By Elizabeth Young | Executive Director
With your support, this is what Palomacy can do.
Exactly a year ago, we were contacted by a young man named Jimmie in Modesto, CA about a badly injured little pigeon who he found waiting for him at the door to the gas station where he worked. When he opened the door to go inside, she limped in with him. He knew she needed help but he didn't have the resources nor knowledge to provide it. In her condition, she'd most likely be euthanized at a wildlife rescue. Jimmie contacted Palomacy and we put out the call for 911 help. Within hours, Melissa, a volunteer and experienced rescuer in the area, had gone to the station to meet Jimmie and pick up the little pigeon he named Jay. He sent along $100 to help with her vet care.
Jay was in rough shape, weak, skinny. Her head and eye were injured and swollen and she would neither drink nor eat. Melissa took care of her that night and another volunteer and rescuer, Daniel, arranged to get up very early the next morning, drive from Berkeley to Modesto (85 miles one way), pick her up and then head back west to Medical Center for Birds in Oakley to get her there first thing. We call that kind of emergency rescue going "lights and siren".
Daniel absolutely fell in love with quiet little Jay on their ride together and he donated $1,000 towards what he knew was going to be a big bill. And it was. Others donated towards paying her vet bill too- Patti, Scott, Darren, Nath, and maybe you.Thank you.
At the vet's office, Dr. Athena Gianopolous took over Jay's care. In additon to the head trauma and ruptured eye, little Jay was severly emaciated (1 on the 1-5 body condition scale), had a broken leg, a broken bone in her wing and toxic heavy metal in her gizzard.
She was given subcutaneous fluids, pain and chelation meds, x-rayed, leg-wrapped and tube fed and then, after all that, in her hospital cage, she stood up and did a little preening to arrange her mussed feathers and we all rejoiced in her toughness, filled with hope that this tiny, clever, brave little self-rescuing pigeon could perhaps recover and live a happy life.
And she has! When she was well enough to leave the hospital, she went to foster with super volunteer Jill who lovingly helped amazing Jaybird (as she calls her) make her incredible recovery! Jaybird's broken leg healed up so well that you'd never know it was broken. Same with the bone in her wing. She flies great now! She's a tiny queen bee ruling over a big flock in Jill's aviary. (You can watch her and her flockmates live on our JillVille BirdCam!) Jaybird is an adorable, feisty, loving and very much loved pigeon! She's married the cutest little manbird ever- Peewee- and today, together, they were adopted by their foster mom Jill! They are home!
We don't know for sure how or why little Jaybird ended up in such bad shape but, based on the few clues we have, we suspect she is a feral pigeon who was found as a youngster, raised up by people and then lost or "set free". Imprinted on people and deprived of the education and security that comes with pigeon parents and a flock family, she was starving and got injured, most likely struck a glancing blow by a car, and yet hurt and weak as she was, she had the presence of mind to ask for life-saving help. Together we said, Yes.
There are so many in need of help that rescuers often feel overwhelmed. I know I do. Recently I saw a dog rescue post about a dog they saved despite so many they cannot and they used the hashtag #ForThisOne and I really liked that. It's like the starfish story, "It matters for this one", and so it does. We placed 163 birds with adopters in 2019 and assisted hundreds of others. Every one we help matters. Just ask Jaybird.
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By Elizabeth Young | Founder, Executive Director
By Elizabeth Young | Founder, Executive Director
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