Two sisters in Hong Kong have taken it on their shoulders to rescue and nurse wounded pigeons in their area.
The sisters, named Inez and Gian, run their group “Hong Kong Pigeon and Dove Rescue” on Facebook where they promote awareness on the welfare of the magnificently plumed birds.
Their initiative was founded four years ago, after Gian rescued a pigeon and took it to the veterinarian for check up. According the South China Morning Post on Oct. 13, Gian had to go to many veterinarians until one was willing enough to look at the injured pigeon. The pigeon was eventually put down.
“Looking back, I think I could’ve nursed it back to health and kept it,” Gian was quoted as saying. “Even if it never flew again, at least it would’ve lived.”
This moment was what compelled Gian and Inez, both in their 30s, to finally push through with their pigeon rescue group. Many friends supported the sisters in their initiative and, in just a year, had over a thousand members in the Facebook community.
“There aren’t many locally available pigeon care resources and providers, unlike those for cats and dogs,” Gian added. “So we created a platform where people can exchange pigeon care tips and learn how to care for sick and injured pigeons without professional intervention.”
Despite their vast efforts, however, there are still people who think lowly of pigeons and scorn at the sisters’ undertaking. Some are also misinformed when it comes to the birds, and automatically connect pigeons with diseases. For Inez and Gian, however, pigeons are just victims of prejudice.
“Many people automatically associate pigeons with avian flu, partly because of public health campaigns,” Gian said in the report. “I see where they’re coming from, but I hope they would delve deeper into this issue instead of simply believing everything they hear.” Cody Cepeda/JB
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