Re: [MickaCoo] What Should We Do?

Thank you all very much for your responses. We have made several attempts to persuade the Farm Sanctuaries to help the king pigeons- bred and raised and sold as meat! If you ask me, every farm sanctuary should at least have one aviary of king pigeons to help tell the story of these exploited and overlooked birds. To date, only the very wonderful Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary has said yes (back in Feb 2011) and they have helped MickaCoo save 14 king pigeons (you can read the story here- Harvest Home! http://www.rescuereport.org/2011/02/harvest-home.html). (I've cc'd Christine and Karen of Harvest Home in case they'd like to comment.) To date, my conversations with other Farm Sanctuaries have failed (because they are too stretched already or didn't think of pigeons as farmed animals) but we don't want to giv up. Please be so kind as to reach out to any and all farm sanctuaries on behalf of the king pigeons. Ask them if they provide sanctuary for rescued squab and warmly thank them if they do (and find out if they have space for more). If they don't ask them why not? Tell them you're a MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue volunteer and that you'd like their help to save some king pigeons (bred, raised and sold as meat- squab!). Me & MickaCoo will gladly help them in every way and, as you know, it is not hard to create and care for an aviary of king pigeons. If they each created one little aviary and housed 6-12 kings, it would make a HUGE difference. They get LOTS of volunteers and visitors and the humane education opportunities are significant. I've attached an article (Squab: Another Cruel Delicacy, written by Harvest Home) and here's a link to our Say No to Squab Pledgehttp://www.thepetitionsite.com/908/812/754/pledge-to-stop-eating-baby-pigeon... (with nearly 1200 signatures to date) and a couple of pictures of rescued kings. And here are two articles which are more than welcome to share- Gentle Kings Need Help to Escape Cruel Fatehttp://www.rescuereport.org/2011/05/gentle-kings-need-help-to-escape-cruel.h... How to Create an Aviary for Rescued King Pigeonshttp://www.rescuereport.org/2011/01/how-to-create-aviary-for-rescued-king.ht... You're also encouraged to share my contact info (and get theirs for me). Elizabeth Young, founder & executive director MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue www.PigeonRescue.org AdoptKings@gmail.com (415) 420-7204 There is NOTHING that I would like more than to spend this upcoming holiday season doing than helping farm sanctuaries get on board for this overdue cause that is central to their mission. Please do call them! Let us know what happens. Thank you! Elizabeth On Thu, Nov 29, 2012 at 2:22 PM, Priya Tuvell wrote:

What about harvest home sanctuary? I think they are inStockton. I think they do rabbits and chickens, but maybe they could help?

On Thursday, November 29, 2012, Michelle Heran wrote:

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I second Farm Sanctuary, as well as potentially The Gentle Barn, and Animal Place. Those are three that I've heard of in California that are all about rescue for farmed animals. And since Kings meet that criteria I would hope they'd include them. I've been keeping an eye out for businesses/places that would be good candidates around here (wineries, public farm/gardens, etc), but it's tough because so many of them either want to breed (and sell) or don't have the staff to do the egg switching. But my eyes are always open, and I'm eager to tell curious people about how great and easy these beautiful birds can be!

-Michelle

On Thu, Nov 29, 2012 at 1:40 PM, Marsha Bassett wrote:

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I could take 2 of them Marsha****

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*From:* mickacoo-bounces@mickaboo.org [mailto: mickacoo-bounces@mickaboo.org] *On Behalf Of *Elizabeth Young *Sent:* Thursday, November 29, 2012 12:48 PM *To:* MickaCoo@mickaboo.org; Jane Shaffer; Annye Bone; Lee Ann Beckley; Gina Farr; Jackie Oppedisano; Janelle; Michelle Heran; Margie Gear; Mariela Navarrete; Sherri Ness; Donna Shadowens; Bernard Pugh; Heather Bechtel; Karen Kalumuck; Stacy Martin *Subject:* [MickaCoo] What Should We Do?****

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Hello-****

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I'm writing to ask you what we should do.****

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MickaCoo's foster system is dangerously overfull. We have used up all the slack in our system and everybody is full up (some of us are a little too full). And we are losing the foster home for 7 of our birds and will need to fit them in before the end of December. We currently have about 120 foster birds and a sustainable capacity of only about 95.****

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One of the keys to our success has been that we do not overcrowd birds. Overcrowding leads to stress which leads to conflict which leads to injury and illness... ****

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Also- we have no financial margin for error. We are basically staying just ahead of the red from month to month.****

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But, as you know, the lost and abandoned birds never get the "we're too full" memo. They just keep coming.****

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Right now there are two young king pigeons and two doves (from two different shelters) that are in need of rescue.****

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I'm reaching out to try and find alternative rescues for them but I wanted to alert you as well. ****

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If you know of someone that might be interested in helping MickaCoo help these birds- either by becoming a new foster volunteer, by adopting or by donating, please reach out to them. ****

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And please- share your thoughts on what we should do. It is so much simpler, in the abstract, to say "we're too full" than it is to say no to birds that need us. ****

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I send you my thanks for all of your support and hard work! MickaCoo couldn't do any of this without you.****

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Elizabeth****

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P.S. We hope to see you at the Mickaboo & 'Coo holiday party in Livermore this Saturday night from 5 to 9. (Details and RSVP herehttp://confluence.mickaboo.org/display/MBPublic/Mickaboo+Holiday+Party+2012 )****

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*MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue http://www.PigeonRescue.org*****

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*Donate to support MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescuehttp://www.rescuereport.org/2009/09/donate.html *****

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*Join us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/MickaCooRescue*****

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*Subscribe to our newsletter http://eepurl.com/iWq1P*****

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Until they all have homes, don't buy, don't breed- adopt.****

www.PigeonRescue.org****

www.RescueReport.org Pigeon / MickaCoo PSA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGjyooh3Yo0****

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-- Thank you,

Priya

Www.mickaboo.org Ringneck, Rosella, and SF Wild Flock Coordinator Education Team

_______________________________________________ MickaCoo mailing list MickaCoo@mickaboo.org https://mickaboo.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mickacoo

-- *MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue http://www.PigeonRescue.org* * * *Donate to support MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescuehttp://www.rescuereport.org/2009/09/donate.html * * * *Join us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/MickaCooRescue* *Subscribe to our newsletter http://eepurl.com/iWq1P* Until they all have homes, don't buy, don't breed- adopt. www.PigeonRescue.org www.RescueReport.org http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGjyooh3Yo0