# rock dove hen caught in net.



## cooingsosweetly (Apr 3, 2005)

poor little hen! she was stranded between an inefficiently and inhumanely installed pigeon net, two nets! one on each side of the balcony railing! how stupid! just stupid enough to allow birds in, but not out. there were two older males, dead, one hung upside down from his foot, what a horrid struggle...
and the other, just collapsed, feet outsteched in dead stiff position.

The building is by one of my feral flocks, i rang the buzzers untill someone aggreed to let me in to remove the dead bird, thats when i found the poor hen. seeing the dead ones broke my heart, picking up the sweet hen, and gently pulling her through the netting towards me and wrapping her in the t shirt i had in my gymbag.

I took her to a warm coffeeshop that was close by, got a bottle of water, and a coffee. i had her in my jacket inside pocket, and the zipper wasnt done up so i could keep an eye on her.
she began to move around, came out of her terrified and chilly state quickly, i offered some water in a cup, she sucked it up like the winning homer after a three day race!
i quickly put her in my arms still loosely wrapped in the shirt, and dashed outside towards my flock.
i kissed my hand and pet her head with the kisses, and said goodbye.
she joined the flock in a feast of seeds a fellow local pigeon lady was leaving!!!
hungry little bird, who knows how long she was trapped for!
I was really happy to help her. i found a feather on the ground, and put it in the collection of feathers i keep, one for every bird i save!!!
queenpigeon
qp


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Good for you for persevering until you got in to assist those poor pigeons .. so very sad that some had already lost their lives.

Any chance of getting this netting taken down or fixed so it isn't a death trap?

Terry


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*well Done !!*


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

QP, 

You deserve capital letters! I know that your not the one that I should be asking this. I'm just going to vent my anger here, but it is def not at you.
I don't get it, these people put up a double net because they don't enjoy live pigeons on their balcony, but they don't mind dead or struggleing pigeons in that net. What on earth did you tell them when they opened the door. 

I think that was a very noble act on your part. We need one of you on every block

Thank You,
Feather


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Well done!

The Toronto Humane Society acted very quickly the last time that there were birds trapped behind netting. If you contact them they can have a word with those responsible. The dead birds that remain are a sign that it is a danger and that leaving it in that state is potentially an act of cruelty.

Cynthia


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

*Netting - ggrrrrrrr*

HI QP - well done on your persistance for rescuing the dove.

I have a thing about netting - big time. Near where I live is a long row of buildings, with netting at the top. Well to cut a long story short, over the past 3 years, I have arranged for about 6 live pigeons to be rescued ( by the RSPCA or myself!) but have also witnessed others already dead.

I have written letters, e-mailed people and phoned people to get things done about torn netting. Why the residents in the flat didn't check their netting I don't know why.

I used to get cross that people could just get away with things like this and sought the advice of the RSPCA who basically said that people could put up netting but then they should check it regularly ( and that means at least once a day if not twice) to check that birds have not become tangled up in it. To ignore this is tantamount to admitting cruelty if it is not monitored and birds are trapped. It is the most pitiful sight to see a pigeon struggling to get free from an almost impossible situation - when I can do something I can and have leant out of many a building trying to grab pigeons either caught up or trapped behind.

As Cynthia says, report it to the Toronto Humane Society. I reported all the buildings and railway bridges etc with netting that was deemed dangerous (torn) to the RSPCA and they have written out to the proprietors or even visited ( quite rare - but they have done it).

Lucky you that you saw the dead birds and I guess you wanted to check if they were indeed dead and found the dove. When I have seen dead birds I have had to watch for a good half an hour to see if they move. One particular pigeon didn't move, but something made me go back later that day and it moved poor thing. That was when I persuaded the tenant to let me into her 4th floor flat, I reached out of the window with nothing to hold onto really, scissors in my left hand, pigeon ( struggling) in my right hand but with foot all tangled up - I know I had to be rough and firm with the pidgie as it was all I could do from stopping myself falling onto the street below - I could have been killed and killed someone else by landing on them no doubt, but I pulled it off, cut the pidgie free and took it for treatment. 

3 weeks later the netting was removed ( I was advised that there were at least 5 dead pigeons up there - which broke my heart) but the netting was replaced with spikes.

There are still some buildings there with netting and I keep an eye on it - writing letters and things where necessary.

I bet you feel so happy that you persisted - I know I would have. 

Tania x

I HATE NETTING!!!!!


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## cooingsosweetly (Apr 3, 2005)

*awful netting*

i called the city about the net, they said they cant do anything because the building is privately owned, and than i called and reported it to an answering machine at the THS.(humane society)
I am in North Bay visiting my family for easter weekend, but i really hope i get back there and the net is gone, In the meantime, i have a few good friends keeping an eye to make sure no more birds get caught up in it.

thank you for all the kind replies.

I went to see the flock before i left town, and she was waddling around quite content (checker with a few wing flights missing cant be mistaken!, also, i knew her quite personally from the rescue. you get to know them, as you all know)
all the males were competing for her love with elaborate and adorable mating dances!
qp

Bowing and cooing, Driving and jumping, Twirling ballooning their crops! sooo cute!


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

cooingsosweetly said:


> i called the city about the net, they said they cant do anything because the building is privately owned, and than i called and reported it to an answering machine at the THS.(humane society)
> !


Hi. In my experience you have to keep on at people - keep on at the THS - write them letters, send them e-mails, make sure they acknowledge your complaint. 

I also sent letters to the tenants of the properties involved asking them to keep an eye on the netting, if they should still have it and how nice it would be for them ( the tenants) when they have dead and decaying birds outside their properties especially when the weather is warmer - smelly!! 

Some places with netting I have found people willing to help/change things. Others I have found very, very hard work. But I have had some successful conclusions ....eventually. 

Enjoy your Easter break.

Tania x


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I really admire you both for tackling problems like this one, dealing with people (councilors, owners, tenants builders) must be the most difficult and exhausting aspect of pigeon rescue.

Cynthia


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