Nine Racing Pigeons Finally Get a Life

January 2003

PETA received a call from a San Francisco, California, woman desperate for help in rescuing nine pigeons from a neighbor’s garage. The neighbor had exploited the birds in racing events and, once they were no longer useful, banished them to a life of confinement in his garage.

Reputable bird sanctuaries are scarce, and pigeon sanctuaries are virtually non-existent. But with the help of Earth Angels Parrot Sanctuary, PETA found a kind pigeon rehabilitator who was willing to build a brand-new indoor/outdoor enclosure for the birds.

Our complainant transported the birds to their new home, where they delighted in basking in the sun and bathing in a tub of water. Two of them were so exhausted from the excitement of their new home that they fell asleep right in the tub.