Found pet pigeons-need guidance

[ShelbyG]

Thanks Cathy and Lady Tarheel for your great comments. I've been in touch with Treesa several times online and offline the last few days and she has been a tremendous help. We've considered a number of factors when looking for a good home for these guys, certainly not just distance. She's actually closer than I thought! : ) And from both your comments and my own experience, I know she is a great birdmom.

Today I spoke offline with another NPA member. He was extremely dismayed to hear of the situation so far. He's affliated with the NPA Juniors program and takes demonstration pigeons to schools and other public events to introduce people to pigeon raising. This afternoon we met this gentlemen at his home and checked out his aviary, which includes not just other pigeons but other pet birds as well. They were all active and seemed healthy and happy.

This gentlemen is going to care for the pigeons and hopefully include them with his demonstration team after they're quarantined. He assured me that they are apparently healthy, and very lovely, so he's inclined to believe they may have been escapees, which is something helmets are adept at. I have his word that they won't be returned to the breeder, and he knows that I'll be following up to monitor the birds, per Treesa's suggestion. : )

I was gratified that this person was also very interested in sharing this story with his NPA colleagues and is planning an online article on the pidges in the next few days, based in part on my notes and a print out of this thread. : ) We talked pretty extensively about how the NPA is encouraging breeders to be more proactive in helping rescue/re-home lost pigeons and and understand how their behavior affects public perception of the group. I have a much better appreciation for the organization, thanks to Cathy and this gentleman. He knows the original person I dealt with too, and tells me he'll have some personal feedback for him.

Whew! Hopefully anyone still reading this long thread realizes that after 5 days with these guys, I wouldn't just dump them somewhere I didn't feel confident they would be safe and taken care of. Again, I just want to thank everyone for all their comments, suggestions and just the moral support of the last five days. I think its a happy ending for them and also a growing experience for me-I'm now looking at volunteering with our local sanctuary and as a foster mom with the local bird rescue with birdies a little closer in size to my own.

Thanks everyone!
Shelby G

[Lovebirds]

That's great news. I've followed the thread, just couldn't be of any help really since I'm WAY up in VA........
The man who took these birds sounds like a great guy and hopefully he'll do what he said he would do in regards to the owner and the NPA in general. ALL of the pigeon orgs need a boot in the butt once in a while.

[Lady Tarheel]

Shelby, congratulations on your being able to place these little ones with someone who sounds like he will take good care of them. It is nice you'll be able to keep tabs on them.

[Birdmom4ever]

Thank you for the wonderful update, Shelby. The gentleman you spoke to sounds great--I'm sure he wouldn't offer to take the birds if he didn't care. I know there are some NPA members who do pigeon education demonstrations in schools because there was an article about it in a recent NPA quarterly magazine. He must be one of them. I'm also encouraged that he's going to talk to the breeder you spoke to originally and make your story known in an on-line article. I'm so relieved there is a happy ending.

[Reti]

You did a wonderful job, Shelby. You took great care of those pijies while in your care and went above and beyond to find them a good home.

Reti

[TAWhatley]

Good job, Shelby! This is great news, and I'm so glad you found a good home for the birds. If you would, please drop a line to 911 Pigeon Alert with how to contact the man who adopted the birds .. we need to have that in our records.

I had already dropped some strong hints to my contact at the AHA about how poorly the breeder had dealt with this situation. Hopefully my guy will also look into things and see to it that the members are more responsible and thoughtful in the future.

Terry

[TAWhatley]

http://www.intl-esftumbler-society.o...ese_two_bi.htm

Terry

[horsesgot6]

Thanks Terry For posting That Link.

[Trees Gray]

Shelby went way beyond the call of duty, and did her best to find them a home more local. I was extrememly happy the birds have a "happy ending."

I'm also glad to see this subject is now addressed on the link.

Thank you Terry, for posting the link, and thank you Shelby for taking the responsiblity for these birds, that the owner/owners wouldn't.

[Birdmom4ever]

Great site--I'm so glad that gentleman is getting the word out. Thank you again Shelby for all you did for these little pigeons.