# *****, my one-eyed feral piggie



## whitetail (Apr 17, 2008)

Hi Everyone,

I want to share my story of ***** with you. He was a feral who came to me 2 years ago. After about 6 months he injured his eye and had to have it removed; I nursed him for 5 weeks until the vet told me he was fine to be released. I have a group of about 10 that I care for and feed. I knew he was vulnerable with half his vision gone and many may say that I was crazy to release him but I really wanted him to have his pigeon life back. It took him more than a year to find a girl but he finally did, Lily is her name and she adored him. Two weeks ago he never came back and I new that the day I dreaded had come, he was gone. I know his death is probably due to his lack of vision but I don't regret giving him his feral pigeon life back and I'm sure that's the way he wanted it as well.

I share this story because I want people to know that a one-eyed pigeon can manage with one eye, ***** did for 18 months; you just have to make sure that food is always available for them so that they don't expose themselves to unnecessary danger.

I love and miss my *****.

Thank you to all that care and love pigeons.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Sorry for your loss. It is always hard, no matter what the circumstances. I personally think you did the right thing by letting him go after he was healed. The fact that he had 18 months of freedom, plus a mate, is wonderful. I have seen crows, a blue jay, fox, coyotes, and unfortunately for me, a skunk, who have all suffered eye, leg, or some other devastating injury not only survive, but thrive because they were returned to the wild after treatment. Good luck with your other birds, and thanks for caring enough to have treated him for 5 weeks.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Thanks for sharing your experience. That you invested in his health and cared for him clearly shows that you have great love for your Pigeon friends.

IMHO, I don't consider a one-eyed Feral releasable. Not criticizing you. I am perhaps criticizing your vet a little more so...

It is hard to say whether ***** thrived or struggled with his handicap. Most definitely, Whitetail, yours was a special instance in that (as you say) you provided your buddies with a regular, consistent, reliable food and water source...which certainly made it easier on him. And I would agree with you...18 months after such an injury was a true gift for your friend.

But in a different, more common Feral context and situation ~ in the absence of everything you provided the Flock on a daily basis ~ I don't think ***** would have lasted very long at all...and it would have been quite a difficult and short existence without your friendship and aid.

I just don't want anyone to necessarily interpret your experience with equaling:

"it is fine to release a healed Feral with a significantly compromising injury".
There's a distinction between the two, I think.


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## whitetail (Apr 17, 2008)

Hi,

Thank you for your replies. I know it's a difficult dilemma "to release" or "not to release". With all his friends coming in and out it would have been misery for him to have been trapped, he would not have had quality of life. It's true, I have no idea what his struggles may have been. One of my vets said to put him down and there was no way in the world I would have done that to him; the other vet said that he'd manage ok being free. In the end I felt it was quality of life that mattered most, that's what I would have chosen for myself. True, if you are going to release a vulnerable one you have to be at their full disposition which is what I did, if I hadn't he would not have lasted long. It's a difficult situation and I hope I don't have another one like it again.
Thanks and good luck!


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