Yesterday I found a pigeon who was lying on the ground convulsing. It looked to me like the symptoms of rat poisoning, if I had to venture a guess. I observed it for a while before I picked it up and put it in a box (obviously with the lid off!!) while I made calls to every vet in the city.
Since it was Sunday, 99% of them weren't closed. I finally got ahold of an "emergency vet care" place and was told that they don't treat pigeons, they will only put him to sleep.
I kept thinking, oh, maybe he'll get better, maybe he's an epileptic pigeon, but it seemed extremely clear to me and my SO and he was simply not okay and was in a great deal of suffering. So I took the pigeon to this emergency vet and asked that he be put down.
The receptionist absolutely CRINGED from even touching the box with the pigeon. I am SHOCKED that someone who works for a vet would have such an adversion to an injured animal. She finally took the box and said she put it in a room in the back where it would be euthanized.
I was crying hysterically when she asked me for a donation, so I gave her $50 in cash. Her reaction to the pigeon makes me wonder... I just hope the vet actually came around in a timely manner to put the poor thing out of its misery.
And I hope I did not make a mistake about how much suffering the pigeon was in, but it looked very, very bad to me, and as if he wouldn't get better.
Anyway. I should have stayed to make sure they put the little guy to sleep without waiting too long. Sometimes I worry that people who deal too much with animals become callous, especially with smaller animals or animals perceived to be "dirty" like pigeons.
I hope I did the right thing bringing him in. Maybe I should've tried harder to find a wildlife center. I don't know, though. I'm in the hear of the city of Chicago. Anyway, I had only my blackberry with me and I think I did the best I could.
Thanks for listening.
Since it was Sunday, 99% of them weren't closed. I finally got ahold of an "emergency vet care" place and was told that they don't treat pigeons, they will only put him to sleep.
I kept thinking, oh, maybe he'll get better, maybe he's an epileptic pigeon, but it seemed extremely clear to me and my SO and he was simply not okay and was in a great deal of suffering. So I took the pigeon to this emergency vet and asked that he be put down.
The receptionist absolutely CRINGED from even touching the box with the pigeon. I am SHOCKED that someone who works for a vet would have such an adversion to an injured animal. She finally took the box and said she put it in a room in the back where it would be euthanized.
I was crying hysterically when she asked me for a donation, so I gave her $50 in cash. Her reaction to the pigeon makes me wonder... I just hope the vet actually came around in a timely manner to put the poor thing out of its misery.
And I hope I did not make a mistake about how much suffering the pigeon was in, but it looked very, very bad to me, and as if he wouldn't get better.
Anyway. I should have stayed to make sure they put the little guy to sleep without waiting too long. Sometimes I worry that people who deal too much with animals become callous, especially with smaller animals or animals perceived to be "dirty" like pigeons.
I hope I did the right thing bringing him in. Maybe I should've tried harder to find a wildlife center. I don't know, though. I'm in the hear of the city of Chicago. Anyway, I had only my blackberry with me and I think I did the best I could.Thanks for listening.
Thank you for helping that poor bird. I'm certain you saved it much suffering.
. Kudos to you! 
to you, Annie. I wish more people tried this hard when they have the opportunity to do some good...
