# NY: Long Island/NYC Found Domestic Dove



## bxbebe (Aug 13, 2012)

Hello Everyone,

I'm located on Long Island, New York (New York City suburbs) and on 8/12/12 my sister found and rescued a white unbanded domestic dove from the wild in her yard. Suspect a ceremonial release.

We have the dove in temporary housing (a small cage from a pet store) with dove seed mix, grit, perches and a small shallow bowl of clean nonchemically treated sand to play in all purchased from a local pet store today after being identified by a local wildlife rescue and rehab facility who is unable to accept the dove for permanent placement.

I am looking to find a very reputable companion bird rescue organization in my area who may be able to assist me in finding a safe, loving, permanent home for the dove. I have been in contact with vets, wildlife rescues, companion bird rescues who have been unable to help. Can anyone help? I don't want to see him go to someone who will release him again or even worse, consider hunting or eating him.


The dove looks to have a small cut on one of his toes. I didn't do anything because I didn't want to make it worse and it looks to have stopped bleeding. I want to try to get him an appointment at the vet my family uses today 8/13 to have him checked for illness, mites, lice, etc.

He is very friendly and flew down from a tree to my sister's hand when she noticed him and offered him food. Also, went right into the cage we bought when he was in a cardboard rescue box with holes in it.

I would love to see him with a vet's office where he is a resident bird or a private home where he will be in a loving environment with a only a few birds.

Thank you for any help or referrals you can provide. I was given your contact information as a help resource today from a local wildlife rehabber who was unable to assist me called Volunteers for Wildlife located in Locust Valley, NY based out of a park called Bailey Arboretum. 

This is very important to me as I need to find a great home for him as I already am at my capacity with 3 lovebird parrots and having recently lost my job when the company went out of business so I don't have the financial resources to take on another friend right now. 

On a separate note, can anyone offer me advise for handling the dove to prevent any possible illness transmission to me and my birds since I know that there are potential illnesses that can pass from doves to other birds? I have taken my parrots to my parents house for the time being to prevent any possible exposure.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Thanks for taking the dove in!! YOU sound like a very responsible bird/pet keepr and I hope you find him ad equally good home. I can not help you with that part but I hope someone comes along soon. 
Use normal sanitary procedures after handling him (e.g. washing hands). There is really nothing you can get from the dove. Some bird diseases/pests may be transferred so you are wise to keep them separate until at least a quarantine period. Parrots are should never be in contact with doves as the parrots can easily bit the dove. The mite spray from any pet store will take care of any little critters that he may have picked up while being free. Since he is so friendly, it is doubtful he was outside for long where he would be easy prety from critters adn not so nice people. 
Best of luck! You are doing well


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Thank you for your care of this needy bird.

I have sent word to a friend of mine (pigeon rescuer) who lives in your area to see if she can help find a home for the bird.

*


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## bxbebe (Aug 13, 2012)

*Thank You*

Thank you both for your kind words and assistance & advice. I scheduled a vet appointment this morning for him.

Fortunately, the little dove is at my sister's house and my parrots are at a separate location so they won't be in the same living space. They can have strong, sharp little beaks when they choose to use them! Definitely don't want to jeopardize the dove getting injured or spreading any illness since the dove was just found.

I'm going to ask the Dr. at the vet if they would be interested in keeping him in the office, but the staff over the phone said it is doubtful. Also reaching out to a local animal rescue group in Brooklyn, NY called Sean Casey Animal Rescue who works with exotics.

Here is a picture of dove (or what we think is a dove.. we are pigeon/dove novices) "Pierre" as my sister named him. He looks really unique to us - he has a reddish eye instead of just a black looking eye (it is not from the camera flash) :O) Very beautiful little guy.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Here is the response I received:




Unfortunately, everyone I know is bursting at the seams with rescues at
this time.

Please encourage these people to keep this innocent creature, who seems
to have been a pet. If they are totally against that idea, Sean Casey,
who she mentioned, is her best bet. Please let them know a sanctuary
would NOT be a good idea for this particular bird. Being so tame, he or
she should definitely live in a home. Treesa, if I could post on the
site, I would have answered myself.

Phyll

Pigeons Are Angels*


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## CarloSantoro (Jun 22, 2011)

Where in long island are you located. I have six doves already not sure if i have the room right now. But i can ask around.


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## bxbebe (Aug 13, 2012)

*Found Dove Follow-Up*

Skyeking, 

Thank you for asking around for me if anyone since I don't have any contacts in the pigeon / dove circle. I bet Sean Casey Rescue is really busy too as I received a referral to contact them from Volunteers for Wildlife, but I didn't hear back yet from my email contact yet. I will try calling them too this week. After reading your response, if Phyll lives on Long Island I think my husband and I may have met her once 3 years ago when I was trying to rescue another white dove I saw in a stranger's yard in the wild in the same area of Syosset on Long Island. Please send her my thanks.

I did receive an email from Miriam of Vine Sanctuary in Vermont today offering to home "Pierre" the dove there. Have you ever heard of them? If so, any feedback? I had a ton of questions for her regarding housing and care of their birds. I'm waiting to get a response.

Looks like an animal sanctuary for all types of animals and sounds nice from the website. She got my contact information forwarded to her from Empty Cages Collective in Brooklyn, NY after I emailed Empty Cages.

She provided the following website to me in her email:

vine.bravebirds.org

I do have the same concern though that he is friendly and would like more one on one attention than a sanctuary setting may offer. However, I am afraid that if an individual takes him that he will end up abused, neglected or in the hands of someone that will release him again.




******************


Carlo,

Thank you for your possible interest and asking around for me. 

The white dove is currently located in Syosset in Nassau County on Long Island at my sister's house in temporary housing. What area of Long Island are you located? If my sister doesn't keep him and a suitable home was found, I regularly travel all over the island so we could work something out for transportation. Please keep me posted on this message board if you hear anything more.

*************

To All:

The good news is that my sis and her hubby are considering possibly keeping the dove and even went to Petco with me yesterday to look at larger permanent housing options. 

The unsettling news is that she isn't completely certain that she wants the obligation of taking care of a pet and the cleaning of the cage that comes along with bird ownership, they both have a very busy lifestyle and aren't sure they have the time to devote to him.

I'm trying to convince her that her best is better than most places he would possibly end up, but we will see. Right now, I'm still looking to see if anyone reputable may be interested in him since she hasn't made up her mind yet on whether to keep him or not. Also, if she does decide to keep him and it doesn't work out or she then changes her mind then I'm back to square one again with no home for him.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Thank you for the update. I would keep looking for someone-as you are doing, don't rely on your sister if she very busy and has reservations, it is not in the best interest of the bird.*


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