the rescue report: NEVER BUY & RELEASE BIRDS! (Please Share & Cross-post)

I just got a call from a nice employee at Evergreen Cemetery that managed to save 6 of a flock of white doves "released" at a funeral. The mourners had to pull them out of the cage and throw them in the air but even so, only a few flew anywhere (they knew they weren't safe). One was hawk-struck, another run over... others flew away (but they won't survive).

We all know people who will be having weddings, funerals, graduations and other ceremonies and rituals...

Never buy and release birds for weddings, funerals, prayers, blessings, as a "kind act" or other ceremonies. White doves and other birds (like king pigeons) sold to you have NO homing or survival skills and will suffer and die, bringing neither joy nor honor to any occasion.

Releasing store-bought birds is both cruel and illegal.

If someone must release live birds, they need to hire a humane and responsible professional who will release trained white homing pigeons, 95% of whom will survive and get home (as opposed to the 0% who survive being store-bought and "released"). Note: MickaCoo recommends against using animals at all. We have rescued plenty of lost and/or injured white homing pigeons too.)

Dying in Dozens: Fancy Pigeons "Released" Dying in Park 8/22/14

(Read the story of a Woman Who Waded into the Jordan River to Save a Dove Discarded by Clergy)

This is a white homing pigeon (not a dove) and hopefully it made its way home.

If someone must release live birds, hire a humane and responsible professional with trained white homing pigeons.

Most of the king pigeons and other domestic birds "released" into parks aren't rescued. These were.

After watching yet another one of these innocent victims die, I posted this on Craigslist:

To the well-intended but misguided people who buy baby king pigeons (squab) from live poultry markets and "set them free"- don't! You are just killing them in another (and not very merciful) way. These baby birds have no survival skills and, even if they were to live to adulthood, they still won't. They are DOMESTIC. They are preyed upon by hawks, gulls, ravens, dogs, cats, raccoons, mean people and hit by cars if they don't starve or die from disease. (If you eat squab- beware. The majority of the baby king pigeons- squab- that live long enough to make it to an animal shelter are sick- from Trichomoniasis, PMV, chlamydophilia and more.)

I was contacted by the shelter again today to try and save one of these poor, sweet creatures but she died within the hour. She was 5 weeks old. If you want to help king pigeons, do something meaningful. Volunteer at the shelter. Protest live animal sales. Donate. Adopt some and provide them with the decent life they deserve. But please please please don't buy them and "set them free" in the parks thinking you have helped them. You haven't. You have put them in an even worse predicament than they already were (as bad as that was).

Here's a picture of today's victim (found in MacLaren Park a week ago and kept until her inability to breathe got her finder to take her to the animal shelter). Despite our best efforts, she was too sick to be saved. And here are pictures of what happens to many of the others "set free".

Please- RELEASING BABY KING PIGEONS (AND ANY OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMAL) IS MURDER. Don't do it.

"Released" store bought birds have no homing skills and no survival skills. They are quickly killed by hawks, ravens, gulls, dogs, cats, raccoons, mean people and cars.