# injured pigeon shouldn't have been taken to the vet they put him down :'(



## humblestudent

hi everyone i am new here... i rescued an injured pigeon 2 days ago who was siting on the side of the road unable to fly or walk, and thinking it would be best for him, i took him to the vet.. they put him down.. i cried all night they told me he looks like he has 2 broken legs, and that even if i paid for vet bills they would not treat him well because he is a pigeon. and they also said that if i went to a wild life rescue place that they won't treat him as he is a pigeon. they said even if he gets treated he won't ever walk or fly again and its not worth keeping him in pain. she convienced me that there wasn't much else i could do for him. i later found out that broken legs are very common amongst pigeons and that vets often use broken legs and broken wings and other injuries as an excuse to euthanize. i cried all night thinking i should have brought him home and cared for him and maybe he would have healed.. he was such a cute and gentle young bird he still had his baby feathers on him.. from the moment i picked him up he never once tried to peck me... when i fed him water at first he resisted but very quickly learnt to drink from the water i gave him... i miss him even though i only knew him for an hour or so...

i regret and wished that i had found this forum before taking him to the vet.. i probably would not have taken him there. 

i am now considering owning a pet pigeon.. i'm not in any hurry... but maybe one day... can someone pls tell me if you can keep them on the balcony or toilet train them to live inside? i live in a small apartment in the city and i have 2 rabbits for pets. please tell me in as much information as you can? i know i will never bring him back... and this is only an idea for now. but i would like to find out as much as i can about them...

thank you...


----------



## whytwings

How unfortunate and a sad story , most vets will put down pigeons as they are considered an invasive species , in some states it is illegal to re release them . Avian vets are probably best qualified to help when a bird is injured like this ........ I'm sorry it ended the way it did .

You can keep a pigeon quite happily on a balcony aspect , there are a variety of cages to choose from , but often wider cages are better than those in height . A seed mix specific to the needs and diet of pigeons can easily be found at most fodder stores , usually around $1 or so a kilo . Pigeons also require a grit and cacium , crushed oyster shell will meet cacium requirements. You may have to alter the perch , pigeons like a wider and flatter surface to perch on and not those round ones designed for canarys and budgies .

Check that your body corp or building management permit this , there have been too many threads here with tenants being forced to remove their birds from their apartments .

By the way good job on trying to help , you saved the little one from a most unpleasant death on the road or in the gutter


----------



## spirit wings

humblestudent said:


> hi everyone i am new here... i rescued an injured pigeon 2 days ago who was siting on the side of the road unable to fly or walk, and thinking it would be best for him, i took him to the vet.. they put him down.. i cried all night they told me he looks like he has 2 broken legs, and that even if i paid for vet bills they would not treat him well because he is a pigeon. and they also said that if i went to a wild life rescue place that they won't treat him as he is a pigeon. they said even if he gets treated he won't ever walk or fly again and its not worth keeping him in pain. she convienced me that there wasn't much else i could do for him. i later found out that broken legs are very common amongst pigeons and that vets often use broken legs and broken wings and other injuries as an excuse to euthanize. i cried all night thinking i should have brought him home and cared for him and maybe he would have healed.. he was such a cute and gentle young bird he still had his baby feathers on him.. from the moment i picked him up he never once tried to peck me... when i fed him water at first he resisted but very quickly learnt to drink from the water i gave him... i miss him even though i only knew him for an hour or so...
> 
> i regret and wished that i had found this forum before taking him to the vet.. i probably would not have taken him there.
> 
> i am now considering owning a pet pigeon.. i'm not in any hurry... but maybe one day... can someone pls tell me if you can keep them on the balcony or toilet train them to live inside? i live in a small apartment in the city and i have 2 rabbits for pets. please tell me in as much information as you can? i know i will never bring him back... and this is only an idea for now. but i would like to find out as much as i can about them...
> 
> thank you...



If there is a next time take the bird to melbourne bird veterinarian. Dr colin walker is a pigeon/bird vet and has the Australian pigeon company. here is the link.....edit... see other posts before doing this. 



http://www.melbournebirdvet.com/


----------



## spiritflys

I am so sorry you had this experience. I can hear your genuine pain in your comments. But you did as best you knew how, and you trusted the vet, who wouldn't unless you had some expertise about pigeons and how vets who are not avian experts sometimes think (not worth saving). Thank you so much for helping the little guy. I well know your heartache from my own past experience. It is gut wrenching, I know, but remember, you helped and we all appreciate that you care. It is all a learning curve. I just went through a great loss 2 days ago, and I always find that going out and feeding some pigeons reminds me that the love goes on, and next time, maybe I can have the joy of helping a pigeon recover fully. Do not blame yourself, hon. lol


----------



## mrzeek

I had almost the same thing happen to me two years almost to the day. I found a pigeon by a dumpster that was skin and bones and could barely walk or fly. Every single vet i took him to told me not to bother, that it would be for the best. I refused, and now he is my little friend. Of course, every case is different. In a situation like yours, to make it work, you would have to take a week off to spend with the pij, come up with a homemade rig that would hold her up, etc. Its very sad, and i too learned not to trust everything a vet says, but at the very least you did the right thing by picking her up and not letting her die on the side of the road. There are many pijies in need of a good home that you can adopt. There is a great adoption agency in the bay area called mickacoo, and unless you find another injured pigeon, theyre good people to go through.


----------



## Woody Pigeon

even if i paid for vet bills they would not treat him well because he is a pigeon. and they also said that if i went to a wild life rescue place that they won't treat him as he is a pigeon. 
vets often use broken legs and broken wings and other injuries as an excuse to euthanize.










That vet disgusts me. No free, wild animal should be treated in that way. Technically, it counts as a hate crime doesn't it?


----------



## humblestudent

hey guys.. thanks so much for ur replies... i think of him often and have his picture as my facebook cover... if it happens again i wont b taking him to a regular vet that's for sure... thanks again xoxo


----------



## humblestudent




----------



## spirit wings

he looks young perhaps just out of the nest and not flying yet. so sad.


----------



## Feefo

I am sorry you wentthrough this experience, humblestudent, most of us had a similar experience when taking a rescue to a vet. Vets that don't care about pigeons don't get to learn enough about them to know what injuries or illnesses they survive. And even the compassionate ones don't have the opportunity to rehabilitate an injured bird and observe just how good pigeons are at surviving injuries.

*This link* to the story of Braveheart shows how one pigeon with two broken legs was treated.

As for Dr Colin Walker, although I admire his expertise I would not under any circumstances take a feral pigeon to him, he told our member Bella F that they should all be killed: *http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=524131&postcount=10*


----------



## spiritflys

Feefo, just sickening that an educated man who is in vet care would make such a statement as that! A POX ON HIM and his, man!


----------



## spirit wings

Feefo said:


> I am sorry you wentthrough this experience, humblestudent, most of us had a similar experience when taking a rescue to a vet. Vets that don't care about pigeons don't get to learn enough about them to know what injuries or illnesses they survive. And even the compassionate ones don't have the opportunity to rehabilitate an injured bird and observe just how good pigeons are at surviving injuries.
> 
> *This link* to the story of Braveheart shows how one pigeon with two broken legs was treated.
> 
> As for Dr Colin Walker, although I admire his expertise I would not under any circumstances take a feral pigeon to him, he told our member Bella F that they should all be killed: *http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=524131&postcount=10*


I think we need to hear from the person themselves before actually knowing this is true. I don't like second hand hearsy. I find it hard to believe a vet would say "they all should killed" perhaps before shaming someone it should be reported from himself.


----------



## spiritflys

People say many things over a telephone or confidentially they will never admit to, Spirit Wings. I just do not think someone as reliable and sound in mind as either Bella or Feefo have any reason to stretch the truth or put untrue words into a vet's mouth. I am sure they would LOVE to have another reliable vet to recommend if that vet proved trustworthy? Just my feelings on it.


----------



## Feefo

Thank you Spiritflys. 

Bella F's post (the link is in my original post) described her first hand experience so can't be dismissed as "hearsay". 

Spirit Wings, if you are concerned that Dr Colin Walker is being quoted incorrectly then why don't you e-mail him and ask if you can recommend him as a feral pigeon friendly vet for Australian members of this forum? I would be interested in seeing his reply.

Until I there is evidence to the contrary I won't "do nothing" and risk someone's rescue being killed unnecessarily by a vet *recommended* in the "wild and feral pigeons forum".


----------



## spirit wings

I totally understand and I will email to get a response. I have seen this vet recommended allot and not one word of this kill all ferals thing, so it is a surprize that it has not been mentioned before esp on PT. It is wise to know this about him if it is true.. which it seems that it is....thank you for the advice.


----------



## Feefo

I think I was the first to recommend him on the feral pigeon forum 

I rely a lot on his book and he has also advised me by e-mail, he is very knowledgeable but seriously focused on the successful breeding and racing of pigeons.


----------



## spiritflys

I am glad to hear that you will make that call, SpiritWings. I was going to make it, long distance and check this vet's attitude out, but will step aside since you will be doing that. Thank you.


----------



## spirit wings

I recieved an email from Dr. walker . he said, allot of his patients started out as feral and he treats them like anyother pet bird and they make great pets. He did direct me to information on his site that explaines how vets by law,can not treat and release invasive species so by law if someone reliquished a non native they by law have to do what it states, put it down. so the smart thing to do is call the bird your pet, give it a name, and then pay the bill and you can get treatment just as any other would. So him having to do things by the law is not the same as he hates all ferals and wants them dead.. Im sure he has done things on the postive he can not share.


----------



## Feefo

Thanks for doing that, Spiritwings, it is good to know that he will treat them and doesn't hate them.


----------



## Feefo

It would be interesting to see the whole e-mail. 

I gather that it is the *release* of non-native invasive species that is against the law, as it is in the UK, not the keeping of them ? If so does the surgery tell people that the bird will be euthanased if they relinquish it but that it will be treated if they keep it as a pet? 

And would Dr Walker treat a newly rescued pigeon that someone claims is a pet, but that is in a condition that no pet should be in?


----------



## spirit wings

Feefo said:


> It would be interesting to see the whole e-mail.
> 
> I gather that it is the *release* of non-native invasive species that is against the law, as it is in the UK, not the keeping of them ? If so does the surgery tell people that the bird will be euthanased if they relinquish it but that it will be treated if they keep it as a pet?
> 
> And would Dr Walker treat a newly rescued pigeon that someone claims is a pet, but that is in a condition that no pet should be in?


He treats pet birds so If the pigeon is called your pet and you pay the bill..it is treated. 

The information policy about wild birds and non-natives is right on the website for all to see. so as said. The smart thing to do is call the bird your pet..give it a name and pay the bill and it is treated.


----------



## spiritflys

I live in Canada and we have a pretty stringent Wildlife Law. However, sometimes an avian vet can get around some of those laws if he (or she) looks for a hoop-hole. For instance, in our wildlife act like most, all invasive species are not under its' umbrella, and that includes pigeons. We have the same laws about "ferals" but my vet found a loop-hole in that, if there is JUST ONE WHITE FEATHER located ANYWHERE on the pigeon, it is considered to be a DOMESTIC PIGEON, and not A FERAL, and a person CAN THEN BE IN POSSESSION OF THAT PIGEON. This law is because WHITE PIGEONS are not commonly found out in the wild, but are the result of cross-breeding, so a person may possess any pigeon with whilte located on it, even, as I say, just ONE white feather. If my vet can find a way, well, you know where I am going with this. Come on.......lol P.S. She also claims that she is studying pmv in ferals to find a treatment plan that will work on domestic pigeons, and that gives her some room to help.


----------



## Strider

I'm really sorry to hear what happened Humble...
I had a similar experience with my first rescue  . I nursed the pidge for a week to gain it's strength and then decided to seek the help of a vet. After releasing the bird to the receptionist and seeing the look on her face taking the bird to the back - I felt like I had made the wrong decision. Though the front desk assured me the bird would not be euthanised, the reaction of the receptionist who brought the bird to the back area scared me. I wanted to ask for the bird to be returned to my care, however I held my tongue and walked away like a coward. 
I cried the whole drive home... looking back, I wish I would have turned around and just asked for the bird back.

My most recent rescue actually had two broken wrists. Dr. Kenton here in Las Vegas put two casts on him and we hoped for the best. Unfortunately, his wrists healed badly - so, I decided to keep him. My gf and I call him Hercule as he has somewhat of an attitude when being held or having his space compromised I would assume since he's been feral for most of his life. Bird is not afraid of anything!! He will peck anyone who comes close to him! Despite this, even after I have given him a shower and put him in his cage, he STILL pecks at me as if saying " Yeah and stay out! " haha...

As far as your rescue - you did the best you could with the knowledge you had at the time. Your intentions were noble. Not many in this world would have the compassion to do what you did for these birds. Sadly, his life was short - but at the very least you know he passed away in peace.


----------



## 80465

humblestudent said:


> hi everyone i am new here... i rescued an injured pigeon 2 days ago who was siting on the side of the road unable to fly or walk, and thinking it would be best for him, i took him to the vet.. they put him down.. i cried all night they told me he looks like he has 2 broken legs, and that even if i paid for vet bills they would not treat him well because he is a pigeon. and they also said that if i went to a wild life rescue place that they won't treat him as he is a pigeon. they said even if he gets treated he won't ever walk or fly again and its not worth keeping him in pain. she convienced me that there wasn't much else i could do for him. i later found out that broken legs are very common amongst pigeons and that vets often use broken legs and broken wings and other injuries as an excuse to euthanize. i cried all night thinking i should have brought him home and cared for him and maybe he would have healed.. he was such a cute and gentle young bird he still had his baby feathers on him.. from the moment i picked him up he never once tried to peck me... when i fed him water at first he resisted but very quickly learnt to drink from the water i gave him... i miss him even though i only knew him for an hour or so...
> 
> i regret and wished that i had found this forum before taking him to the vet.. i probably would not have taken him there.
> 
> i am now considering owning a pet pigeon.. i'm not in any hurry... but maybe one day... can someone pls tell me if you can keep them on the balcony or toilet train them to live inside? i live in a small apartment in the city and i have 2 rabbits for pets. please tell me in as much information as you can?
> 
> 
> humblestudent said:
> 
> 
> 
> hi everyone i am new here... i rescued an injured pigeon 2 days ago who was siting on the side of the road unable to fly or walk, and thinking it would be best for him, i took him to the vet.. they put him down.. i cried all night they told me he looks like he has 2 broken legs, and that even if i paid for vet bills they would not treat him well because he is a pigeon. and they also said that if i went to a wild life rescue place that they won't treat him as he is a pigeon. they said even if he gets treated he won't ever walk or fly again and its not worth keeping him in pain. she convienced me that there wasn't much else i could do for him. i later found out that broken legs are very common amongst pigeons and that vets often use broken legs and broken wings and other injuries as an excuse to euthanize. i cried all night thinking i should have brought him home and cared for him and maybe he would have healed.. he was such a cute and gentle young bird he still had his baby feathers on him.. from the moment i picked him up he never once tried to peck me... when i fed him water at first he resisted but very quickly learnt to drink from the water i gave him... i miss him even though i only knew him for an hour or so...
> 
> i regret and wished that i had found this forum before taking him to the vet.. i probably would not have taken him there.
> 
> i am now considering owning a pet pigeon.. i'm not in any hurry... but maybe one day... can someone pls tell me if you can keep them on the balcony or toilet train them to live inside? i live in a small apartment in the city and i have 2 rabbits for pets. please tell me in as much information as you can? i know i will never bring him back... and this is only an idea for now. but i would like to find out as much as i can about them...
> 
> thank you...
> 
> 
> 
> i know i will never bring him back... and this is only an idea for now. but i would like to find out as much as i can about them...
> 
> thank you...
Click to expand...


----------



## 80465

humblestudent said:


> hi everyone i am new here... i rescued an injured pigeon 2 days ago who was siting on the side of the road unable to fly or walk, and thinking it would be best for him, i took him to the vet.. they put him down.. i cried all night they told me he looks like he has 2 broken legs, and that even if i paid for vet bills they would not treat him well because he is a pigeon. and they also said that if i went to a wild life rescue place that they won't treat him as he is a pigeon. they said even if he gets treated he won't ever walk or fly again and its not worth keeping him in pain. she convienced me that there wasn't much else i could do for him. i later found out that broken legs are very common amongst pigeons and that vets often use broken legs and broken wings and other injuries as an excuse to euthanize. i cried all night thinking i should have brought him home and cared for him and maybe he would have healed.. he was such a cute and gentle young bird he still had his baby feathers on him.. from the moment i picked him up he never once tried to peck me... when i fed him water at first he resisted but very quickly learnt to drink from the water i gave him... i miss him even though i only knew him for an hour or so...
> 
> i regret and wished that i had found this forum before taking him to the vet.. i probably would not have taken him there.
> 
> i am now considering owning a pet pigeon.. i'm not in any hurry... but maybe one day... can someone pls tell me if you can keep them on the balcony or toilet train them to live inside? i live in a small apartment in the city and i have 2 rabbits for pets. please tell me in as much information as you can? i know i will never bring him back... and this is only an idea for now. but i would like to find out as much as i can about them...
> 
> thank you





humblestudent said:


> hi everyone i am new here... i rescued an injured pigeon 2 days ago who was siting on the side of the road unable to fly or walk, and thinking it would be best for him, i took him to the vet.. they put him down.. i cried all night they told me he looks like he has 2 broken legs, and that even if i paid for vet bills they would not treat him well because he is a pigeon. and they also said that if i went to a wild life rescue place that they won't treat him as he is a pigeon. they said even if he gets treated he won't ever walk or fly again and its not worth keeping him in pain. she convienced me that there wasn't much else i could do for him. i later found out that broken legs are very common amongst pigeons and that vets often use broken legs and broken wings and other injuries as an excuse to euthanize. i cried all night thinking i should have brought him home and cared for him and maybe he would have healed.. he was such a cute and gentle young bird he still had his baby feathers on him.. from the moment i picked him up he never once tried to peck me... when i fed him water at first he resisted but very quickly learnt to drink from the water i gave him... i miss him even though i only knew him for an hour or so...
> 
> i regret and wished that i had found this forum before taking him to the vet.. i probably would not have taken him there.
> 
> i am now considering owning a pet pigeon.. i'm not in any hurry... but maybe one day... can someone pls tell me if you can keep them on the balcony or toilet train them to live inside? i live in a small apartment in the city and i have 2 rabbits for pets. please tell me in as much information as you can? i know i will never bring him back... and this is only an idea for now. but i would like to find out as much as i can about them...
> 
> thank you...


----------



## Benzaiten

I'm sorry that happened to your bird. I would have had the same experience with the bird I have now (my first rescue pigeon). I tried to contact several vets and the only one who got back to me made it quite clear that they would euthanise the bird if I took it into them. I was surprised that the vets would do that.


----------

