Dear Abby Disaster

[trailbound]

http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/?uc_full_date=20080428 Of interest to ALL white "Dove" release companies and lofts, Dear Abby made a terrible mistake yesterday when she published the above article, titled:
Certain death, not Freedom, Follows the Release of a Dove. I have responded to her article, anybody else out there with a release business may want to do the same. I can't beleive she did not research the topic a bit more before spouting off after talking to some idiot at a zoo. Why would she not go directly to one of these release businesses, we would have given her the "real" story. Damage Control has kicked in to high gear at my house. Hope I do not see any cancellations on reservations that have been made. Thanks Dear Abby...
Kelley

[Feefo]

I can undertsand our fury, but unfortunately "dear Abby" is not completely wrong.

Although you have not said so I gather that you do white dove releases using white homing pigeons rather than domestic doves, which is great.

It is, unfortunately, true that people will release white doves that have no homing experience and no experience at all of living in the wild, and they will get run down, drowned and starved. If you go through the archives you will find many threads where rescuers have found unprofessional "white dove release" victims. It is heartbreaking when this happens.

The company that provided me with my aviaries tell me that they regularly get funeral directors buying white doves for release. When they are asked what will become of the dove they shrug and say that they assume they will join a feral flock somewhere.

I know that people that do irresponsible releases give professionals a bad name, I hope that professionals will take it upon themselves to give those that do irresponsible releases a bad name.

This link provides a balanced explanation of releases, perhaps "Aunt Abby" should be directed to it:

http://rockdoves.blogspot.com/2006_02_01_archive.html

Cynthia

[Trees Gray]

I'm sorry to hear this, it is unfair to those in the release business who have trained their birds correctly and are humane and caring.

There is another side to the coin, however, and I have/had several white lost rescue's who were involved in a release to prove it.

Abby should have emphasized that people do their homework and look for a good reputable release business and ask questions, instead of using the "fly by night" (no pun intended) businesses, who are there for a quick buck.

[re lee]

If trained right and from decent stock White homers will get home. NOw poor stock lack of training they do not. But if you look at the short distance most these birds have to fly. The lost ones are from poor stock or not trained well. That article is wrong And should be retracked. But if some unaware person uses real doves They have made a big mistake knowing these doves do not come home.

[Lovebirds]

The article is not wrong and it shouldn't be retracted. The problem with the article is that is only tells one side of the story. For every decent human being out there that truly does love and take care of his birds and runs his release business correctly, there's another person out there that just wants the money and could care less about the birds.
There's both kinds out there and nothing will every change that because there will always be those who see dollar signs and that's all.
Granted, the public needs to be educated, but, no matter how hard you try, that won't happen either.
Dear Abby needs to CORRECT the letter or add on to it the OTHER side of the "release" business.
That's just like some fanciers getting all pissed because people think that we kill birds that don't make it home.
Like it or not, it's the truth in some cases. It's not the WHOLE truth and we can't all be lumped into the same category, but human nature makes people believe the "worst" before they believe the "best" cause it's makes good conversation.

[jbangelfish]

Any responsible business owner who does this practice, uses white homing pigeons and they continue their business with the same birds over and over again. A friend of mine had a flock of white homers for this purpose.

There might be some idiot out there somewhere who uses white doves but I've never heard of any and they would soon be out of business as none of their birds will return home. It is sad to think that anyone could be this irresponsible and stupid but I'm sure it's been done.

When people train homing pigeons and race them, they don't always make it home. Some are lost to predators such as hawks and some get lost and become ferals. Should we ban racing? Not gonna happen.

If anyone finds someone stupid enough to release white ringneck doves, it would probably be easy to stop them by pointing out to the correct authorities that these are not wild native birds and most if not all of them would be doomed. I believe that it is illegal to release non native birds to the wild anyway.

I think the Dear Abby story is misinformed nonsense. Most people do not know the difference between a pigeon and a dove and the white bird (everyone thinks it's a dove) holds many symbolic references for a number of reasons.

Bill

[re lee]

If the article is not on the wrong track. The why not lump in 75% of the race people Because about 75% sell junk birds for decent money by using a pedigree that shows some great grand father was a great race bird. They do this for money. Then the true breeders that sell decent birds get hurt by reflection of these others. But in real sence Most people hate pigeons because they know nothing about them rather then seeing them as pests. And most people do not know white dove release birds are in fact pigeons. Yes some that do white dove releases have crossed there birds thinking it helps them circle the release point longer. and they reduce the homing strength of the birds. They loose birds. But agin breed the birds right train them right less birds ever would get lost as most dove releases are near there home Not over 50 miles. And yes most all race people get rid of there birds that do not perform well. And most all race people keep there better birds. Then Each year thousands of race birds are lost in the skies never to return home. But that is a hidden side to pigeon keeping the thousands of birds that are lost the thousands of birds that are detroyed and the thousands of birds that are soldd to people that believed they were getting good birds. It all boils down to pigeons get a bad rap support the bad rap and it gets worse tell the truth and people get upset. The pigeon hobby is dieing each year To me this atricle helps kill the hobby a little more.

[SmithFamilyLoft]

Originally Posted by trailbound

http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/?uc_full_date=20080428 Of interest to ALL white "Dove" release companies and lofts, Dear Abby made a terrible mistake yesterday when she published the above article, titled:
Certain death, not Freedom, Follows the Release of a Dove. I have responded to her article, anybody else out there with a release business may want to do the same. I can't beleive she did not research the topic a bit more before spouting off after talking to some idiot at a zoo. Why would she not go directly to one of these release businesses, we would have given her the "real" story. Damage Control has kicked in to high gear at my house. Hope I do not see any cancellations on reservations that have been made. Thanks Dear Abby...
Kelley

I would think that the "White Dove" release business, could help clear up this confusion by not calling white homing (racing) pigeons, "White Dove's". They have contributed to the confusion.

I didn't think real people actually read the "Dear Abby" section of the newspaper. I oftened wondered about people who went to the newspaper for personal advice. But if that is where your clients are coming from, then you have your work cut out for you.

[jbangelfish]

Originally Posted by SmithFamilyLoft

I would think that the "White Dove" release business, could help clear up this confusion by not calling white homing (racing) pigeons, "White Dove's". They have contributed to the confusion.

I didn't think real people actually read the "Dear Abby" section of the newspaper. I oftened wondered about people who went to the newspaper for personal advice. But if that is where your clients are coming from, then you have your work cut out for you.

A white pigeon would disgust many of the persons who request this. Tell them it's a dove and they are happy. People never cease to amaze me.

Bill

[DEEJAY7950]

Ok I read the first post and see nothing wrong in informing people that the release of white doves is wrong! Maybe it's time to inform people that the "white dove release businesses" are really releasing white homing pigeons instead of insisting to call their businesses " White dove releases" which we all know is a misrepresentation of the fact! people get the idea " hey i can save money by buying a few white doves at the local pet shop and release them at the wedding myself" not realizing the harm they are doing! So first look to ourselves for creating this sort of monster by calling something that it is not because people like the sound of "dove" and hate the thought of the word "pigeon" So lets quit throwing up smoke clouds and call a dove a dove and a homing pigeon a homing pigeon!