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Wild Bird Fund Expresses Outrage Over Alleged Gender Reveal Involving Dyed NYC Dove: ‘We Were Honestly Disgusted’
A Wildlife Rescue Team urges the public not to use human hair dye on wild birds (or other animals) after discovering a pink pigeon in New York City on Monday.
According to ABC 7 NY, the bird was located in Madison Square Park on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. A Good Samaritan was reportedly walking by when they spotted the bright pink dove and immediately saw that it was in poor health.
The Wild Bird Fund, a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation and education center based in NYC, quickly determined that the bird was a king pigeon.
“I don’t think we’ve ever really had a pink pigeon in the clinic, so we were all pretty surprised,” Wild Bird Fund’s Antonio Sanchez told ABC 7. “We were honestly disgusted that anyone would do something like that. ”
Experts say someone likely bought the bird at a poultry market and dyed it pink before releasing it into the wild.
The dangers are immense. Not only is this species of bird intended to be domesticated, it has never flown and is unable to find food or escape predators.
“She shouldn’t be on the streets, she has no survival skills,” Sanchez continued. “She relies on people for everything.”
The rescue team did their best to tend to the ailing bird, even giving it a cute and appropriate pet name, courtesy of its rescuer: Flamingo.
But according to a recent update from the Wild Bird Fund, the pigeon’s condition remains worrying.
“After allowing our pink guest time to stabilize, our team tried various methods to remove what we believe to be hair dye, with limited success,” the nonprofit tweeted Thursday. “One issue is that the dye has a strong odor and we are concerned about the health of the bird’s respiratory system.”
“Birds are very sensitive to certain vapors, and this one essentially lives in a cloud,” the team explained. “We’re also concerned that he’s picking up the chemical from grooming. His condition is weak and he has trouble keeping food down.”
It’s unclear why someone dyed the bird pink, but some speculated it was part of a gender reveal gone awry.
If so, it would certainly not be the first time. Last year, several pink doves were found in New Jersey after a couple intentionally dyed them for a gender reveal party.
The pigeons, which were brought to Freedom Farm Animal Rescue in Cedarville, NJ, prompted a stern response from this rescue team.
“People actually dyed these doves pink and released them for a gender reveal party,” the organization said at the time. “Animals are not props or decorations.”
In this case, it’s not yet known why someone colored flamingo, but the group is doing everything they can to nurse him back to health. They are currently treating him with heat, oxygen and subcutaneous fluids, as well as special medications to prevent toxins from entering his digestive system.
The rescue team is also reminding the public how serious this is.
“PSA: Please never release native birds into the wild”, The group tweeted. “Not for weddings, funerals, celebrations, art projects, anything. (We hope it goes without saying not to dye them, but…) They will starve or be exploited. If you see an all-white dove in the wild or a tame bird that is lost, it needs your help. Please catch the bird and take it to a pigeon sanctuary or animal shelter near you.”
Although the team couldn’t remove the dye from Flamingo, they didn’t give up trying.
“Bathing is very stressful for a bird, especially one that is already weak,” the group shared, “so we need to balance intervention with stability.”
If you or someone you know has witnessed animal cruelty, call your local animal welfare agency as soon as possible, or dial 9-1-1 if you are unfamiliar with local organizations. If both options don’t respond, Call PETA’s hotline at 757-622-7382.
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It is speculated that the post NYC pink colored dove was part of the gender reveal that first appeared on In The Know.
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