Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions

Palomacy is an amazing organization! We recently found a badly injured pigeon. We took her to a local wild bird rescue, but they were unable to accept her. We had no idea how we were going to help her so looked online for advice. Thankfully we found Palomacy and called them. Within less than 15 minutes they were connecting us with a knowledgeable volunteer. She graciously agreed to meet us and we drove this sweet little bird to her. The minute she picked up the bird it was clear that she had a handle on the situation and knew exactly what to do. She drove over an hour to get the bird (now named Bernie) urgent medical care and is now nursing her back to health. The people at Palomacy are kind compassionate people who generously share their expertise. Bernie wouldn't have made it without their stepping into action. Palomacy (pigeonrescue.org) is now an organization to support for us and I hope others will join us with donations large and small. It's wonderful to know that people like this exist. Thank you, Palomacy!

A King pigeon appeared one day in my neighbors' parking garage. We cared for him and tried to catch him for over 3 months, and we named him Freddie. We were worried about Freddie as our town is near a mountain with plenty of predators: coyotes, raccoons, hawks... Everything changed within 24 hours when Elizabeth from Palomacy came to the rescue (literally). After contacting her, she lended me a trap and educated me on how to use it. The day after, Freddie was in! And finally heading to a safe home. Freddie had become a frequent sight in our town and we miss him, but we know he is way better where he is now. Elizabeth sends us updates and we're delighted to see how well he is being cared for. Thank you Elizabeth and Palomacy!

I felt helpless when I rescued Oreo and Popcorn on my own two years ago. Luckily I found Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions! The people at Palomacy are so friendly and willing to help each other to save birds! They let me know that I am not alone in my journey to help pigeons. Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions is trustworthy and the best!

Palomancy was great about helping us foster and adopt Slide! So much so that we have a second feathery boy with us now. We keep in contact with them and have been invited to events to help out.

Palomancy is absolutely amazing! We adopted a pigeon in January who is an absolutely amazing fit for my family. We've stayed in continuous contact sharing how well our pigeon has been doing and even being given invites to social events that help spread the word of this amazing charity. ❤️

I'm the Curriculum Director and STEM teacher at Nomad, a project-based middle school in San Francisco, and we're on our third year of fostering pigeons with support from Palomacy and it continues to be a real highlight of our year and an enriching experience for our students. We chose the pigeon as our mascot long before any of us had ever held a pigeon after students made the case that pigeons are smart, loyal, and (the real kicker), misunderstood – just like middle schoolers. We've loved pigeons from afar but when we found out about Palomacy we were so excited to get to meet our feathered friends in person. After having an educational visit from the Palomacy Team, students proposed converting our outdoor greenhouse into a coop to foster pigeons and for the last three years we've fostered pigeons for the spring semester.

As an animal lover, I've truly enjoyed getting to know more about these amazing animals, but as an educator I've been thrilled at all the learning opportunities I've seen for students. Each year a team of students write up a care proposal detailing how they plan to care for the pigeons and ensure they have their needs met. It's such a great opportunity for responsibility for the students and they feel real pride in their task. We regularly bring the pigeons into the classroom, usually in the afternoon while students do independent work and practice academic skills. The pigeons immediately improve the mood of the classroom and students are often much more willing to engage with some of their more tedious work if they know they can do it with a pigeon friend. There are also ample opportunities for social emotional learning for students with students practicing communicating their needs and boundaries around spending time with an animal, how to communicate feedback when team members have done a job differently than you would have, etc.

I wouldn't be able to have any of these wonderful experiences without the help of Palomacy's wonderful team who have helped train me and each year's pigeon team to be caretakers of our wonderful birds. We're so excited to have Wilbur and Orville with us for the rest of this semester and look forward to many more years meeting many more birds.

Palomacy doesn't only put the p in pigeons but in passion. Their work with these often under-looked, under-appreciated birds is necessary in a world so conditioned to turn away from them. Founder and Executive Director Elizabeth Young makes loving and caring for pigeons accessible and manageable through her knowledge and compassion. You can tell the birds are at ease with her, and she made fostering as comfortable and easy as possible for the bird I was looking after (Sky Puppy) and me. When thinking of Palomacy, I am immediately reminded of this quote from Keith S. Wilson's poem I Find Myself Defending Pigeons: "Some of us feed pigeons. I love, sometimes, our care. I love, I think ,the park bench...I love the pigeons, the revolution of wheel to sky..." Through my brief time fostering, I am convinced that caring for a pigeon ripples outward, reminding me that the distance between thought and action is so short. It's never too late to help a creature in need; in doing so, we help ourselves.

Palomacy is an organization of the most kind, compassionate, and empathetic people. Working to support and care for pigeons and doves is hard work and to support beautiful creatures that are often neglected and mistreated. Fostering sky puppy taught a kind of love and companionship I had never experienced before. She taught me how to be a better listener, communicator, family member, and friend.


Elizabeth and the entire network work hard mot only to care for and love each individual bird, but also to educate the public about these sweet-hearted creatures and foster a better relationship between all people and pigeons.

I am forever changed by my contact with this community and the bond I formed with Sky Puppy.

February 18, 2024, was my 10 year anniversary with Sochi. He's the 800 gram, baby-seagull-looking pigeon. He showed up in my front yard during the winter Olympics held in Sochi. The Russian host had to make snow for the events. Sochi got his name because his markings looked like the landscape in Sochi.

Palomacy has been with me the entire time giving me guidance and support. I was not always easy to guide. One issue was resisting to feed pigeons on the ground, an OCD thing. I'm amazed Elizabeth Young doesn't have her eyes permanently rolled back inside her head. I think people who rescue pigeons are the most kind and compassionate people on Earth.

Every pigeon that I have met has made me fall in love. I don't need to meet in person either. So many tears shed for those pigeons that were introduced, stories shared, then they needed to leave for the Rainbow Bridge.

Please celebrate with me by loving your birds a little extra. I wish to thank all for this amazing journey. The picture is Sochi with his wife, Amica. They have been together for 9 years.

Such a wonderful organization! I originally contacted Palomacy to adopt a bonded pair of pigeons to live in my outdoor aviary and Elizabeth suggested some great pairs based on what I was looking for. Shortly after, I took home Kato Potato and his lady Ribbon and they were a perfect fit!

Recently one of my little boys had lost his mate and once again, I gave Elizabeth an idea of what I was looking for and she once again set us up with another perfect match!

The adoption process is fairly easy, but also thorough to ensure the safety and care of their birds and they provide so many excellent resources on their website and Facebook group. If you're looking for a new feathered companion or two, I absolutely recommend going through Palomacy!

I am completely new to pigeons, and Elizabeth is an amazing resource and person with a huge heart. We had a poor pigeon literally smash into our front entry window. Luckily she was able to take shelter behind pumpkins we had placed in the corner near the top of the steps below the window. When we checked on her, she seemed dazed and did not want to fly away. After calling AC&C, they told us it was probably a king pigeon and would not survive in the wild. They told us they were slammed with minimal resources and also had a few pigeons in care, so they would try to come by in the evening. Given what we were told, there was no way I’d leave the her outside for the evening, which was supposed to be extremely harsh with rain and wind. After being pointed to Palomacy by a family friend who was also helped by Elizabeth several years ago, I did a bit of reading on their blog and ran out and bought what I thought would be good supplies to take Phred—yep, named her already—indoors while my husband tried to contact Palomacy. AC&C did finally come out and checked Phred out. They said she seemed unhurt and in good condition, and they were ready to take her in. We were told AC&C was, however, full with pigeons, so we decided to hang on to Phred during stray hold and then foster. After more back and forth with Elizabeth, she came over to our place and gave me a hands-on lesson about caring for pigeons. She also preemptively treated Phred for canker and worms. It was so amazing to see how gentle she handled Phred, who was obviously a bit upset at being handled lol. I was able to hold Phred for a short while, and I was amazed at how gentle she was.
I told Elizabeth that we were only able to foster Phred until a more appropriate/equipped long term foster or adopter could be found. Elizabeth checked in by text to make sure all was good with Phred and gave me tips on how to keep socializing Phred while we looked for a home. A few days later, she located a foster/adopter in the East Bay who’s pigeon passed away from illness and was looking for a female to take her place. Phred is still on trial with her new aviary mate to ensure they will get along, and Elizabeth & Palomacy are staying close to things.
I cannot say enough about how amazing Elizabeth and Palomacy are!

Massive Thanks to Elizabeth Young and Palomacy!!! My experience with birds let alone pigeons began just a few weeks ago with a nest of a newly hatched pigeon. I befriended her (?) calling her Penelope and unknowingly became a pigeon auntie … I was thrilled when she began to fly with her parents… coming home each evening.

One evening however something was very, very wrong! Penelope was stuck and couldn’t get into the pump house that was home. We later learned she had a severely broken leg.

We never planned to adopt a pigeon… but we couldn’t resist helping Penelope.

This is where the Pigeon Community stepped up during our time of need and provided invaluable guidance… I’m talking hours on the phone to help educate me not only about pigeons… but how to help Penelope specifically. You see, Penelope’s leg was beyond repair and had to be amputated.

I would have been lost without the incredibly patient and kind guidance! Words cannot adequately express my heartfelt appreciation.

Thank you!!!
Elizabeth

Hedwigs Story
At the end of November 2020, after celebrating with family putting up Christmas and decorating our tree as we do annually, I was trolling my Facebook when I noticed a friend had posted a photo of a white pigeon their son had found! He was out riding his bike or playing and noticed some kids tormenting this poor bird and chasing it around, it obviously could not fly! Thankfully he was able to save it and she put a call out for help to anyone willing to adopt a bird!

The moment I saw her, I knew she and I were meant to be! She was pure white, a fancy Seraphim Pigeon (not that I knew that at the time) and her name immediately came to me……Hedwig! I immediately went and picked her up, my friend wasn’t a bird person but has a Great heart! After careful examination I noticed she had feathers cut near her tail, which obviously affected her ability to fly! What I would later find out is this is because her tail feathers had sprinkles of Grey on them (again, perfect for naming after the Great Owl Hedwig from Harry Potter) but not so perfect for a ‘Dove Release’ bird as doves are completely white! I am positive she was used for this exact purpose due to the apartment complex my friend lived at, and I happened to live at previously for 8 years, was right next to a church!

So since I had absolutely NO understanding of birds or what to do, I luckily found Palomacy! I can’t exactly remember how I found them, but they have been a godsend for Hedwig and me these almost 3 years! They have taught me so much in her care, and more recently helped us through a pretty tough health scare! It took Hedwig a good 6 months before her feathers started coming back and almost a year before they were completely returned! I will ardently advocate against this practice as it literally leaves birds defenseless! Palomacy Mods have been there every step of the way, teaching and rooting us on!

I have since become Hedwigs Bird Mate! Let me tell you, if you’ve never had the chance to have a pigeon, it is truly an incredible experience! She has brought me SO much joy and honestly helped me through some pretty tough times! Now she’s healthy, living her best life with two little kids, a puppy, kitten, and bunny friend! All always well supervised! She’s also pretty popular on the Palomacy Facebook page now, our own little Celebrity!

Palomacy is a revolutionary animal advocacy group that is changing the world by expanding compassion to creatures that are forgotten, exploited, and even demonized. Palomacy's acts of care and compassion since 2007 are truly inspiring.

Palomacy has changed my life by bringing pigeons into my family. Most people can't even fathom pigeons as pets. As a pigeon pet owner, I can say that pigeons are wonderful companions -- smart, loyal, full of personality, intelligent, and downright CUTE!

When I found a hurt pigeon on the city street three years ago I had no idea what to do, so I contacted Palomacy. They helped me with next steps for this little feral, but, having joined the online Help Group I began to see just how much they helped pigeons and doves of all kinds, in any and every situation and location. So I started helping transport hurt pigeons to that local wildlife hospital -- I became a rescue volunteer! Soon after, I adopted my first pigeon and started working at the pigeon-friendly wildlife hospital I found through Palomacy. Since then, I have helped rescue hundreds of pigeons and am heavily involved in wildlife rescue, rehab, and advocacy, especially when it comes to pigeons, both domestic and feral. I am a pigeon rescuer, Help Group Moderator, and I help answer Palomacy's hotline to assist other people who need help with a pigeon situation. Palomacy absolutely changed my life. It's a lot crazier now and chock full of pigeons, but it feels like such important work to help these amazing, marginalized birds who deserve so much better than what they've got.

We adopted Suki (now Yayboo) last month, hoping to ease the broken heart of newly widowed Coach Steve. I'm so thrilled to report that the two adore each other -- here they are in the bath together. Thank you to Elizabeth Young, Jill McMurchy, and this community for recognizing and affirming the validity and sensitivity of even the most misunderstood among us.

I just wanted to take a minute and say how special this group/page is!! I, like many on here was chosen by a beautiful pigeon as he/she decided my yard was a safe place. I didn’t know what to do and found this group/Facebook page. I posted and was immediately supported with great info/advice/tips. *The biggest one was getting “Forge” (I named him/her) to a safe place out of the elements. I asked for a help finding a home. I was asked if I could foster in the interim (care instructions provided) until they could find a home, which we did. After great communication, we found Forge a forever home! Huge shoutout to Christine Housel for all of her help and support. I share this to say thank you, but also to let others know who are in my situation (and unfortunately not able to keep the bird) to be patient and care for and love on the little bird until options are found. These are volunteer workers taking their Own time to help! These birds chose us for a reason!

Kind, caring, true-to-heart good people. That is how I will describe this amazing group. If only the world had more of the rescuers from Palomacy. I first discovered their existence in April of 2022 and wished I had met them sooner. They had helped me connect with the sweetest doves, Snow and Peach. We are so happy and love that they continue to be available for questions and help throughout. Their time and dedication to the lives of so many doves and pigeons that need help amazes me. Their love for what they do truly shines through. I can’t thank them enough. ������������

Exceptional people with hearts of gold run this small nonprofit with a big hearted mission to care for pigeons and doves in need of support.

What was a real low -- feeling out of options and like I needed to find new homes for my pigeons -- metamorphosed into the best win-win! I am so humbled by the the incredible teamwork, effort, and generosity of the Palomacy community.

It started with Jenna reaching out via Facebook private message to offer a no-pressure but possible solution... an aviary that needed "rehoming" and full help to rebuild it! I said "yes" and she made it happen!

I am so grateful to Jenna, Jon, and Chris of Palomacy for their generosity of time, labor, and build supplies. How did these little birds get so lucky? How did I get so lucky?

Take-aways:
- Ask for help. When you're among supportive, compassionate people of a trusted community, like Palomacy, you're likely to get support and compassion as a response, and not ridicule and judgement.
- Reach out with an idea. You never know when the alternate solution might be just the right fit!
- With community, teamwork, and dedication, so much can be accomplished!

I hope you enjoy this short video that artfully chronicles the story from start to "happily ever after."

I rescued a collard dove Sparkle who kept reinjuring herself. I reached out to Palomacy Pidgeon and Dove Rescue. Jill helped an I surrendered Sparkle to her care. She rehabbed her but unfortunately she can't fly. Jill kept Sparkle and is giving her a place to live and taking care of wounds. See Sparkle still thinks she can fly thus she keeps reinjuring herself. My love for birds was reignited so I adopted a pair of doves Paz and Mina. I have gad them two years and Mina recently passed away of natural causes. Paz was very lonely so I got Filo another female dove. They are married now. First picture is Paz and Mina and second picture is Paz and Filo. Palomacy asked me to help a neighbor to catch domestic white pidgeon which I did and the family who asked for help could not keep white pidgen who I named Leo. I foster and adopted Leo. I have helped Palomacy fostering injured birds. They ask to take injured birds to Medical Centers for Birds to be treated. Palomacy gives online support, connects you with a rehabber and make the bird a Palomacy bird then covers vet bills and encourages rescuer to foster/ make bird available for adoption. It is all about these bird. Local wildlife will not help says not Indigenous to the area and will not help. So pidgeons and doves fall through the cracks no one help them thus Palomacy Pidgeon and Dove was founded. They are a wonderful group who helps these beautiful souls. Last pictures are Leo

Palomacy is a diligent and profoundly humane organization. I would trust them to do their absolute best by any pigeon or dove. In my experience they go above and beyond to bring help, healing and knowledge, and to obtain the best veterinary care when needed. I would eagerly adopt from them again, and if I ever had the sad necessity of relinquishing a beloved bird, there is no one I would trust more to act with kindness and expertise. If I found a pigeon or dove broken or lost, I would hope to be within reach of Palomacy. I've followed them for more than 8 years now, and I consider them a role model for rescue.

Sweet Amelia was found under my car. I couldn’t catch her and worried about her all night long. The next morning she was back under my car and we were able to catch her and contact Palomacy. Within 2 hours we were at the bird hospital thanks to this amazing rescue!
After a few days we brought her home to foster, but started to notice her wound was becoming a gaping hole. Now, 3 weeks later, Amelia is back with us to foster and love her while she heals. We could not have afforded to or had the resources to SAVE her precious, valuable, vibrant life! We are so grateful to Palomacy, Medical Center for Birds, and Elizabeth Young for being there when Amelia needed life saving care. This organization is INCREDIBLE!

I’m a wildlife rehabber for doves and pigeons. I contacted Palomacy when a white homer pigeon came into my care as a result of a hawk strike. I was able to put him up for adoption with Palomacy and foster him in the interim. That’s where my love of these unreleasable pigeons began! “Kid Gorgeous”, as I named him, is now a family member! I cannot tell you what amazing support and education Palomacy has given me. Every call, every email, every question answered promptly, professionally and kindly. Their compassion and care for these birds is unconditional. Every bird is treated as a life that deserves love and the best home. Because of Palomacy, I know these doves and pigeons have a chance to give love and be loved by human parents and protectors, in the same way we care for our other pets.

A friend found a pigeon in distress and sought to help him. We needed immediate assistance for this bird. The Palomacy Website offered information on emergency care of an injured bird, in addition to vast resources relating to pigeons (diet, housing, daily requirements, cage and aviary construction, history, etc.).

After reaching out on Facebook, two Palomacy volunteers provided additional help including a home visit! Because of Jill and Elizabeth’s enthusiasm and ease with both humans and bird, we decided to keep our pigeon and find him a friend.

Long story short, we built an aviary (again using Palomacy resources), and were able to help eight additional pigeons! We’ve had TWO MORE home visits to assure that our aviary was built adequately to protect pigeons, provide preventative treatment, and to make new introductions within our pigeon flock. In addition, Palomacy volunteers have given countless hours of advice, assistance and emotional support, to include an assistance during an emergency.

Pigeons have now become a family hobby and they have had a very positive impact on our family. I believe that Palomacy’s success is related to the awesome founder of the organization, and the tone she has set for the group’s wellbeing. It is a truly supportive group of individuals that have built a dynamic organization. People in this group are willing to go above and beyond that of most. I’ve been involved in several “animal rescue” organizations, and Palomacy is superior in every way.

Palomacy has also provided an avenue for future volunteer opportunities as well. I have become active with the organization because of my positive experiences and the incredible outreach that was provided to me. This is truly an organization that keeps on giving.

Palomacy has brought so much joy and love into my life and helped thousands of birds as well as educate the public on the implications of pigeon racing, dove release, ribbon cutting ceremonies and squab. Palomacy has changed my life with their love and guidance. I. Ow have 6 rescue pigeons and couldn’t imagine life without them. Thank you Palomacy

back in March a neighbor found a King Pigeon sitting in her apartment complex's parking lot late at night. The bird at the time appeared not to be able to fly. The kind neighbor was able to catch the pigeon, but was unable to keep her. People on Nextdoor were telling her to release the pigeon. I told her that I would take take her instead. I had found a pigeon about 10 years ago and somehow got into contact with Palomacy. They were amazing then, and they are amazing now. Jill mentioned that they had a lot of birds at this time, and asked if I could foster her until she could find placement, which I did. I also sent some feathers in to have the bird's gender checked. When the results came back I informed Jill that Jonesy was a female. I have not really owned a pigeon before and had lots of questions. Jill always responded back to the multitude of questions that I had . She was patient, friendly, and extremely informative. I honestly thought that I would have Jonesy for months...one month later she texted me to tell me that she had a foster care for her at Ploughshare nursery. At Ploughshare I was introduced to Nath. I walked her down to the beautiful aviary, and Nath took her time explaining things and introducing me to the other birds. It was an amazing experience. Such a wonderful and caring rescue. They do an incredible job caring for these sweet little souls. I can't thank them enough, especially Jill and Nath.

2019, I rescued a pigeon with a broken wing, and Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions helped me every step of the way. From the volunteers' nations wide and local I gained confidence that I could rehabilitate and release my first rescue. The help and rescue changed my life forever.

Since that day, I was motivated to help as many community birds as I could emotionally handle. I've now rescued dozens of birds in my local community and even kept a few unreleasable as an extension of my family inside my home.

I could not have done it without the guidance of this organization. My life has forever changed and I am internally grateful

Palomacy is one of our favorite non-profit organizations, because every day we see how they help people to help pigeons and doves.

Their website was a lifesaver for us when a bird was blown into our tiny courtyard and brought into our gallery by the shop cat.
Thanks to the Palomacy website and the kind helpers on their facebook page, we soon realized he was a baby pigeon, and we got the advice we needed to help this sweet little fighter survive his injuries. Ali became a beloved member of our family, and the first of many injured pigeons that are now in our care.

The Palomacy website answers so many questions, and with their guidance, we designed a safe outdoor aviary.
We are so grateful to Palomacy, for teaching us so much about pigeons and for enriching our lives in this unexpected way.
We can't imagine life without pigeons now.

Palomacy is an incredible nonprofit. They work overtime to save a group of animals that few people know need saving and who are so vulnerable. We met Elizabeth Young, Palomacy's amazing founder, a few years ago my daughter was at an animal rescue fair, where she fell instantly in love with their pigeons. My daughter was amazed how calm and sweet pigeons are, having never held one. Soon after, we adopted a pair of pigeons and then another pair. Having pigeons has been such an educaiton for us and for our friends and family. So many people malign pigeons. But these are beautiful birds. They are so smart, mate for life and are devoted to each other. It's been their unfortunate fate that people have bred and used them for food, for wedding releases (where the majority will die), and for other terrible uses. Elizabeth and her team give so much of their time to save these birds and educate the world about what incredible creatures they are.

I am an active volunteer for many things and the volunteers at Palomacy are the most caring, giving and selfless individuals I have ever met. Each one will go to great lengths to help a creature in need and often at great sacrifice to themselves. They will drop everything at a moment’s notice if someone needs help with a rescue. It makes my heart feel good that there are humans of this caliber in the world - after all, humans have to be the protectors of other living things.

I've spent much of my life rescuing cats, dogs, turtles, horses, domestic birds, and even wild animals. I've done my own rescue and dealt with many rescue groups. However, if Jill Shepard is any indication, Palomacy is the best of all. Here's my story:
Decades ago, we were active with the Palomares 4H group in Castro Valley. One of our neighbors happened to be the President of the American Pigeon Racing Union. He wanted to donate a loft and pigeons to the 4H group. He did, and it ended up at our place. As the years went by, the kids grew up and the pigeons started to die of old age. That was 27 years ago. A while ago, the 2nd to last pigeon died and the last was very lonely. We contacted Palomacy Pigeon Rescue. In spite of them being overfull, Jill came to the bird's rescue, even picking her up from us. She named the bird Wisdom, immediately trimmed her beak, and set her up with a heater for her arthritis. Attached is a photo showing Wisdom (lower bird) in her new home with companions, and everything she could possibly need for the rest of her life.

This group is top of the line. I am in awe at the care with which they have handled this bird, a species many people consider "disposable". They aren't, and this group makes that abundantly clear. Thank you to Jill and Palomacy.

Last Wednesday, we found an injured Pigeon in the backyard of my house, poor thing couldn't fly, I think it wasn't going to survive, we grabbed it and put it in a box with some food and water, I had to go to work the next two days and my Baby was the one who always checked if the bird was okay, I noticed the Pigeon ate, that was a good sign. I posted a notice on Facebook asking what I can do, where I can take it, etc., I received many comments people who say to killed it, to cook, they even sent me recipes on how to prepare it, but they also put positive things where to take. Saturday a woman contacted me in private, She is the Pigeon's angel, she gave me the numbers of the site where they rescue, cure and given up for adoption. Yesterday, we took the Pigeon to an sanctuary. Jill the other angel showed us how they take care them, how they are, because we have no clue about birds. They really are intelligent birds, fragile, we told that many people use them to train dogs, something that seems horrible to me. My baby was fascinated to see all that, we know children need to see these cases to learn, to realize that animals are not to abuse, or use them for horrifying things. If we are more compassionate and careful about what we teach to others the world can be different, we are adults who know what is good and what is bad. It is up to us wht they learn. THANK YOU SOO MUCH ELIZABETH, JILL AND BETTY CUEVAS FOR CREATE THIS ANGEL GROUP. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU GUYS

I first heard about Palomacy during an outreach they were doing at the Oakland Zoo. I met a few pigeons they had with them and fell in love. Now, a year later, I have an outside aviary set up and I'm happily fostering for them. I'm on the second 'batch' of fosters and couldn't be happier. The work they do is incredible. As one of the only pigeon/dove rescues I've heard of in the area, they take in so many birds but are still doing everything they can do for every individual bird. I recently found a lost racer pigeon and they helped me with her recovery and placing her in the right home. It's always a joy to welcome in new fosters and I love talking pigeons with everyone from Palomacy that I've met.

I was leaving a hotel in San Francisco and noticed a pigeon lying on the ground. The pigeon didn't move so I ran to my car, grabbed a pair of gloves, asked the hotel receptionist for a box, and upon closer examination, I noticed the bird had an injured wing. I scooped him up and placed him the box and began to frantically search for wildlife rescues. I reached out to the humane society who explained to me the bird was 5-6 weeks old and was used for pigeon racing due to the band around it's foot. The bird, now named Barry, had broken both its ulna and radius during what is believed to be his first training session as a racing pigeon. Once admitted to the SPCA, I was notified Palomacy would rescue Barry if the owner didn't claim him after the 4 day holding period. I immediately searched for Palomacy's website and began reading information about racing pigeons, pigeon care, their personalities, and just about anything else one may desire to learn about pigeons. I found joy in learning they enjoy looking at themselves in mirrors and they can wear pigeon pants to allow them to spend time outside of their aviary without making a mess. I couldn't wait until the holding period was up to find out Barry's fate but then I received a call stating Palomacy rescued him and took him to a vet where he's receiving excellent care. I felt tremendous relief knowing he would finally feel love and safety. I learned his wing will be amputated and he will finally have a quality of life with someone who values his beautiful soul and existence. I can't recommend Palomacy enough. They didn't hesitate to help him and I couldn't be more thankful.

Hi Everyone,

This past weekend, we had a beautiful white pigeon show up in front of our house. He seemed to be lost. He was walking all around without purpose. We think he was looking for food and water since it was a very hot day. We brought both out to him and he helped himself. We thought with food, water and rest, he would fly back to his flock. He overnighted on our neighbors roof. The next morning, he was gone or so we thought. After coming back from breakfast, there he was. With a few discussions from Palomacy pigeon professionals, the thought was he would not survive long in the wild. So with suggestions from Palomacy, we when to Petco and purchased a small cage, put some food in the middle of it, and attached a string to the door. Within 15 minutes, he was safely in the cage. I wrapped a towel around it to help keep him calm. We found a rescue near us called http://wildwingsbirdrehab.org/ and was very close to us. We called and she said she would accept him. We dropped him off and talked with her about him and will be following up with the rescue in a few weeks to see how he is doing. We were happy to help this little guy and hope he lives out a peaceful remaining existence.

Dave.

Four lives would not have been rescued (or should I say they rescued us) and provided an amazing home if it had not been for Palomacy, and its amazing, generous community. One rescue turned into four: (2) King Pigeons: "Percy" and Georgie; (1) racing pigeon "Kensey" and (1) Homing pigeon "Lil Nell."

Many kudos to Palomacy/Elizabeth Young and the top-notch fosters/volunteers who provide novices with a life-altering resource for teaching oneself and others about how wonderful pigeons and doves are, to medicating and weighing them, sharing what they should eat, medical help, how to transport, to building safe/predator-proof outdoor aviaries and indoor environments (if you want your pigeon or dove to become part of the family that way).
 
So, the story goes: "Percy" arrived the day we were faced with the heart-wrenching experience of having to say goodbye to our beloved cat on the heels of a very hard year of losses. We had just asked the Universe to provide a safe journey for a spirit that was truly a gift, and was to be put to sleep in a few hours. We brought her out to the backyard to spend a few hours there until the Vet came and while holding her in our arms, "Percy" strutted toward us. Percy stayed within three feet of us as we sat on the lawn, even through the euthanasia. The symbolism was so endearing, the Vet was moved as well. 

From that day forward, on a daily basis, Percy spent the Summer sitting near me when I worked at the patio table with my computer and we fell into a routine. A few months passed and the hawks finally noticed Percy (he was a white beacon who loved to perch on the roof when not on the patio, or under nearby bushes), and after many close calls our hearts could not take another ounce of drama, we came to the final straw.

The pivotal morning, a huge hawk was sitting on the back of the patio chair as Percy, unsuspecting below, ate his food. We chased the persistent hawk away and quickly wrangled Percy into a makeshift enclosure until we could build a proper one, so we dug in and three days later he was transported into the preliminary aviary and daytime "run."

Percy was accustomed to frequenting a bird-feeder area during the day and we didn't want to close him off from the stimulation of his feathered friends, so the "bird run" allowed for the songbirds, sparrows, and jays to fly in and out of that area. Plus, we were torn about caging what we thought was a wild pigeon. We soon found out from Palomacy that Percy self-rescued, was not feral, and could not continue to survive without our help.

We spent the next month and a half after work and on weekends making sure the aviary was fully predator-proof layered with many sleepless nights worrying about what still needed to be done. We had to think like a hawk, cat, raccoon, opossum, ground squirrel, rat, and mouse!

While the aviary was underway, we had perused the Palomacy site at length (thank you), but still had questions/concerns so we reached out to Elizabeth Young who responded quickly and arranged a visit. Elizabeth and Foster Extraordinaire, Jill, inspected the aviary, taught us about the anatomy of pigeons, their behaviors, how to handle Percy, and also brought along some of their foster pigeons so we could start the process of finding Percy a companion.

Pre-aviary, Percy had enjoyed his bathing pool and frequenting the bird-feeder run during the day to be with the yard birds, so keeping access to that area was an important consideration. At night we always took the feeders out of the run and closed it off by another door to ensure the aviary remained predator proof at night. Once the additional pigeons settled in and we figured out who could live with each other, a rescued Percy turned into a flock of four pigeons and the run was then permanently separated from their domain. To conclude, Palomacy, is such a well-run organization, spearheaded by passionate and knowledgeable people—boundless/endless accolades go out to this organization who definitely keep paying it forward. You never feel alone in the process of adopting when you become part of the Palomacy family!

I found 2 baby pigeons that had fell 30 ft from their nest on a busy street in SF this past Saturday & brought them home. With 0 experience on pigeon fledging, I started doing internet research re pigeon rescue in the area. I found Palomacy Pigeon on the internet, emailed the contact & within hours got a response saying they could potentially find them foster parent pigeons...these baby pigeons are now with loving foster parents to raise them until they can go onto Pigeon School at a Wildlife Center & then be released back to the urban jungle. I am so grateful to Palomacy & its staff for the exceptional care, initiative and agency taken in caring for these birds. I cannot recommend it enough!! So appreciate their work :)

This non-profit is an inspiration to other non-profits. They are an animal rescue that actually puts the animals first. The volunteers and staff will go out of their way to help the birds no matter where they are located or what hour of the day it is. They see all lives as equal and it is so refreshing to see them look at every bird that passes through their organization as an individual and not a number.

I encountered them while working at a wildlife rescue. Our organization's first response when it came to injured pigeons was euthanasia because they were considered vermin. This broke my heart and I personally took it upon myself to reach out to Palomacy and get the help these birds needed. Years later, I have 2 doves that are little blessings and brighten my dark days. Please help support this rescue. They are amazing people. ❤

Hey guys!!!❤������
With all the weird things going on in the world right now, i want to bring a bit of positivity your way, so if u think u have a few minutes, I'd love for you to hear how this group changed my perspective ������
I live in a third world country, where we are bombarded with animal abuse cases all day every day. People here are still stuck with the mentality, that animals are toys, and they are only used as a means of entertainment, so they can be hurt. This is why it's very common for people overseas to adopt animals from Romania..because we are overwhelmed with the cases of abandonment and abuse.
I found Hector hurt, bleeding and visibly uncomfortable outside of my school. I instantly caught him because i knew someone would have stepped on him, or hurt him if i didn't intervene. I didn't even stop to think about housing him, caring for him or paying for his vet bill, i just knew i had to get him help FAST. He got surgery, and he is better now, but i quickly realised after i got home from the vet, that i have no idea how to keep a pigeon. So i panicked, and with the lack of support in my home country, i joined this group so i can get the opinions and advice of dedicated people who love pidgies. I never thought that i would find so many great people with this much love for them, because here they are considered literal scum. Y'all make me so happy, and i'm so grateful for finding this group������ but mostly, i have absolutely fallen head over heels in love with pigeons, especially Hector and i have learnt so many interesting things about them that completely shifted my perspective. Funny thing is, I started loving pidgies so much, that my boyfriend and I are looking into getting my Hector a mate.������
Overall, I love this group, I love Hector, but most of all I love you guys for showing me that pigeons are truly amazing, and helping me make my boy feel better. I really appreciate it❤

I am truly grateful for Palomacy. My husband and I are moving out of the country soon and made the heart-breaking decision to rehome our rescued pet ring-necked dove, Oberon. We contacted Elizabeth who gently guided us through the process. She matched Oberon with a new family and allowed us to meet and pass on Obie's preferences, diet, daily routine, etc. We left knowing that she would be loved and well cared for by her new family. We feel truly blessed knowing she will be in a good, healthy environment thanks to the dedication of Elizabeth and all the wonderful staff and volunteers at Palomacy!

I adopted two wonderful pigeons from Palomacy in August 2019, and Elizabeth Young was so supportive through the whole process.

Saturday the 27th of August, a week or so after they came to my home, my adopted pigeon Cosmo began having a respiratory problem that seemed to worsen as the day went on. Come evening I, very new to being a pigeon parent, was at a loss, terrified that he might have something very serious. The wonderful and generous Elizabeth came to my place well past midnight despite the late hour to help. She gave care and instruction and helped me to feel like there was a plan for Cosmo's care. Particularly as I was meant to leave on a trip to Alaska the following Tuesday (a trip that had been scheduled for two years so I couldn't really move it around). Cosmo's condition got better and while I've been away both Elizabeth and the amazing Ari Wee, another pigeon parent I met through Palomacy's amazing community, were such an amazing care team for the boys, keeping a watchful loving eye on Cosmo's condition and being sure they were safe and looked after.

Ever since the boys have been doing great. They are the perfect addition to my home and I am so grateful for the existence of Palomacy and their generous hearted network of staff and supporters who not only help you to find the perfect companion but to make sure you and your companions feel there are helping hands, understanding ears, and useful resources always nearby when you need it!

It is so heartwarming that there are (other) humans too, seeing the value of individuals that have a different appearance than us. At this time I take care of an hurt raven, which makes a great recovery. I wish some day people would see the same in chickens -they´re worth it, too.
I love the work Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions do!
Photo courtesy (framed and text added by me): https://www.animalsaustralia.org/factsheets/broiler_chickens.php

My dog, Kasper, and I were on a late evening walk when we spotted a lonely racing pigeon wandering in the street of a busy train station, barely dodging incoming busses and cars. The poor little thing was walking in circles, unable to fly due to exhaustion and dehydration. I shooed him onto a nearby grassy area to get him out of the street, called in reinforcements (read: my boyfriend and a cardboard box), and brought him home.



We had no idea what to do next, other than give him water and seeds: He wasn’t a wild bird, evident by his banded legs, so no refuge would take him. I jumped online and found Palomacy, and that’s how my life changed (for the better) forever. 



I love animals, and I had rescued many before. But what in the world does one do with an unreleasable domestic pigeon? I found out the answer soon enough: adopt him! The only problem was that I had zero experience with birds and lived on the opposite coast as Palomacy. But Elizabeth didn’t waste a second. She called me and we spoke for hours. She provided all the guidance I needed and answers to my gazillion questions. Later, Jill welcomed my (many) emails and has continued to guide me through this learning process. And both women have joined in on group texts to help me out and cheer me on as I’ve fallen in love with my little bird, whom we named Pomme de Terre (Pomme for short).



Because of Palomacy, I've come to learn so much about these beautiful and emotional birds, and the awful fate so many of them face. In turn, I’ve been able to educate and open the minds of others about dove and pigeon rescue. I will be forever grateful to Elizabeth, Jill, and Palomacy for giving me the tools and support to care for such a special creature. I feel very lucky to have my sweet little Pomme and to be able to give him a loving home for the rest of his days.

Palomacy is a wonderful organization! I found them on social media ages ago and when I moved to the Bay Area I reached out. They set me up to foster 2 adorable blind Homer pigeons (Jake and Rose who were dyed green -- and blinded by the dye -- and released at a wedding) and gave me everything I needed to start. Elizabeth is so caring and always answers my messages immediately when I have questions or concerns about the birds. It's really evident how much everyone affiliated with the organization loves and cares about the well-being of these birds. My mornings are so much brighter now with Jake and Rose following me around the house in their diapers. They're the sweetest birds, and I think everyone should have a Jake and a Rose in their home!

When I was in the 7th grade, I went to summer camp at a local animal shelter. One of the days, a Palomacy volunteer came in to present on pigeons. At the time, I thought the whole concept of rescuing pigeons was a bit weird, but I didn't know how much it would end up shaping my future.
Later that year, when my friend rescued a lost racer pigeon named Eleven, I knew just who to contact. Not much longer after that, I converted a playhouse in my backyard into an aviary, and started fostering Eleven, along with many others over my time as a foster volunteer. Being completely responsible for another being at a young age taught me so much responsibility, and leading the very same presentations at animal shelters that taught me about Palomacy now taught me public speaking.
It is so obvious when someone is petting a pigeon for the first time that they are not only bonding with that being, but also seeing how valuable compassion for everyone can be. People realize that there is more to these individual's lives than just being a "rat with wings". In a way, Palomacy is an organization that benefits not only pigeons and doves but all animals, human and nonhuman, and serves a very vital role in our society. It teaches everyone to have compassion for those different than them, as it has for me.
Now, 5 years after first becoming a foster volunteer with Palomacy, I am a senior in high school. Because of Palomacy, I am also an animal rights and environmental justice activist. I am able to speak in front of hundreds of people without being terrified, and I am able to have compassion and see past the stigmas placed upon so many individuals. I am also so grateful for the opportunity to care for pigeons and the support that Elizabeth provided me in doing that.

I happen to find Palomacy while looking to adopt a dove or pigeon after my Pakistani Fantail died. Not only did I find a dove to adopt, I also rescued a pigeon. Palomacy helped me take better care of the doves that I already owned and educated me on some misconceptions I still had. Since finding this group, I have been able to better care for my birds and have resources that I never had avaialable before. The group is filled with caring and bird loving people who are willing to answer any question. The moderators are knowledgeable and supportive. I absolutely love this group and my flock Is definitely happier ❤️

Palomacy helped me and my fellow staff attend to two baby pigeons that were abandoned. They guided us through how to make sure the birds were cared for and found a foster home! Thank you for all that you do! No one else would help

I work at Clean Water Action a national water policy organization with offices in downtown Oakland. We found two baby pigeons and had no idea what to to do! Thank you to Palomacy for their work and support! The baby birds are now being fostered and cared for.

I rescued a feral baby pigeon a year ago with a broken wing and foot. I joined Palomacy shortly after and since then have read and learned from it daily. It has been so helpful and informative. I had no idea what a fun and social pet a pigeon could be and now will probably never be without one. Thanks to Elizabeth and Palomacy! I can’t imagine how much time and money these ambassadors must spend helping these little creatures but they are truly inspiring.

Elizabeth and Palomacy have had a huge and positive impact on the students at my Middle School in Alameda, CA. Elizabeth, volunteers and ambassador Pigeons and Doves have visited our Animal Care & Welfare class often during the last 5 years. We have learned so much about the challenges that these wonderful birds face day in and day out. This has led to an appreciation and protective atmosphere at our school. Students are inspired to help and educate others about Pigeons and Doves. When students get to hold these magnificient birds they understand them better and often want to adopt them as pets! Thank you Elizabeth and Palomacy for doing all you do every day!

I've had pet birds since I was nine years old and I've always been interested in pigeons. My mom always thought they were disease ridden and rebuked their existence, I of course was in love with the idea of pigeons mating for life and always wanted to see a rea-life baby squab. Years later now I'm 14 and I was feeding my favorite feral flock of colorful pigeons and I see this skinny looking, scared, shy, broken little fledgling. I had chased her around for awhile until I cornered her and picked her up. She immediately calmed down and we've been together for about a week now and she's getting better but she'll most likely never fly again, I named her Cupid and she has changed my life for the absolute best!


Elizabeth is so very knowledgeable about the care of these sweet birds and has been amazing at answering all my tedious questions, she's comforted me when I mourned the loss of three white King pigeons released at my aunt's funeral, I literally went home and felt like a jerk for not getting more help but she assured me that there will be more to come and that I must get used to the fact that this world is awful for these birds


All in all I'm so happy that Elizabeth has changed my life and has made me a better person in general. And I don't live in California but I'm coming to palomacy someday to meet the queen of doves her self!

Elizabeth and the Palomacy community are truly extraordinary. They work so hard to rescue, revive, and find safe and caring forever homes for these birds. Just as important, they show us humans why it's important to give these birds a chance when they can't survive in the wild and are often overlooked and misunderstood. I never thought I would own a pigeon (much less an aviary with a flock!). But when I saw a King Pigeon (Zeus, raised for squab to eat -- photo attached) being attacked by a hawk and then a dog, Palomacy immediately helped me figure out how to take care of him and foster him. Jill gave me a pigeon care 101 session and showed me how much love these birds can bring to our lives. Josette and Luis helped me build a beautiful aviary. And Elizabeth brought other pigeons to me to complete the flock, and walked me through every step of the process. I'm truly grateful that I have these birds in my life.

When we first saw Sizzle, we knew he was very special. The shelter he originally was at kept him warm and fed him, and as amicable as their efforts were, they did not understand his needs or know how to properly care for him. We reached out to Palomacy who accepted him with open arms and a promise to care for him the way he deserves and to treat him for his needs. With Palomacy's help sending him to a proper vet, they discovered he had a broken and incorrectly healed ankle, an infection in his foot, a previous spinal injury, and a mass near his kidney. This little guy went through it all! We get updates on him regularly and we know hes being treated like the little feathery king he is. I will always have respect and admiration for this organization's efforts and mission. If I could add 100 more stars I would. Thank you Palomacy! - Ben and Lacy

One of my favorite memories ever was being 10, free, and feeding the masses of pigeons of Piazzo San Marco. Aptly dressed in a yellow puffy coat, pigeons were descending on me from all sides to feed on the corn in my hands and to hopefully explore my jacket. Fast forward about 18 years. Pigeons have always been a fascination to me. Exotic birds to this suburban kid, I had proudly put self made pigeon posters in my college dorm and then my first office. Pigeons were always associated with a lighter, warmer, cozy time in my life. I got older though. And life got heavier. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and two bad things happened back to back at the end of 2017 and beginning of 2018. Diagnosed with PTSD and its friends severe depression and severe anxiety, I was a different person. To get through it I had to tap into something, anything happy. It all started with the pigeons on the balcony. Their cooing and predictable schedule gave me reassurance. We became fast friends when I started feeding them. Soon, it became normal to eat breakfast and lunch with the pigeon couple. They cheered me on with their coos and made me keep a normal human schedule and get to my job on time. And that got me to tap into that Venice memory. Soon, I was looking up if pigeons could be pets because the balcony pigeons, while feral, were so sociable. I soon found Palomacy. My boyfriend took me to an event they had in Japantown in August of 2018. That's where I met Elizabeth, Borealis, and Cadence. Cadence was a roller pigeon who survived a hawk attack and Borealis was her grounded husband. I fell in love instantly. I just couldn't get them off my mind. I tried to go to as many events as I could just to see them. I read their stories online. I showed off their pictures. After many conversations, I convinced my parents to adopt Cadence and Borealis. We all--me, my parents, Cadence, and Borealis--did the big drive home from SF to Dallas, TX to make it in time for Christmas. I'm really grateful for Elizabeth and Palomacy because they helped make my pigeon dreams a reality. Elizabeth was so warm and welcoming and showed me the ropes of pigeon care--what they eat, how to put on pigeon pants, what a pigeon home should look like, what a healthy pigeon looks like, what an unhealthy pigeon looks like, how to travel with a pigeon, how to handle a pigeon, the list goes on and on. She checked in on us before, during, and after the drive to make sure everyone was adjusting well. I really have never met someone or worked with an organization that cared so deeply for their cause. No question was stupid. No concern was ignored. I loved my time with Cadence and Borealis so much that when I came back to SF, Elizabeth let me foster a pigeon couple, Gypsy and Fish. Registered as ESA, they live in my bedroom in my apartment. They've been amazing companions, they've helped me keep a schedule, they get me emotionally ready to get out of bed. I can't imagine life without them. And without fail, Palomacy and Elizabeth have been here to hold my hand and answer my questions. And it's not just Elizabeth. Palomacy itself provides a lot of literature to educate new pigeon parents on the basics and the intricacies of life with pigeon. On top of that, Palomacy has a fantastic network of pigeon parents (foster or adopted) and experts. I can literally ask any question from pigeon healthcare to ESA housing rights and someone will answer or will find someone to answer me. I've never felt more supported when adopting an animal. I wish all animal rescues operated like this.

Palomacy does a great job at pigeon advocacy as well. The Palomacy crew gets out into the community to reach all kinds of people to not only debunk the trash dove stereotype but to also open people's mind to considering these birds as pets and family.

Palomacy is a fantastic group and I truly appreciate what they do for the environment and our community.

It'll all started back on Sept. 12, 2015 when a Birmingham roller pigeon was making his rounds on the street between my house and a couple of others. He was lost, frail and needed help. I knew absolutely NOTHING about birds, but knew he desperately needed help. After looking online for advice, I came across Palomacy and it was then I realized that taking Luigi into my home was an absolute must. Elizabeth Young was immediate to chime in on my desperate pleas for help and with her support and encouragement from others in the group, I was on my way... From obtaining a proper cage / room setup in the home to cleaning supplies to feeding and bathing, etc. - the information was plentiful!
Here we are 3 years later and Luigi has become one of the most important things in my life.... which is why my recent scare with him was so difficult. Luigi had somehow fallen ill and I was in and out of the vets office many times over the course of 2 weeks. I reached out desperately for help on Palomacys Facebook page and flocks of people stepped up to offer support.... it was a team effort to get Luigi back to his healthy self and NONE of this would have been possible if it wasn't for the dedication and patience of one very special person. Of Course - that would be Elizabeth Young. Not only was she taking all of my phone calls , she also reached out to some of her colleagues for help. Everything I needed to do required experience and knowledge... and I was lacking. But because Elizabeth was there to help me EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY, Luigi is now back on the road to being a healthy boy. I never thought in my life that I would have to tube feed a pigeon and for those that have, you know how stressful that can be. Well, again - Elizabeth to the rescue. She guided me with crystal clear instructions before my first attempt, DURING my first attempt and after my first attempt. I know very few people in my life that are willing to make this kind of commitment to help others - be it animals or people. Elizabeth Young and Palomacy are, hands down, an absolute GIFT to the people who love pigeons and the birdies themselves. Thank You SO, SO, SO, much for EVERYTHING!! I love you - Luigi loves you and we will always do our best to make others aware of how wonderful pigeons are and that there IS supreme help out there when needed. :).
**Photo #1 = a Happy & Healthy Luigi. (2017)
Photo #2 = the day I met Luigi in my driveway. (2013)
Photo #3 = Luigi flying around in his room... (the best room in the house, of course) :)
Photo #4 = My Favorite Photo of Luigi (taken about 3 months after adopting him).

I am a newbie but managed to rescue a beautiful racing pigeon that had been living in the area for the past six months. Elizabeth provided me with continual coaching throughout the process- from setting up the cage through placing this lucky pigeon with the perfect adopter - in less than a week! I was blessed to have found such a knowledgeable and caring organization. Thank you again Elizabeth for providing a better life for so many of these beautiful birds!

I searched for a site to help me build a better home for a dove trapped in a tiny cage. I'm very grateful to Palomacy (Elizabeth) who emailed me with many friendly and helpful tips!
Here's the story:

I’m a foreigner living in rural Bali, where birds are often kept in very small cages as decoration It’s part of the culture, considered normal and nothing I can change on a grand scale – no rescue centers exist here either.

While doing some gardening one day, I went over to find a knife in the handyman’s area and discovered he was keeping a dove in a tiny wire cage. It was obviously a wild adult which had been caught by him.

Without thinking too much, I opened the door and let it out, watching as it fluttered happily to pastures new – or so I’d thought.

On his return from work, the handyman was upset, and wandered around the garden in the dark with a flash-light searching for his bird.

“What have I done!” I thought, wracked by pangs of guilt.

The next day it returned. He caught it, happily placing it back inside the ‘Cage of Doom’.

Wanting to find a compromise, I decided to butt in again, this time educating myself on dove preferences (via expert help from Palomacy) and buying materials.

It now has a piece of wire closing the main door latch. I managed to persuade him to include a little ‘dove door’ so it could fly around outside and come back.

The dove seems happy, the handyman is proud of his work and my conscience a little lighter – regarding the bird and its owner!

The floor is split bamboo so the dove doesn’t have to stand on bare wire (apparently not good for its feet). The roof is corrugated metal – but under vegetation, so it won’t be too hot in the tropical sun.

It has a nest, a bathtub with pondweed, a mirror, a shelf, food/water in ceramic pots, and a few perches made from driftwood I found on the beach. It’s fed on unhusked rice and leafy veg from the garden.

We've learned that he’s a male Sundra Collared dove. The males make very different sounds to the females. I called him Bulu – which means "feather" in Indonesian – though the handyman thinks I’m a bit nuts – no animals are given names here!

I wonder if he’ll use the nest . . .

My experience with Palomacy has been incredible. I have adopted a mated pair from one of their foster aviaries and couldn't be happier. Elizabeth (and the entire palomacy community) is incredibly knowledgeable and will answer any and all questions you may have. I went from knowing nothing about these underrepresented birds to feeling competent and happy that I am providing them with the care they need. Palomacy truly is a community; once you adopt an animal from them you are part of a supportive group of people that you can always reach out to. I highly recommend Palomacy- their compassion for these under-represented birds is outstanding.

Last September a white pigeon landed in our yard in the CA mountains, where we feed all the local birds. We knew it wasn’t native; nope not a band tail pigeon. Thought it would fly home. Five days later we decided it might want to live with us and brought Pidgie inside. Reading the band on her leg, we discovered she was a 2 yr old racing pigeon from Oklahoma City. Also, we knew she was smart cuz she decided to stay with bird loving people rather than fly back to Oklahoma.
Being pigiots (pigeon idiots), we needed help fast! A course in Pigeon Ed 101! Searching the Internet, we discovered Palomacy, the answer to our prayers... or rather Pidgie’s prayers for pidge educated human parents who could give her the healthy, happy home she deserves. We surely couldn’t have successfully saved this bird without help from the Palomacy family of bird lovers. Now it’s time to give back . Two days ago, through the Palomacy FB site, we became part of a tag team effort to save a racer stranded in 109 temps in the desert. Today this lost racer is safe with us. “Coo” will join Pidgie, increasing our family by one more sweet pidge. Bird life is good! Thank you Palomacy!

I've been a grateful supporter of Palomacy for seven years. During that time, I've been fortunate to participate with the organization in many ways: I've adopted five beautiful pigeons in need of forever homes and I've assisted in the rescue of a couple dozen more. I've visited the local humane society on a number of occasions to help kids learn about why pigeons are coo(l). And I make a monthly donation to demonstrate how much I value the compassionate, life-saving work Palomacy does EVERY DAY for so many birds in need. The organization is very often the nation's first-responder for pigeons and doves, advising people all across the country who unexpectedly encounter a bird who needs help. By tirelessly filling this much-needed role, Palomacy has opened the way to a greater societal understanding that these charming, smart, emotional beings deserve our respect and care. Thank you, Palomacy!

I adopted an injured, unreleasable feral pigeon in 2016 through my work at a veterinary hospital that also does wild bird rehab. Until then, I never really thought about pigeons as pets, although I did appreciate them. While doing tons of research on how to properly care for my poor Fergus, I came across Palomacy. Now, I'm not located anywhere near Palomacy (opposite side of the country, in fact), but their extensive website and resources were invaluable to me! Not only is Fergus healthy and happily married to another rescue, but Palomacy inspired me to do some of my own small-scale rescue work with these AMAZING creatures. I now have 3 rescues that are my own, and last year I fostered and homed 3 others. If not for the wonderful work of this organization, I probably wouldn't have been able to save these 6 (with a 7th just arrived tonight). There needs to be a Palomacy in every state!! Pigeons are so overlooked and underestimated, when in reality, they're some of God's most incredible creations. Go Palomacy!!

I stumbled upon this rescue one summer day in San Francisco. They quickly drew me in with their beautiful birds and caring personalities. These people will restore your faith in humanity. They educate people in the importance of these unappreciated birds, and about what great companions the birds make.

Palomacy is an exceptional organization. They not only help hundreds of animals every year, they also educate thousands of humans about the plight of domestic pigeons and doves. Just over two years ago I connected with Palomacy to help by fostering, and I was taken in graciously, having never had any experience with domestic birds, and was taught everything I needed to know to properly care for them. I was even provided with supplies to help get me started. It didn't take long for me to fall head over heels in love with these animals and the work that Palomacy does. Now I couldn't imagine my life without these beautiful creatures and the wonderful network of animal lovers that Palomacy has created.

I found this group through my love of pigeons and doves. I had a release business of my own but was unable to separate my emotional bond to the birds from making a profit. Not finding a lot of sympathy or compassion with other release groups or individuals, I stumbled upon Palomacy and have never looked back. This group is full of the most knowledgeable and caring people I have come to know. We are united in our love of these intelligent and loving birds but also have a strong connection to one another. The staff is dedicated to improving the lives of animals that many others would cast off and will go out of their way to give good homes and medical care so the birds can live a full and happy life. This group is also full of sound advice for owners and adopters and also assists with goods and services to anyone interested in providing a safe and loving home to a wayward pigeon or dove.

Palomacy is synonymous with "Angels for Pigeons & Doves". The people here are bridging a gap that many don't realize even exists. Hundreds of pigeons and doves that were earlier being euthanized are now being rescued, rehabilitated and re-homed each year, with personal care and attention.

Palomacy helped me adopt two of their sweetest pigeons, Jose and Rose. These birds have added so much to my life, they are now part of my family. They provide me with incredible support and comfort. After each long day of work, I look forward to going home and chatting with them in their coo-language, the amazing listeners that they are:) And of course, I now have a fluffy ball of feathers that I can squish in my bear hug any time of day or night!! Thank you Palomacy for everything!!

I discovered Palomacy through a friend, when I had never even seen a pigeon in person before. I ended up finding a young pigeon in need, and though I was too far away from Palomacy, by hundreds of miles, I was able to contact volunteers and hear all of their instructions and information in real time. One volunteer even paid for two vet visits for me, since I couldn't afford to bring the pigeon to a vet, myself. They're a loving, generous community, who use every donation to the fullest extent. I've become a sustaining donor, and do my best to raise awareness for pigeons and doves, and direct anyone with questions to look into Palomacy. The pigeon I rescued is unreleasable due to a disability, and I've been taking care of him since. He brought so much love into my life, and brings more love with every cuddle and with every coo, and I would've never felt this love without Palomacy's help and guidance.

Amazing humans doing amazing things! This organization changed my life and empowered me to make a difference.

Palomacy fills a critical gap in the animal rescue community, saving lives directly by arranging medical care and local adoptions, and indirectly through outreach and supportive advice to pigeon and dove rescuers across the nation . Through my involvement in fostering and adopting, I've learned so much about love and compassion. Palomacy treats every pigeon and dove with respect, spending time to get to know each one personally, then matching them with just the right adopter. I feel honored to be a part of this organization, and every day I experience the joy of spending time with my adopted and fostered pigeons.

Palomacy helped my family twice in one year. The first time was when a neighbors cat attacked a baby pigeon. They helped me keep the little one alive until I could get him to a rescue care facility.
Then later on this year they helped me find a husband for my very lonely disabled female pigeon Ombré. They made a home visit and offered ideas and resources that were so valuable! Then they matched my pigeon with another disabled pigeon Icarus! It has been a few months and both birds are in love and happy! These birds bring my whole family so much joy. We want the best for them. I know that I always have help and resources with palomacy. A big thank you to Elizabeth Young for her endless patience and advice!

Back in 2008 , I found a King Pigeon that had been hanging out in a local bar. I offered to help find it a home. I thought this BIG white bird was a sea bird and uncovered it was a King pigeon. That is how I found Palomacy! Palomacy was full, but gave me the support to care for the pigeon I called Dovee. After 1 year of trying to find Dovee a home, someone asked me if he was adoptable and I said, " no". I since not only adopted the pigeon I found but have become a volunteer and foster birds and contribute to the rescue in anyway I can. Palomacy not only helps pigeons, but it helps the pigeons people, pigeons globally around the USA and beyond and has also educated the public and local shelters. It is an amazing community and all donations go 100% to the work.

My daughter was begging for a pet pigeon for well over a year. We found Palomacy's website and would sometimes look at their adoptable birds. "When you are 12" I would tell her, thinking that she might get over the obsession. But a week before her 9th birthday, a big white baby king pigeon crash landed in our backyard, and so we suddenly had a pet pigeon. Even though we didn't get a Palomacy bird or go through their adoption process, Elizabeth was incredibly generous with her time and expertise. She advised us on what kind of cage to get, visited our home, did a health check and administered some initial medications as a precaution, since the bird had been living with a feral flock. Since that time, she and the other Palomacy volunteers have always been available with advice and encouragement. And Pearl, our pigeon, has become a beloved family member. I had no idea that pigeons were so lovely and sweet as pets. We have happily accompanied Palomacy on their outreach events, and continue to learn about these amazing animals that so often go unnoticed.

A huge thank you to Palomacy for all the support and wise advice when Jonah Pigeon was first brought to us about a month ago unable to move his legs... Over the past weeks he's been resting in his towel doughnut, staying clean and tidy thanks to a special onsie design, and having daily hydrotherapy, and I'm beyond thrilled to be able to report he's gained full mobility in his right leg and some limited mobility in his left leg! His left leg will likely always have some limitations, but we are continuing to work on his physical therapy and strengthening, and with classic pigeon poise he has adapted remarkably well to a life of fluffy blankets and stuffed animals, snuggles, and being carried around the house for his mental stimulation. :-) So grateful to everyone involved with Palomacy for offering such helpful insights into Jonah's care!!

It all started with a pet fair. One day I took my kids to a pet fair with no intentions of getting another pet. We looked around at the dogs and cats...and then we saw....THE BIRDS!!! We walked up and started talking to the volunteers, petting the pigeons and doves , and simultaneously, falling in love. Elizabeth was so full of knowledge. I went home determined to have those birds! Within a month or so my husband had built an aviary. Palomacy was there to help every step of the way, ensuring we knew how to properly and safely construct it and supplying us with resources. In the mean time I joined the Facebook group and started educating myself through other people's experiences and questions/answers. Then there was the monumental task of picking out our perfect pigeons. I looked at the adoptable birds online, and instantly knew I had to have Captain Cardamom. We adopted him and and have since found him a mate and adopted a special needs couple as well. We could not be more happy with our experience with Palomacy or with their continued support and involvement when we need them. We hope to add another mated pair to our flock in the future, and I hope to help the rescue in the future in any way I can, whether it be outreach, fundraising, or simply sharing how great they are with friends to get the word out. That's how awesome they are!

I love palomacy! I've never heard of them until recently, when I found a pigeon at my workplace and did a google search to see if there are any rehabbers in my area. Most rehabbers will turn away pigeons, considering them little more than rats with wings. I initially thought the search was a long shot because most people I've met hate pigeons and will go out of their way to abuse or harrass them. Even my coworkers didn't think the pigeon was worth saving.

I'm so glad I found this compassionate group that's willing to give these misunderstood birds a chance.

I've had many years of experience with parrots, but knew nothing about pigeons. The people in the facebook group were very helpful in telling me what I should do/what I should feed these baby pigeons. These babies are so gentle and deserve to be valued like any other wildlife.

Thanks again Palomacy! The lady who I found in my area is a wild bird bander during the day, and a pigeon rehabber by choice. She was so excited about pigeons and I felt like I could entrust these birds to her.

To date I have saved 2 baby pigeons and gave them both up to the rehabber. She has sent me photos of the rehabbed birds before release.

I'll continue to support palomacy by donations and purchasing their items. Got myself a super cute Miu pin :)
Miu is such a beautiful bird, saved from a sad fate by Palomacy. She is fitting mascot for them.

Palomacy has made me a convert, I love pigeons now! If I have space in the future, I would be glad to provide homes for any pigeons in need.

We met Elizabeth and Palomacy at an outdoor event and were immediately taken by the beautiful birds with their pleasant dispositions, warm owners, and Elizabeth's thoughtful and encouraging replies to our myriad queries. We quickly fell in love with some birds, although never having been bird companions, we were skeptical of our ability to support their needs. Elizabeth carefully took us from zero to competence through attentive steps. We are now the proud foster family to two mated pairs. Our daughter continues to love and inspire others through her ability to educate about these intelligent creatures, so we're delighted to be bringing greater awareness, thanks to Palomacy, to the world about pigeons!

I live in Canada and have kept parrots for 30 years. One year ago, I had an injured white pigeon turned over to me. In looking for help on how to properly care for her, I came across the Palomacy Pigeon and Dove Adoptions site. What a wonderful source of information for me. Everyone is so helpful and not critical of those of us just learning about pigeons. I've learned so much and my pigeon is now a very happy and healthy girl. She was most likely a wedding release as she is unbanded and is missing part of her left eye. She's beautiful and I've since added another pigeon friend for her. With the help of Palomacy members, I've learned how to integrate both pigeons into a parrot home, without problems. I'm so thankful for this site.

This is the most compassionate and intelligent group of individuals I have ever met. The founder of this nonprofit has taken time out of her evenings on several occasions to give me guidance and advice about my doves. These people are working hard not only in California but across the country and even the world to make sure pigeons are taken care of! I highly recommend supporting and working with this nonprofit. They run off of donations and I know they would much appreciate I highly recommend supporting and working with this nonprofit. They run off of donations and I know they would much appreciate any donation any donation. This group makes caring for my pigeon easier and easier!

When my girlfriend found three king pigeons at a Bart station we were way in over our heads. We love animals, but had never cared for birds, much less three sickly baby birds. I had read about Palomacy, and knew it was an awesome rescue group, but Palomacy is so much more. It's a safety net and an amazing community of hard working, compassionate, and generous people. When I ran out of money for vet bills Palomacy made sure Watermelon, Cantaloupe, and Honeydew still got treatment, an incredibly generous act given the extended stay at the vet the melons required. And when Honeydew succumbed to her infections the emotional support from Elizabeth and the Palomacy group was incredibly helpful.

Watermelon isn't out of the woods yet with neurological symptoms, but I feel much better knowing Palomacy's decade of experience is backing us up.

I donated so other pigeons and doves can be as lucky as the melons, and I plan to make many more donations to Palomacy. I also would love to volunteer, maybe someday the melons can be pigeon ambassadors. Palomacy is doing hard work that almost no one else is doing. I hope more and more people adopt and foster pigeons and doves from them, and learn like I did how spectacular the birds and the people of Palomacy are. I don't know what we would have done without them!

And here's a photo of me and Cantaloupe spending some quality time together.

“What kind of bird is this?” That simple text message, along with the photograph that accompanied it, marked the beginning of my role as a pigeon-mom. It also led me to Palomacy, a pigeon and dove rescue organization comprised of the most extraordinary individuals whom one could ever hope to meet.

The text was from my co-worker, Kathryn. The bird featured in the photograph was Francesco, an amazing pigeon who has touched my life in a most profound way.

One summer afternoon two months ago, Francesco flew over the fence into Kathryn’s yard, where she and her family were enjoying their day poolside. Francesco was clearly a tame bird, readily approaching them and even hopping up onto the lawn furniture to sit next to them. Though tame, he had no band, nothing by which to identify the person to whom he might belong.

The family decided to let the bird stay while they continued to swim and talk – and stay the bird did. Hours passed, and Francesco stayed. The family went indoors, and Francesco stayed. Actually, no, he did not stay when they went indoors. He tried to follow them into the house.

Evening approached, and Francesco made it clear that he did not plan to go anywhere. Kathryn decided that she had to act. Naturally, she reached out to me, not because I had any knowledge of pigeons, but because I am that crazy bird lady and lover of all animals, one of those people who is easily suckered into permanently housing any creature in need.

“Kathryn, can’t you take the bird?” I already knew the answer to my question. Kathryn could not take him. What else could I do but drive the forty minutes to her house with one of my parrot’s travel cages in tow?

What did I know about pigeons? Absolutely nothing. I had not the foggiest idea what to do with this pigeon whom I had just welcomed into our home. Moreover, as it happened, my knowledge of parrots did not transfer to pigeons – at all. I was clueless as to this pigeon’s needs and began to panic. Why is he making such weird noises and running around in circles? Why is his neck so puffed up that it resembles a lion’s mane? Why on earth is he twitching his wings – is he having a seizure? Knowing that you are responsible for a living creature about which you are completely ignorant is an excruciatingly humbling and terrifying experience.

To my dismay, I quickly discovered that I was not alone in my ignorance. For about five days, I did the best that I could to take care of this bird. I received a lot of advice from folks who meant well but who also did not have the knowledge to help me, including an avian veterinarian who treated Francesco for a respiratory infection and parasites but also told me that he may be a wild pigeon and that I should consider releasing him into the wild once he was strong and healthy again.

That last bit of advice just did not sit well with me, and it was the last straw. I absolutely had to find someone who knew enough about pigeons and who could help me. I had exhausted all local resources, but during an internet search days earlier, I had come across a California pigeon and dove rescue organization called Palomacy. I decided to send a message to the rescue’s Facebook page, hoping against hope that someone at this organization would take the time to read my plea for help in Connecticut and agree to call me.

I don’t think an hour passed before I received a response from the founder and director of Palomacy, Elizabeth Young, whose passion for and devotion to these birds is rivaled only by her energy and tireless efforts to provide a sanctuary and educate the public about how special they are. In her response, Elizabeth thanked me for rescuing Francesco. She also gave me her phone number. “I am super busy, but if I can’t answer when you call, leave a message, and I will call you back.”

That very same day, Elizabeth spent the better part of an hour on the phone with me, telling me all about pigeons, offering her invaluable insight and advice, and answering my countless questions with the patience of a saint. I will never be able to express to Elizabeth how grateful I felt for her support that day and how grateful I remain for her continuing support.

At Elizabeth’s invitation, I also joined the Palomacy Facebook Group. When I first joined the group, it was just a resource for me, a group of people with much more knowledge than I had about pigeons, a group of people who could answer questions and help me take proper care of Francesco. Within minutes, sometimes seconds, after posting a question, answers and suggestions appeared.

From Elizabeth and the Palomacy Group, I learned that pigeons are absolutely amazing creatures. Pigeons are homebodies. They mate for life. They have “pigeon marriages” and will stay with their “pigeon spouse” even as the beloved mate is dying. Pigeons are fiercely loyal, devoted, emotional, romantic, and intelligent beings. Indeed, they possess all of the same traits that people value in other people.

I learned all of this and then some about pigeons from Elizabeth and from the Palomacy Group, but I also learned more. Palomacy has enriched my life in a way that I never expected. Every time I log onto my Facebook page, my feed is overflowing with stories about people rescuing precious life. These days, my Facebook feed is literally flooded with human kindness, kindness toward the lives rescued as well as toward the people doing the rescuing.

Palomacy is an exceptional organization, and Elizabeth Young is an exceptional individual. I just cannot sing her praises enough. Elizabeth and those who support her rescue embody the qualities that we value most in life – compassion, empathy, integrity, industriousness, devotion, honesty, and loving-kindness. Quite frankly, Palomacy embodies the traits of the very birds that it rescues. Who wouldn’t want to be part of an organization like that, who wouldn’t want to donate to an organization like that, and who wouldn’t want to learn about and love the birds that Palomacy works so tirelessly to save?

Palomacy – it’s for the birds, and it’s for the people too. It’s for all of us who want to make this world a better place, one act of kindness at a time.

Palomacy Pigeon and Dove Rescue goes above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to rescuing, caring for, fostering, and placing vulnerable pigeons and doves. In addition, Elizabeth and her team of wonderful volunteers help educate the public about these wonderful, intelligent, sensitive birds and the plight they face. From racing pigeons that lose their way and are injured and starving, to lost doves that have been released as part of a wedding or other event whugh have no survival instincts, to misguided rescues of King pigeons, released by careless humans into the wild with no way to survive. The Palomacy team has helped them all. I have never seen them turn down a rescue opportunity, no matter how crowded their aviaries are or how busy they get. They help in many other ways too. There is a whole team of volunteers that goes around the Bay area and helps unstring pigeons that have gotten caught up in string disposed of by careless humans. I live in Seattle and they were a huge help to me as well. There is no pigeon rescue org here but when my son brought home a 5 day old pigeon a couple of years ago and I had no idea what the birds needs were, I was able to find information on how to care for this tiny squeaker on Palomacy's website. None of my local wildlife rehab centers were taking feral/non-native birds at the time and taking the bird to animal control was not an option I was willing to pursue. Palomacy offers so much information and support for people in my situation. I was able to tube feed the baby bird, build him a cage, and enjoy the past couple of years with my new companion. Since then, I have tried to help birds in need of review in my area and pass on the knowledge that I learned from Palomacy to others about what wonderful birds pigeons and doves really are. I now have several rescues in my own aviary and am contacted often as the local 'bird lady who knows what to do' when someone in my area find a pigeon or dove in need of help.

Few creatures have suffered the indignities of man’s fickleness as pigeons have. I mean creatures with whom we share our everyday lives, in urban and suburban spaces. Yes, the cat has been patient with our love hate relationship with her, but think of that one creature to which we attach all sorts of “alternative facts”. Facts like “they carry so many diseases”, “they are rats with wings.” And then proceed to ignore them even when they are all around us in our cities, under our overpasses and perched on our powerlines. But perhaps the worst of all indignities is that they do not fall under a protected species (most birds do- therefore it is prohibited to harbor them, harm them, try to poison them, and when rescued, can’t be killed).

I work in the environmental department at a large power plant. One day a squab was brought to my office. My first call was to our nearby bird sanctuary. They wanted nothing to do with it and even recommended I take it to a vet to be euthanized. I then went online to the Michigan DNR. I called rehabilitator after rehabilitator and none would take my calls. In years past, finding a rehabilitator willing to take a stray merganser was not trouble, but now, here was this tiny baby pigeon looking up at me expectantly- me who had never owned a bird in her life and knew nothing about the care of one, much less a baby. That’s when my desperate searches led me to Palomacy. Their organization is so well structured and rich with information that within minutes I had found a forum and videos which walked me step by step from what and how to feed a squab to how to house it.

I did this fully expecting baby to be dead every morning. But this little one was a patient teacher, and the information from Palomacy and their linked forums provided me with support and knowledge needed to do things right. One rescue became seven, four being successful releases, one having found a forever home, and I kept three for company. All through this I perused Palomacy’s pages, blogs and instructions. I looked for a foster home through their site, even if by the time I found a couple of places in Chicago who would take this little pigeon in I had decided to keep my little charge.

I think there was no avoiding falling in love with my little rescue. But I know that Palomacy had a lot to do with fully opening my eyes to what lovely creatures pigeons and doves are and how much work there is to do just to get them viewed favorably by most. I donate regularly to a few charities, but few have a webpage with this level of information. It provides videos: fun and educational, blogs: personal and informative, and many links. They are tireless educators, always reaching out to the community. But what I love is that they let the community help as well, teaching each other and sharing best practices. Some organizations can veer into an attitude that only they know what’s best. Palomacy seems to exude that same open tender love much like pigeons do. Any organization that is helping and open and eager to hear from you is an organization that is going to last long and go far.
I now take every opportunity I have not just to talk about my pigeons in hopes of opening more eyes and hearts to them but also about Palomacy and the work they are doing. For example, their calendar contest was a fantastic idea and incentive to get us to spread the word and be part of their community by becoming essential in fund raising. It was so rewarding to see my friends and family donating to Palomacy, as I am sure it was for Palomacy.

Lois & Alice

I have never been a bird person. Period. When I was a newly-wed a hundred years ago, my then husband brought home a Quaker parrot. It was a hate/hate relationship that lasted about two months before I insisted it be brought back to where it came from. Never understood how anyone could have these flighty, pecky, noisy, messy, and destructive little creatures in their homes. And I’m talking about birds not men. Although……..

A few decades later, I currently have two indoor rescue pigeons that I would fall on a sword for. And it happened quickly. Almost like there was plan in place to shake me out of my coma-like existence when it came to pets.

A little over a year ago, I was very content with my two pedigree elderly Ragdoll cats. Enter Janice, a co-worker at a newspaper office I worked at in Malibu. Under “bunny-hugger”, there is a photo of Janice. She only worked at the paper a few hours a week and sweetly asked if I would mind assisting in the care of a “white dove” she found. She had received approval from the owner of the paper to keep this “dove” at our work place. She made it sound fun! We could have a contest at work coming up with a name! Keep it in the accounting department and listen to it coo softly all day! On and on and on.

Janice had found Lois Lane (contest winner name) stranded and unable to fly in an area of Malibu that is very tranquil and apparently, a perfect place for celebrations and dove releases. She gathered up the “dove” and took it immediately to the wildlife center where they promptly put it in with some chickens. This niggled at Janice for several days and after gaining approval to keep the bird at work, she re-rescued Lois (for which the Center hilariously charged her) and brought her into the office.

In short order, I realized Janice nor I knew very little about the care and feeding of this bird. We had a cage, some seeds and water and this pretty little bird that didn’t so much as make a peep. I’m not certain when I came across Palomacy, but I’m almost sure it was on that first day. I was totally panicked. Elizabeth was the first and ONLY person to return my frantic calls.

Elizabeth calmly told me what to do and after describing what the bird looked like, burst my bubble by informing me that what we had was a pigeon. A “homer” at that. I fought that tooth and nail. I did not want a mere pigeon, I wanted a sweet-cooing dove. The Peace & Love and married for life kind of dove. It took me weeks and tons of research to realize yes, Lois is a homer. Not even a King. A homer. Dumb name. As in “Homer Simpson”. I didn’t realize that homer meant HOMING PIGEON.

Poor Elizabeth was then my new best friend and I called frequently. Everything made me a nervous wreck. Was the cage big enough? How much should we feed her? Doesn’t she need another pigeon friend? Is it acceptable to leave her ALL ALONE ON WEEKENDS???? It didn’t help that Lois was going through a soft molt.

This went on for a few months and during that time Lois really was the calmest, quietest bird. So bomb-proof. We moved her cage around the office several times to find better locations, were constantly buying new and improved cage stuff (dishes, toys, mirrors and nesting thingys) and just futzing in general with her environment.

In my on-going research and constant conversations with Elizabeth, I determined that Lois needed to spend time outside in the sunshine and fresh air. Lois just seemed so complacent; not unhappy but resigned. I was very twitter-pated about this. So, I purchased an Easy Up. Which is basically a big enclosed play pen for camping. Not predator proof AT ALL but we made do. Lois now got to go outside every day. I was happy. For a few weeks.

It’s hard to believe but we rarely if at all touched this bird. We would move her cage from the office to the easy up outside, open the cage door, put a large bowl of water for her to bath in and then take her back in at the end of the day. Janice and I were pushing hard to rescue another pigeon friend for her as she was left alone so much – especially on the weekends. We were met with a lot of resistance from the staff. We literally did not have the room in the office for a larger cage and building an outdoor aviary was not going to happen as it took tons of begging and cajoling to even erect the Easy-up outside our office space.

Around this time, I decided to finally move closer to my children in Tehachapi CA. A small mountain community 175 miles north of Malibu. As I was giving notice, I burst into tears and emphatically stated “AND I’M TAKING LOIS WITH ME”!!! Like a 5-year-old. I still can’t believe those words came out of my mouth. I was met with no resistance – more like, THANK GOD. Can we help you pack up and put the bird in the car for you? Humph!

Very quickly I moved and installed Lois in my home where she has a Rolls Royce of a cage that she resides in only at bedtime, poops on organic bird cage paper and can fly up to specifically installed corner perches in my office/indoor aviary all day and every day.

Now it was time adopt her a buddy! With the assistance, once again of Elizabeth, I adopted sweet, sweet Alice from Palomacy. Yes, another female homing pigeon. Suffice it to say, there was a brief period of time where I was convinced Lois was a male – even renamed her Lincoln. Unfortunately, that brief period of time coincided at the exact same time I was adopting Alice. Hence, the two females. It’s not perfect but we make it work. I’m the official mate of both these girls.

Thank you, Elizabeth, Palomacy and all the pigeon/dove rescuers out there. I read every single post you guys make and have learned so much this last year. My ignorance of pigeons and birds in general proves how wrong I was and how truly adaptable these guys are. They fumble right along with you while you’re learning and never complain. That does not stop me from continuously trying to make their habitat fun and entertaining. I love the phrase: You will not save the world by adopting a pigeon, but you will save that pigeon’s world.

In conclusion, these sweet little misunderstood birds have changed my life for the better. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t laugh out loud at them. I love them, love them, love them.

Now if I could just find a male that could take on two females…..

On March 31st of 2014 I rescued a king pigeon that was walking around in my yard in the rain..turned snow. She let me pick her up which I figured was a sign that she was sick.
I've never owned a bird in my life but I really love animals! I then went online looking for any help I could find. The only place I found that offered the help I needed was Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions. The expert help I got from Elizabeth Young and all the people in the group is the reason I still have my Tuukka today..almost 3 years later! I started out completely clueless and now I've offered advice of my own. I've never met such a wonderful and caring group in my life! If they can't help you..they will find someone who will. They really really care about all pigeons & doves and go far beyond what anyone could expect!

I am a pigeon fancier and was in a serious accident last year. None of my friends or family knew what to do with my birds. Palomacy came to my rescue and took care of them until my recovery. Were it not for them I might have lost my birds.

The people I have met and come to know dedicate so much of their time and talent to helping these birds - rescue, care, fostering, adoption. They are passionate about their work and will "go to the wall" for their rescues. They even have a nationally acclaimed veterinary clinic - Medical Center for Birds (Oakley, CA) helping them. Every pigeon receives the best care you can imagine.

This past Thanksgiving a little pigeon came into my husbands shop where he works asking for help. At first, he was put back outside. Someone was driving a forklift into the shop and this little bird got on the forklift and rode back into the shop. He stayed very close to the men working, despite saws being run and lots of loud commotion. We knew something was up. My husband and I had done pitbull rescue for more than ten years, but we hadn't the faintest clue on how to go about rescuing a pigeon. He was eating and drinking and didn't look too compromised, but I feared taking him to any kind of shelter or wildlife center because he's just a pigeon and would be euthanized. I got online straight away and was lucky enough to find Palomacy. I live in Washington state, but that didn't stop Elizabeth from helping me. She answered my email immediately and then called me!! She walked me through how to care for Dee with amazing kindness and patience. (First Deandra because we thought he might be female, now Deangelo because he's a he for sure!) If I didn't have Elizabeth for support, I would have crumbled for sure. I was so worried I wasn't doing it right. She has sent me emails, texts, links, pictures, has put me in touch with other rescuers and pumped me full of encouragement. I have learned so much in just a short period of time. Mostly how wonderful these little dinosaurs are and how wonderful are the people who devote their lives to them.
Palomacy is an organization other rescuers, of any animal, should model themselves after. Their website is full of helpful information and resources. Their members and volunteers are knowledgeable and committed. Outreach programs, always educating, fundraising, they are amazing! I wish all our animals in need had a Palomacy!
This weekend we adopted Taffy, a beautiful Roller found as a stray. We are hoping it is a love connection and our Sweet Dee can be fulfilled. Thank you Elizabeth, Jill and all at Palomacy for your help and encouragement. You are my heroes!!

I just checked , and Palomacy is apparently 2,979 miles away from me, and everyone there has still found dozens of ways to help me.

Almost exactly a year ago, I impulsively adopted a pigeon after carefully researching parrot ownership for the past 6 months. I figured, "hey, they're both, birds, right?" and assumed enough of my research would be relevant for me to still be an informed owner to this gray lump of feathers I just brought home.

Yeah... pigeons and parrots are not really the same.

I was desperately trying to research pigeons kept as pets online, and I was wading through link after link on competitive pigeon racing and blog posts about that one time someone found a dehydrated pigeon outside and let it stay in their home for a week to recover before re-releasing it. Nothing was coming up where someone was keeping a pigeon as a pet the same way someone would keep a house cat.

After about two days of trudging through google searches and contacting people that continued to care for their birds after they were injured racing, I finally found the Palomacy website.

Now let me tell you about this website.

It's glorious.

It immediately answered all my questions, and answers all the questions that someone pretty new to owning a pigeon would need to know.

There are professional looking photos and writing on what your cage setup should be for your bird at home, and an entire portion of the website dedicated to stories about the pigeons and doves that had been taken in by the non-profit (which I referenced often in order to get a feel for how a pet pigeon would behave.)

The information Palomacy has put out is so inclusive, that after doing some interviews online about owning a pigeon, I just had to point in the direction of the site as a resource and it would do all the heavy lifting for me explaining the entirety of a pigeon or dove's needs. Someone even went out and adopted a fantail pigeon after hearing my story and checking out the site!

Eventually, I looked up Palomacy on Facebook, and contacted the founder, Elizabeth Young. She was so kind with how much personal attention she put into giving me advice on my bird, and every time a particularly specific question or situation would pop up, she always quickly put me in contact with someone that knew exactly what to do because they'd gone through it already.

Palomacy doesn't just far exceed my expectations, it far exceeds the 3,000 miles separating us through how much everyone there has made sure I have the resources to give my pigeon a fulfilling life.

Palomacy fills in an important gap when it comes to rescuing animals - pigeons are misunderstood and unfairly despised, and thousands are abandoned in the wild as a result of human activities. This organization rescues the ones that are lucky enough to make it, and goes above and beyond to ensure that they are living happy lives.

Miu came to me after Palomacy posted about a pigeon that had just lost her owner and mate, and she is one of the best things that's ever happened to me. Elizabeth (Palomacy's founder) came to meet her, look her over for general health issues, and she even de-wormed her. She made sure that I feel comfortable asking her questions, and I really do mean any question. She answers all of them in a timely manner, and she does this for hundreds of pigeon owners! I really don't know how she manages to do everything that she does without sacrificing individual attention and care.

In addition to rescues, Palomacy also does a lot of outreach and pigeon advocacy. Rescuing lost birds and giving them a second chance at having homes is amazing, but the outreach is what will make lasting impressions on attitudes towards these birds. I have seen so much love and care in this organization, and it's done so much to help animals that no one else will advocate for. I'm extremely grateful for all they have done for me, and for these birds.

I first encountered Palomacy when I was a wildlife rehabber new to pigeons. I was given helpful advice and encouragement - and I was inspired to build an aviary and start my own pigeon and dove sanctuary! Not only does Palomacy help specific local birds, but Elizabeth and core volunteers have built a positive, supportive community that connects and assists people across the country to care for birds in their area. Thanks to their network and online group, I have been able to find wonderful adoptive homes for several of my rescued birds, and help coordinate foster homes for others. Palomacy is a necessary resource and safe place I can refer people to. I can't say enough good about this organization!

An amazing organization. My husband rescued one and then another pigeon, and with Palomacy's help and advice, we have been able to make a great go of sharing our home with two beautiful, unreleasable pigeons.

In September of 2016, I found a lost pigeon wandering inside a building. He was quiet and adorable, but also hungry and dehydrated. I picked him up and had no idea what to do, until a friend mentioned Palomacy.

Elizabeth was so helpful and somehow made time to reply immediately even when she has so many things to take care of and birds to help. Since then, she's helped us so much --identifying his type (a homer pigeon), recommending a great avian vet, giving great advice on keeping him healthy and safe, and more.

We learned that there's a whole world of sweet, domestic pigeons and doves out there who desperately need help being saved and finding homes, and that there's so much stigma and false perceptions around these birds that they aren't getting that help they need. Thankfully, Elizabeth and Palomacy are fighting that one bird at a time and are an endless source of advice and support. I hope that Palomacy continues to gain awareness and support and that soon more organizations around the world follow suit and help save the neglected (but no less deserving) population of pidges and doves.

Thank you for all the work that you do!

Palomacy is definitely one of the best organizations out there. Not only are they teaching others about the struggles domestic pigeons and doves face, they're saving so many of these amazing birds' lives. I am so grateful to Elizabeth and all of her volunteers for showing me how incredible these little birds are. I've adopted two Ringneck Doves named Novie and Limabean, and they've brought so much joy into my life. Not only is the charity a good cause, the people working at Palomacy are very personable and friendly. They really care about their cause and it's so amazing to see what they've done for pigeons and doves alike. I've told almost everyone I know about Palomacy, and I'll definitely be continuing to support them in the future.

I have known Elizabeth and Palomacy for about 1 year now, and had the privilege of fostering (and then adopting) a lovely little white Ringneck dove that was rescued on the street by a stranger, and who then contacted Palomacy for help. Palomacy is a top quality nonprofit, and more dedicated to "the cause" than any other nonprofit I have worked with. If you want to see evidence of this, just read the stories and look at the number of birds that Elizabeth cares for personally! Elizabeth is constantly available to support the people who adopt and foster the rescued birds. If you are interested in these lovely little creatures I encourage you to attend one of the Palomacy events -- there are many fairs and fundraisers for which volunteers are always needed, and it's a great chance to meet some fantastic people and wonderful little friends at the same time.

My wife and I are lovers of all animals. In April of this year we were "adopted" by a pigeon at our home. He just showed up one day. He never left and loved being with us. We did not know anything about pigeons and thought he would find his way home someday. But we fell in love with him and wanted to give him a good home, but still residing outside in the wild. After searching the web, I came across Palomacy. I contacted them with our story and turns out our pigeon was a survivor of pigeon racing and would not survive on his own in the wild. With the help of Elizabeth at Palomacy, we have been able to provide our pigeon, named Peteybyrd, with a safe home and environment. We have learned so much with the guidance of Palomacy about these birds. They even put us in contact with another rescuer in our area and we adopted a female for our Petey. After a few weeks, they were married and in love! We are currently constructing a large outdoor aviary for the both of them and are planning to adopt more rescues in the future. This is a great organization and Elizabeth has ALWAYS made the time to talk with us, help us with providing the best possible home and life for them and has been very encouraging. I am proud to be a donor to this organization.

This nonprofit organization helped us find pets in need of homes. They rescue pigeons and doves and have an easy adoption process.

I learned of Palomacy when I recently rescued a domestic King pigeon (whom I named Daisy) from a neighbor's yard, thin, dirty, and scared. Elizabeth Young, Palomacy's founder, helped teach me how to care for her, then arranged for a foster home. I was so moved by this experience and by Elizabeth's passion that I became a Palomacy volunteer just one week after rescuing Daisy.

Palomacy feels like a solid organization in capable, loving hands. Elizabeth is perfectly suited for her pigeon & dove rescue and adoption endeavor. She's one of those rare people who has a wonderful way with both animals and people. She has great energy and passion and love for all critters, and is passionate about advocating for the underappreciated pigeon. She teaches people what gentle and smart creatures pigeons really are, and guides people toward a new appreciation of feral (city/street) pigeons. She also has a remarkable way of making her volunteers and rescuers feel appreciated and therefore want to do even more.

I now find myself telling everyone who will listen about pigeons -- how they bond for life with their chosen mate, how both parents lovingly care for their young, how they have such gentle, sweet (and/or sassy, as we like to say) temperments, and about the cruelties of the racing/homing pigeon "sport" and the practice of "releases" at events.

I'd always loved wild pigeons and often spent my free time feeding them and observing their charming ways. I learned about Palomacy through Facebook and offered to volunteer at an event just to be close to these lovely creatures. It may seem odd to most, including myself at the time, that pigeons would ever need rescuing. I soon learned about the cruel "sport" of pigeon racing, the seemingly beautiful yet ultimately horrific practice of white "doves" (actually pigeons) being released at events and ceremonies, and the awful plight of the king pigeon bred to be slaughtered and eaten at only a few weeks old. I now design and press Palomacy's promotional buttons, trying as best I can to spread interest and awareness about these magnificent birds. It has been said that the measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens. This philosophy it what makes Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Rescue a truly great nonprofit.

I work at a vet hospital in the peninsula and I heard about a pigeon with a badly hurt beak and wing, he was brought over and my first thought was to call wildlife services right away I asked if he would be put down due to his injuries, I texted him a photo of the baby bird and the dispatcher told me they would. I knew that couldn't happen and I knew the baby was a fighter I could see it in his eyes, he wanted to live he had survived living at a gas station for two weeks and he was still perky and wanted to know what was going on and where he was despite his injuries. I then remembered of an awesome bird rescue I met at the Bay Area pet expo "palomacy" and gave them a call, no answer so I left a message, I was desperate calling every wildlife vet in the area I can think of. I walked back in he treatment room and saw the doctor had the baby in her arms preparing for a euthanasia! I yelled with tears streaming down my face "please don't do it I will save him!" I decided to call palomacy once more and I heard Elozabeths voice telling me she will help me, I was so relieved I started to cry some more I was a mess lol. I put the baby back into his box and got in my car "when doves cry" was on the radio and it was a sign his name was Prince! Took little prince home and he was so curious to see where he was going I have him some water which he drank on his own but wasn't able to eat. A few hours later Prince, my mom, my three chihuahua's and a Shepard that I was pet sitting for the wknd got in the car and drove to San Francisco to Elizabeth's house. She took him to the vet the very next day and has been updating me on his condition ever since. Just as I thought Prince is going to be ok it will take time but he will be just fine. Thank you so much to Elizabeth and Palomacy for existing for helping little Prince out and saving his life, and all the other pigeons and doves lives that people just seem to disregard. I have a whole new respect and love for pigeons and now carry bird food with me in my car

We had a beautiful little pigeon "self rescue" herself with us. We are not bird people per say and have no knowledge of the care involved. We reached out to Palomacy and received an abundance of support. We were able to safely take care of her for almost 1 month until we found her a great home in a beautiful aviary with a very knowledgeable bird enthusiast also referred to us by Palomacy. The network they have is grand and everyone was generous with their advise and feedback. Very caring and compassionate group worthy of support.

When we encountered an injured homing pigeon four years ago, we did now what to do. We reached out to Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Adoptions for some education. Elizabeth Young provided us with a lot of useful information and support. Everyone we have encountered from Palomacy have been tremendous resources. Our experience was so positive that we decided to provide forever homes to two pigeons and three doves from Palomacy. We are so happy that Palomacy exists to help pigeons and doves that need assistance and for people seeking information about them and who want to help them.

I can't say enough about Elizabeth and the organization.
I adopted 6 pigeons and foster 2 that I would like to adopt soon, and this has been one of the most rewarding experiences I had in my life.
Inspiring, loving, all together goodness!!
Thank you for the opportunity to be part of it!

A pigeon found us eating at an outdoor restaurant in San Francisco! He had an issue with his beak and was unable to eat efficiently, and we could see he was competing with the other pigeons and was losing -- so he jumped up in my husband's lap and began eating his sandwich. Of course, my husband let him have all he could eat. But we could see he was unable to get his share of the food with so much pigeon competition. So we took him home.

We fattened him up, but he still didn't have all his needs -- he is a flock bird, and he was alone most of the day and night due to everyone working. So, I researched where we could find a haven for him where he could have companionship and the care he needed.

I was so blessed to find Elizabeth at PALOMACY PIGEON & DOVE ADOPTIONS. She is one AMAZING lady who absolutely LOVES these little pigeons. She will go above and beyond to care for them.

She has taken BB for us, and he thinks he just went to Heaven. He has so much more than I ever thought he would have. This place is far above any expectations I had. He has companionship of people and birds, an outdoor aviary where he has met some friends, and an indoor cage where he can eat without having to compete with other birds. He even has health care! Elizabeth took him to have his beak trimmed so that he could self-feed a little more efficiently.

Palomacy is an incredible place with loads of love for pigeons! PLEASE DONATE! They have hundreds of pigeons they are caring for, and little donations, big donations, whatever you can afford will help them feed and adopt in (and out) all these wonderful, beautiful, smart little birds! Please find it in your heart to help with these tremendous expenses. These people are fantastic! No one could love pigeons more than Palomacy!!!!

I am so grateful and thankful for Elizabeth at PALOMACY PIGEON & DOVE ADOPTIONS! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Elizabeth!!!