Izzy & Kizzie

On Saturday, February 28th, I had the pleasure of going to SF ACC to help with a Smalls & Exotics (the animals, not the people) Volunteer Orientation. It is so encouraging to have a steady stream of new volunteers getting involved! Volunteers spend time socializing the rabbits and rats, visiting with the budgies and pigeons, and just all-around helping this very busy organization to take care of and to comfort the many sad, frightened and unwanted pets that it helps every single day.



While there, I did a wellness check on all the birds and there were lots. Several quail, hens, a GORGEOUS rooster named Mr. Dottie, a blue-crowned conure named Rico, a plucked Congo African Grey that looked (and acted) like a fuzzy little monkey (both of whom are now fostered by Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue) and, of course, lots of king pigeons.

While taking pictures and checking on everybody, I came across a pair of baby pigeons (about 4 weeks old), one of which was gasping to breathe.



I contacted the Animal Care Director about the sick squeaker (that's what baby pigeons are called) and made arrangements to pull it and its cage mate from the shelter and take them on as fosters so that they could get immediate vet care. With the shelter's limited resources, their only choice would be to euthanize a sick pigeon but, thanks to the support of MickaCoo's donors, I was able to rush them to an avian vet where they tried to stabilize the poor thing with oxygen.

I named the sick, gasping one Izzy and his young, big-nosed friend, Kizzie. Unfortunately, Izzy was found to have an advanced case of Trichomoniasis (also called canker in pigeons) and the plaques were blocking his trachea which was why he was gasping to breathe. I was facing the likelihood of having to have him euthanized (because of the low likelihood of being able to successfully treat)when he died, under anesthesia, during the endoscopic exam. Even so, the care he received (oxygen, on-site lab tests, anesthesia, endoscopy, cremation) cost over $400. Click here (and scroll down to where it says "How can I help?") to make a donation towards Izzy's care.

Izzy had been found, with Kizzie, just the day before at the intersection of 19th & Dolores in SF and brought in by ACC Animal Control Officers. Poor little things were just dumped out there, sick and with no ability to survive. So cruel. If you've ever met a baby pigeon, you know how sensitive and sweet and needy they are. They must have been terrified (not to mention hungry, cold, scared, confused, miserable, etc. etc.) And, if you haven't met a baby pigeon, you should. Go to any local animal shelter or wildlife rescue and look for the pigeons with beaks that are WAY, WAY too big for their little faces and that squeak like mice. Look into their eyes and prepare to fall in love.



Kizzie, luckily for her, was in much better condition and her Trich has been treated. She's underweight and a filthy mess but breathing fine and doing really well in the kitchen-counter hospital.

She's had a couple of baths in the six days she's been here and is looking better every day. She's putting on weight and is really adorable. She arrived fully able to eat seeds and feed herself but, having discovered that my fingers are remotely like a parent bird's beak, has joyfully regressed and insists that I hand feed her, a lot. Which I do. Poor thing. I'm happy to indulge her with a little comfort food.






Today was a big day because she came outside to the loft with me and met the big pigeons. She met the bullies (Dill, Smokey, Tony) and the Romeo (Santino) as well as someone smaller than her (Bean) and a protector (Country).





She's back in the cozy safety of her hospital crate and will spend a little more time out there tomorrow. She's growing up fast but for now, she's still just a squeaker and it's time to snuggle.