# Rescue pmv pigeon in Melbourne (Aus) needs urgent home



## msmely (Feb 13, 2011)

I rescued a pmv pigeon in the city today who was probably in the worst area of the city you could be in. I don't have the means to take care of him (my living place wont allow it), for the time being I am hiding him but I can't do that for very long as I have commitments (studying and working). 

I just couldn't leave him there as he was getting trampled by people since he couldn't fly. Since being inside, he seems much better though but he still can't fly or eat properly. 

The only other option I have is to take him for the shelter but they will euthanise him. I would much prefer he go to a home because he seems to have such a sweet personality. If I could take him in, I 100% would.

If anyone is in melbourne or knows of someone in the melbourne area who can take him/her in, please let me know.


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## Howard Nye (Oct 14, 2009)

*Can the Pigeon live with others?*

Hi there,

Unfortunately I live in Edmonton, AB, Canada, and I already have several rescued pigeons (and magpies). Do you know if PMV pigeons can be housed with other pigeons without spreading the disease? I thought I heard somewhere that they could be treated with Baytril and that this actually reverses the symptoms, so maybe if treated first they can be housed with others upon recovery?

If PMV pigeons can be housed with other pigeons without endangering them, and you were able to ship the pigeon to Canada, I would be happy to serve as an adopter of last resort. I just don't know what's possible here.

I hope that you get offers from someone closer to you (and, if PMV pigeons can't be safely housed with others, I hope you get offers from someone who doesn't already have pigeons but can take this one).

Have you checked out the contacts on the forum (I think in the resource section) for rescuers nearby who might be able to help you place the pigeon? 

Best,
Howard


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## Howard Nye (Oct 14, 2009)

Going through the forum I can see various things suggesting that (i) the Baytril thing may not be true, BUT (ii) pigeons can be vaccinated against PMV, and (iii) PMV only takes a few weeks to run its course (after which they aren't contageous or they are - I couldn't find this):

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/how-contagious-is-pmv-78212.html

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f107/pigeon-paramyxovirus-aka-pmv-ppmv-pmv1-pigeon-12250.html

Under these conditions things look good for the prospect of my being able to serve as an adopter of last resort - if the pigeon can be flown to me here in Canada. 

If you can find someone else to adopt the pigeon where you are it still sounds like that would be ideal. But if you're getting worried I can talk to my vet (who works with pigeons) to see if she can confirm that it would be safe for my flock for me to adopt the pigeon - presumably after vaccination and an isolation period. 

Again, it would of course be best for you to find someone there, but if you can't, and you can fly the pigeon here, and my vet confirms that everything will be fine here after vaccination and a period of isolation, then I would be happy to pay all costs needed to fly the pigeon here. 

I don't know how safe it would be for a PMV pigeon to be flown to Canada, especially if she can't eat on her own, and I'm not sure if they'd allow it. But if you can't find anyone else there and the alternative for the pigeon is certain death then I'd certainly like to explore whether this is possible.

Best,
Howard


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Just want to confirm that after the virus has run its course (period of 6-8 weeks), it is not contagious anymore to other birds. So you will be able to house him with your other pigeons after recovery.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Also, usually to fly a bird they want to see a paper from the vet that the bird is healthy. Don't think that would be possible with this bird.
Marina is right. He may still show symptoms of the PMV because of the neurological damage that has been done, but he won't be contagious to others after virus has run its course.
The vaccine needs to be given before they get the virus to prevent it, once they have it, you don't then vaccinate to get them better.


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## Howard Nye (Oct 14, 2009)

Hi Marina,

That's great to hear - both for if you need to try to get him to me and for if you can find someone closer to you who can adopt him who already has birds (the latter of which I assume would be much better, safer, and more reliable for the pigeon so we don't have to worry about trying to fly him here).

Please just let me know if you can find someone there or if we need to look into trying to fly him to Canada so I can adopt him. 

I actually don't have any experience myself with sending birds on planes, but I hear about it being done a lot on this forum. I assume that we could try to contact some of the more experienced individuals on this forum to help us if we need to try to do that. It looks to me (from searching on Orbitz) like the shortest trips from Melbourne to Edmonton are 20 hours, with longer ones getting much longer (e.g. 40 hours +).

My own experience with air-travel and companion animals has been exclusively with cats. Twice when I've flown with cats I made the trip myself and kept the cat with me in cabin in a carrier. There was one time I worked with a rescue to ship a cat who I had been fostering. I don't know if they would let me fly to Melbourne and fly back with the pigeon in carrier in the cabin like I have done with cats. If he has difficulties eating and drinking by himself that might be our best option, and if the pigeon has no other options for a home I can probably do that if the authorities and airline will let me. 

I very much hope that you can find someone close to you to adopt the pigeon - but if you cannot please let me know and we can start trying to see what we can do in terms of flying him here. 

Best,
Howard


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## Howard Nye (Oct 14, 2009)

Thanks, Jay 3. I don't know what the policies are in Australia and Canada in terms of paper work. But if the virus has run his course and he isn't contagious I would hope that we could find a sympathetic vet who can certify that he is healthy in the sense of not suffering from any communicable diseases. 

I assume that neurological damage can in principle come from many sources, and a case could be made that it should not be an impediment to his being able to come to Canada. Perhaps he is (as I'm sure he is in fact) a uniquely interesting bird, about whom a case could be made that there are important reasons that others could readily understand for him to come to Canada. (I am actually a professor of philosophy at the University of Alberta and I work and teach on such topics as the philosophy of mind, animal ethics, and disability. I could claim, as I am sure would be true, that in light of the pigeon's unique circumstances we have a lot to learn from him that is relevant to these topics. I also have a vet who works with pigeons and I am sure that she could learn a lot from him. Finally I would think that a case could be made that some fanciers could find him of interest).

This is, however, all in the service of working out a backup plan of sending him to me as an adopter of last resort. The possible difficulty of getting him approval to travel is another reason in addition to the others that strongly favours trying to find him a forever home close to where he currently is in Australia. 

Thanks again,
Howard


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