were married within their first hour together in their incredible new aviary.

A beautiful, safe home

Polka Dot & Pansy fell in love while healing at WildCare

Pansy, rescued thanks to Polka Dot

I call it the Aviary that Polka Dot Built. Not only did he rescue himself by walking into exactly the right cat door, but he also rescued Pansy! And his amazing feats continue! On April 13th, Laurie spent her first day as a MickaCoo volunteer doing Pigeon Diplomacy with Jill at the Berkeley Bay Festival.

Shadow showing off her Pigeon Diplomacy

Laurie is a natural Pigeon Ambassador

And Laurie is an award-winning artisanal perfumer and the owner of Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery. She’s writing about Polka Dot and pigeon rescue in her blog!

Laurie’s story

And she is donating a Custom Perfumery Experience to benefit MickaCoo (more details to come soon)!

Custom Perfume Adventure

AND Laurie has opened her heart and home to foster two of MickaCoo’s pigeons, Lulu & Ed, in her beautiful patio aviary!

Foster pigeons Ed & Lulu

The good life

Jill & Laurie- MickaCoo friendships flourish

Self-rescuing pigeon Polka Dot is what we call a SUPER Bird! He makes me smile just thinking about him. And he has a perfect view of that fateful cat door and his beloved Laurie from his aviary. I think that makes him smile.

SUPER Polka Dot!

Laurie (with Olivia) at the cat door

Thank you Polka Dot & Laurie! MickaCoo is so lucky to have you in the family.

Readers- please help support MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue: Donate, Shop, Sponsor a bird.