All the time and still not enough time...
My friends and loved ones have been listening to me explain how I am going to reduce my pigeon rescue efforts, take care of other much-neglected business, get some balance back, etc. etc. for many months now. The end of 2009 was really, REALLY supposed to show a shift. I've been girding myself for when the king pigeons in Bay Area animal shelters time out and will have to be euthanized for lack of space and want of adopters. And I put out the word calling for volunteers to help (Outreach Coordinator! Fund Raiser- only $20K/year! Dove Coordinator! Pigeon Coordinator!) and, while I've been doing more pij stuff these first 11 days of the new year than ever, I am THRILLED to report that MickaCoo adopter and volunteer Barna has signed on to coordinate our outreach and website efforts! And every day, despite still being a looooong way from any sort of balance, I am honored by the level of support that comes to me and these sweet, innocent homeless birds. If you'd like more information about how to get involved, please E-mail me at AdoptKings@gmail.com.
Sunday morning, January 3, I received a call from a worried lady about a "big, white, injured bird" that had been hiding under the patio furniture on her deck for the past 24 hours. I went to pick it up and had the pleasure of meeting Balbina, her husband Marcos and their guest, Clarita. Clarita had indeed been injured and would not have survived had it not been for Balbina's efforts to get care for her. She's recovering in my downstairs pigeon hospital and is lately courting with flightless racer Frankie.
January third was a very busy pigeon day. I was gifted with a visit from Suzanne and Barney who have decided to build a 20' x 16' aviary in their backyard to help house rescued king pigeons! I told them pinch me because I know that I must be dreaming. But no- it's true and they came to see my pigeon coop and to meet some birds. Of course, Squeak made a very positive impression. Suzanne and Barney are getting guidance from Diane- another pigeon rescuer that built a beautiful backyard aviary for king pigeons and from professional aviary builder and Mickaboo supporter Nyla Copp of Birdie Buddy.
Also on the third, I went to SFACC to check on the many king pigeons that had piled up (having been found here and there as helpless strays wandering the streets of SF- hungry and at grave risk). They had eleven, some there for as long as a month without being adopted, and the birds were running out of time and facing euthanasia in the coming days. I checked them over, sprayed and wormed everybody and pulled two sick youngsters, Bo and Spirit, for foster care and continued my efforts to try and find homes for the others...
The good news-bad news equation continued in that a lovely family drove all the way up from Palo Alto to meet me and pick out a pair of king pigeons to adopt- they've given a home to Scooter and Truffles.
That night, king pigeon rescuer and MickaCoo foster, donor, volunteer Cheryl, went out to celebrate her birthday at a Mexican restaurant in Pacifica and, as they were pulling into the parking lot, was greeted by the sight of an exhausted and lost king pigeon walking sadly down the dark sidewalk. Before the car came to a full stop, Cheryl had jumped out and began organizing her friends to help corral the bird so that she could catch it and save it from a pitiful death. The lucky birthday bird is now named Jan and spent a few days with my recuperating fosters while Cheryl went about getting another flight cage and making a home for this miracle. Cheryl said she felt like she was a new mom setting up the nursery.
On January 4, MickaCoo foster Loreli drove from her home halfway to SF and met me in Fairfield to take over care for Spirit, the young king with a nasty chest cold, and Bo joined all the other recovering and/or frail pij currently living in a downstairs room.
Thanks to another miracle, a long-distance adopter came forward and completed the application and approval process and paid to ship the flock of eight king pigeons (including Brutis, Jade, Mei Mei and Barley) to join their king pigeon flock- just in time to save the pigeons that were out of time at SFACC.
On Tuesday, January 5, the happy, healthy, recovered-from-the-streets flock of eight kings that had generously been fostered by the Marin Humane Society since October, was shipped to their forever home in Georgia. They arrived safe and sound 40 hours later and are doing great.
And still another miracle saved the lives of 16 doves that were timed out and scheduled for euthanasia at the San Jose Animal Control Shelter. Mickaboo volunteer, foster, and cage coordinator Ms. Mary and friends transported and assembled a heavy metal Rubik's cube of a donated flight cage to provide a foster home for them while adopters can be found. The flock also includes MickaCoo's 6 foster doves that were staying at Andy's and a little one-winged dove named Nemo by Mary's kids.
I was thrilled to meet SFACC's new Small Animal volunteers, Evelyn and Adam while at the shelter on Saturday and gave them a quick Pigeon 101.
Volunteers are critical to the socialization and well-being of all the many shelter animals. Volunteers walk and train dogs, amuse and entertain the cats and get the bunnies, rats, mice, guinea pigs and even the chickens out for some exercise and TLC. Click here to learn more about becoming an SFACC volunteer.
On Sunday, Cheryl and I went to SFACC to pick up their nine king pigeons so that they wouldn't have to be euthanized. We transferred the (relatively) hale and hearty ones to the Marin Humane Society and brought two compromised birds, Teddy and Rio, home for foster and vet care.
And of course I still have a too-crowded pigeon coop in my backyard filled with all kinds of amazing characters in search of wonderful, forever homes. Click here to see who and to adopt.
Sunday morning, January 3, I received a call from a worried lady about a "big, white, injured bird" that had been hiding under the patio furniture on her deck for the past 24 hours. I went to pick it up and had the pleasure of meeting Balbina, her husband Marcos and their guest, Clarita. Clarita had indeed been injured and would not have survived had it not been for Balbina's efforts to get care for her. She's recovering in my downstairs pigeon hospital and is lately courting with flightless racer Frankie.
January third was a very busy pigeon day. I was gifted with a visit from Suzanne and Barney who have decided to build a 20' x 16' aviary in their backyard to help house rescued king pigeons! I told them pinch me because I know that I must be dreaming. But no- it's true and they came to see my pigeon coop and to meet some birds. Of course, Squeak made a very positive impression. Suzanne and Barney are getting guidance from Diane- another pigeon rescuer that built a beautiful backyard aviary for king pigeons and from professional aviary builder and Mickaboo supporter Nyla Copp of Birdie Buddy.
Also on the third, I went to SFACC to check on the many king pigeons that had piled up (having been found here and there as helpless strays wandering the streets of SF- hungry and at grave risk). They had eleven, some there for as long as a month without being adopted, and the birds were running out of time and facing euthanasia in the coming days. I checked them over, sprayed and wormed everybody and pulled two sick youngsters, Bo and Spirit, for foster care and continued my efforts to try and find homes for the others...
The good news-bad news equation continued in that a lovely family drove all the way up from Palo Alto to meet me and pick out a pair of king pigeons to adopt- they've given a home to Scooter and Truffles.
That night, king pigeon rescuer and MickaCoo foster, donor, volunteer Cheryl, went out to celebrate her birthday at a Mexican restaurant in Pacifica and, as they were pulling into the parking lot, was greeted by the sight of an exhausted and lost king pigeon walking sadly down the dark sidewalk. Before the car came to a full stop, Cheryl had jumped out and began organizing her friends to help corral the bird so that she could catch it and save it from a pitiful death. The lucky birthday bird is now named Jan and spent a few days with my recuperating fosters while Cheryl went about getting another flight cage and making a home for this miracle. Cheryl said she felt like she was a new mom setting up the nursery.
On January 4, MickaCoo foster Loreli drove from her home halfway to SF and met me in Fairfield to take over care for Spirit, the young king with a nasty chest cold, and Bo joined all the other recovering and/or frail pij currently living in a downstairs room.
Thanks to another miracle, a long-distance adopter came forward and completed the application and approval process and paid to ship the flock of eight king pigeons (including Brutis, Jade, Mei Mei and Barley) to join their king pigeon flock- just in time to save the pigeons that were out of time at SFACC.
On Tuesday, January 5, the happy, healthy, recovered-from-the-streets flock of eight kings that had generously been fostered by the Marin Humane Society since October, was shipped to their forever home in Georgia. They arrived safe and sound 40 hours later and are doing great.
And still another miracle saved the lives of 16 doves that were timed out and scheduled for euthanasia at the San Jose Animal Control Shelter. Mickaboo volunteer, foster, and cage coordinator Ms. Mary and friends transported and assembled a heavy metal Rubik's cube of a donated flight cage to provide a foster home for them while adopters can be found. The flock also includes MickaCoo's 6 foster doves that were staying at Andy's and a little one-winged dove named Nemo by Mary's kids.
I was thrilled to meet SFACC's new Small Animal volunteers, Evelyn and Adam while at the shelter on Saturday and gave them a quick Pigeon 101.
Volunteers are critical to the socialization and well-being of all the many shelter animals. Volunteers walk and train dogs, amuse and entertain the cats and get the bunnies, rats, mice, guinea pigs and even the chickens out for some exercise and TLC. Click here to learn more about becoming an SFACC volunteer.
On Sunday, Cheryl and I went to SFACC to pick up their nine king pigeons so that they wouldn't have to be euthanized. We transferred the (relatively) hale and hearty ones to the Marin Humane Society and brought two compromised birds, Teddy and Rio, home for foster and vet care.
And of course I still have a too-crowded pigeon coop in my backyard filled with all kinds of amazing characters in search of wonderful, forever homes. Click here to see who and to adopt.
posted by Elizabeth at
1:07 PM
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