SF SPCA Partners with MIckaCoo to Foster Rescued Pigeons!
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On 3/17/11, SPCA Humane Education staffers Jen & Lauren helped me to introduce three king pigeons that had been picked up as strays and were patiently waiting in their cages at SF Animal Care & Control to be rescued and provided with a foster home.
These two, named Oswald & Nigella by SFACC volunteers, were found together wandering around lost, hungry and about to be eaten by predators on 3/11 at Candlestick Park. Animal Control Officer Ellie Sandler and her colleagues were able to catch them which, I know from experience, is very challenging. Kings can't fly well enough to escape hawks but they fly better than people and so are nearly impossible to catch out in an open area.
This is what stray king pigeons look like at Candlestick Park. You never realize how big the sky is until you're trying to rescue a stray bird.
And this is what king pigeons usually end up looking like when people "set them free". Dead.
Another Animal Control Officer was called out to rescue this king pigeon from in front of Biordi at Columbus & Vallejo in North Beach on 3/14. Volunteers named her London and she's in much better shape than Oswald & Nigella (who will transform into gorgeous, dignified birds now that they are in healthy conditions and getting proper care.) I conservatively guesstimate that fewer than 1 out of 10 released Bay Area king pigeons survives long enough out in the world to get rescued. (If you see a baby pigeon being sold for meat and you want to help it, do NOT buy it and release it. That is a very cruel fate. And don't just take it to the shelter for someone else to help. Get involved. It takes a lot of time and money and hard work to find good homes for these birds!)
So this trio is exceptionally lucky to have escaped being butchered as squab and to have survived being alone and vulnerable out in the world and to have escaped being put to sleep for lack of an adopter which is what happens to king pigeons at SFACC if MickaCoo doesn't rescue them.
And, as full as we are with more than 300 rescued pigeons and doves in our foster care, the only reason that MickaCoo was able to save these birds is because the SF SPCA has signed on as a foster partner.
And, as full as we are with more than 300 rescued pigeons and doves in our foster care, the only reason that MickaCoo was able to save these birds is because the SF SPCA has signed on as a foster partner.
THANK YOU, SF SPCA!
To learn more about the SF SPCA's Humane Education Programs, please contact Jen Craft at jcraft@sfspca.org
To adopt a rescued pigeon or dove, please complete our online application.
To donate to MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue, please visit our DONATION link.
To buy MickaCoo Gear including T-shirts, mugs and hoodies, please visit our online store. ($5 for every item purchased goes to support MickaCoo.)
3/23/11 UPDATE: I stopped by for a quick check-in on Wednesday and the report that I got is that the SF/SPCA staff and students all really love the king pigeons! I really love the artwork they've inspired! The pigeons really love having a nice big, safe coop and compassionate people to care for them.
3/23/11 UPDATE: I stopped by for a quick check-in on Wednesday and the report that I got is that the SF/SPCA staff and students all really love the king pigeons! I really love the artwork they've inspired! The pigeons really love having a nice big, safe coop and compassionate people to care for them.
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