Rescued Feral Rock Dove/Pigeon

[MageofMist]

I found an injured rock dove in town who appears quite young, probably one of this year's squabs, who has missing tail feathers, an injured leg and is incredibly thin. No leg rings, so it is a feral birb.

I couldn't leave the poor thing and had to bring it home, where it is now resting in an old hamster cage... Not the best, but it is something. It has been eating and drinking and livened up quite a bit after being brought in.

 

[biophiliac]

I found an injured rock dove in town who appears quite young, probably one of this year's squabs, who has missing tail feathers, an injured leg and is incredibly thin. No leg rings, so it is a feral birb.
View attachment 2265804View attachment 2265815View attachment 2265827

I couldn't leave the poor thing and had to bring it home, where it is now resting in an old hamster cage... Not the best, but it is something. It has been eating and drinking and livened up quite a bit after being brought in.
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Oh he is so lucky YOU found him!! One of my hens had a close call with a hawk who managed to grab only her tail feathers and pulled them all out leaving only a naked pink circle of bare skin on her bottom. The new tail started growing in immediately.

 

[MageofMist]

Oh he is so lucky YOU found him!! One of my hens had a close call with a hawk who managed to grab only her tail feathers and pulled them all out leaving only a naked pink circle of bare skin on her bottom. The new tail started growing in immediately.

I wonder if this little guy had a similar experience with a predatory bird? But it's leg was also grabbed? I don't see any open or healing wounds on it such as bites or scratches, but the leg does look very sore. Don't think it is broken as it can lift and lower the leg, and I have seen the toes move.

I have taken care of another pigeon a couple of years ago, who was a wounded racer with a gash under one of his legs that looked as if it was caused by a biiig beak, that I rescued from the back yard and I reported to the RPRA and managed to return to his owner. This feral bean I have now has no owner though that I can return him/her to, so I am debating on keeping it.

 

[MageofMist]

Having some resistance in the house regarding the dove, which they see as a wild disease ridden "street vermin" and my BF also wants to throw it out.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_pigeon
Yes, a very wild bird.

 

[biophiliac]

I wonder if this little guy had a similar experience with a predatory bird? But it's leg was also grabbed? I don't see any open or healing wounds on it such as bites or scratches, but the leg does look very sore. Don't think it is broken as it can lift and lower the leg, and I have seen the toes move.

I have taken care of another pigeon a couple of years ago, who was a wounded racer with a gash under one of his legs that looked as if it was caused by a biiig beak, that I rescued from the back yard and I reported to the RPRA and managed to return to his owner. This feral bean I have now has no owner though that I can return him/her to, so I am debating on keeping it.

It might also have been in a tussle with a cat or other land predator. Maybe he was already weakened from malnutrition. Feral a can be wonderful pets. Individuals vary from unhandleable to terribly affiliative. I have 3 feral hens in my loft. One lands on my head after 2 weeks, another is wild and grumpy after 2 years in the loft! Haha.

 

[biophiliac]

Having some resistance in the house regarding the dove, which they see as a wild disease ridden "street vermin" and my BF also wants to throw it out.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_pigeon
Yes, a very wild bird.

Nonsense! A healthy bird is a clean bird. Anyway, pigeon diseases are not communicable to humans. The powder dander covering the feathers can present a problem indoors as some people will experience allergic response, just like with parrots. With just one bird, and proper ventilation the risk should be low. The cure for a low opinion of pigeons is to learn more about them. Have your friend Google 'pigeon war heros' . Cher Ami was one.
Edit oops, I see this was covered in your link.

 

[MageofMist]

Nonsense! A healthy bird is a clean bird. Anyway, pigeon diseases are not communicable to humans. The powder dander covering the feathers can present a problem indoors as some people will experience allergic response, just like with parrots. With just one bird, and proper ventilation the risk should be low. The cure for a low opinion of pigeons is to learn more about them. Have your friend Google 'pigeon war heros' . Cher Ami was one.
Edit oops, I see this was covered in your link.

They can't seem to relate to them as domestic animals, and see them as fully wild animals that should just adapt or die in the wild. =/

Feral cat? "Yeah, that is a domestic animal that went feral? What about it?"
Feral dove? "No, that is a wild animal! That isn't a cat! They are totally different!"

"A feral animal or plant (from Latin fera, "a wild beast") is one that lives in the wild but is descended from domesticated specimens."

"Feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica), also called city doves, city pigeons, or street pigeons, are pigeons that are derived from the domestic pigeons that have returned to the wild."

"A feral cat is an un-owned domestic cat (Felis catus) that lives outdoors and avoids human contact: it does not allow itself to be handled or touched, and usually remains hidden from humans. Feral cats may breed over dozens of generations and become an aggressive apex predator in urban, savannah and bushland environments."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_cat

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_pigeon

 

[MageofMist]

I am being told that I cannot keep it, literally by everyone else in the house who completely disregard everything I try saying, even though it is a feral domestic rock dove, and I have to either release it where it will certainly die because "you see pigeons with injured legs all the time in town", or take it to the RSPCA/Vets... So yeah, very miffed over how ignorant people can be. =/ They are worried about the other birds in the house, which is understandable, but there's magical things called... Washing hands and it being in a separate room from other birds, the things I am doing.

I am fretting that they'd just euthanize the dove at the vets as it is a feral animal and technically invasive. They are pushing other dove and pigeon species out their ranges and near enough bred the truly wild rock doves to near extinction instead of some isolated areas... So I was hoping, if I couldn't keep it for myself as a pet, that I could keep it at least long enough to nurse it to health, and then maybe give/sell it to a pigeon fancier, ofc with them knowing it is a feral rescue bird. Yet they refuse to hear me out and are putting extreme pressure on me to get rid of it tomorrow as they see it as nothing else but a "filthy sewer rat with wings." Even though doves and pigeons are very clean birds.

So I have to either:
A: Illegally re-release an injured feral animal into the wild, where it will certainly die as it can't even fly without the tail feathers, which'll only take a few days to a week to grow back.
B: Take it to the vets where it most likely will get euthanized, so it will be dead.
C: Risk losing everything I have trying to protect the safety of an injured bird and likely get dumped and kicked out simultaneously.

 

[biophiliac]

I am being told that I cannot keep it, literally by everyone else in the house who completely disregard everything I try saying, even though it is a feral domestic rock dove, and I have to either release it where it will certainly die because "you see pigeons with injured legs all the time in town", or take it to the RSPCA/Vets... So yeah, very miffed over how ignorant people can be. =/ They are worried about the other birds in the house, which is understandable, but there's magical things called... Washing hands and it being in a separate room from other birds, the things I am doing.

I am fretting that they'd just euthanize the dove at the vets as it is a feral animal and technically invasive. They are pushing other dove and pigeon species out their ranges and near enough bred the truly wild rock doves to near extinction instead of some isolated areas... So I was hoping, if I couldn't keep it for myself as a pet, that I could keep it at least long enough to nurse it to health, and then maybe give/sell it to a pigeon fancier, ofc with them knowing it is a feral rescue bird. Yet they refuse to hear me out and are putting extreme pressure on me to get rid of it tomorrow as they see it as nothing else but a "filthy sewer rat with wings." Even though doves and pigeons are very clean birds.

So I have to either:
A: Illegally re-release an injured feral animal into the wild, where it will certainly die as it can't even fly without the tail feathers, which'll only take a few days to a week to grow back.
B: Take it to the vets where it most likely will get euthanized, so it will be dead.
C: Risk losing everything I have trying to protect the safety of an injured bird and likely get dumped and kicked out simultaneously.

Don't become homeless. Do you have a garage, shed, porch or garden where you could put a wooden box or a borrowed wire dog kennel for him like a mini loft? Can you find a safe spot for him outside your house? Just while you rehab him?
If not, I thought Britain has an active pigeon rescue group?.

 

[MageofMist]

Don't become homeless. Do you have a garage, shed, porch or garden where you could put a wooden box or a borrowed wire dog kennel for him like a mini loft? Can you find a safe spot for him outside your house? Just while you rehab him?

I have places where I can go where they'd accept me and the dove with open arms, including a person I have known for a long time who has rescued many doves before and knows exactly how I feel. Can't put the youngster outside as there's no place safe to put it from the weather and predators, and they'd certainly not allow me to make a makeshift loft, as they want it gone by tomorrow and that's that... So if they can't accept me as who I am and my soft heart, then I will go with the dove.

It isn't just about the bird, it is them trying to pressure and bully me into submission and refuse to even acknowledge my points, rather wanting me to change for them than trying to find a compromise.