To feel so upset - pigeon

I'm so sorry you had to see such an upsetting thing OP. You have such a good heart to care about this little creature.

It's so hard to bear but it was a quick and final ending and much better than the poor sick bird suffering on quietly for days.

It is out of its misery at least. Injured birds who can't fly are in pain and simply too vulnerable to survive. I always wondered if a vet would accept a pigeon? I mean I guess they would if you agreed to pay for it's care?

I saw one getting run over once and it was really sad. It's mate was distraught, frantically looking for it all around. Some guy from a restaurant just picked it up in a sweeping thing and binned it.

I always thought I didn't really care about pigeons, but that day I realised I did.

It’s always sad to see an animal in difficulty like that and I’d have been upset too. I love pigeons. But honestly… a quick death was probably the best thing for it, welfare-wise. Birds are hard to rehabilitate and it was clearly suffering - although it’s horribly distressing to see, it would have been killed instantly by the car which probably saved it from several days of further suffering.

I hit a pigeon with my car this week. I turned around and drove back over it’s poor body as I couldn’t think about letting it suffer. Than I cried all the way to work.

Weirdly I have seen two dead pigeons this week and I'm nowhere near London. I don't recall ever seeing a dead pigeon on the road before.

Yeah, it's horrible, but this is true. It sounded like it was poorly/injured anyway.

Yes, you’re correct it’s still very much around, but much more common in waterfowl. Whilst pigeons can get it, they don’t tend to spread the virus as much. I would take precautions by handwashing after touching a pigeon, but it wouldn’t worry me too much otherwise.

I would be upset too. In fact last week I was watching as a pigeon flew into the road and was pecking trying to find food and a car came and bang, I closed my eyes but there were a lot of feathers and no pigeon in sight.
Also the other year we were feeding the ducks and one female duck came running across the canal bridge for food as a car came over and killed it. I was heartbroken and haven't fed them there again since!
It's hard not to get upset

Aren’t you a charmer. The op was upset, have some fucking empathy.

Isn't avian flu still a huge issue at the moment? We have signage around local ponds stating what to do if you see a clearly ill or dead bird around. Actually handling them is not recommended! It's worth remembering also that animals will try to disguise and hide symptoms of illness, so if a bird actually looks really ill it's most likely at death's door with very little to be done.

I feel for you, it's not nice to see but it was at least a quick dispatch for an animal that was probably desperately sick.

I can sympathise, I have been in a similar situation myself. Pigeons don’t tend to be affected by bird flu in the way other birds are. It sounded like this bird was very poorly and likely wouldn’t have made it anyway, but if you see a pigeon in the future you think you can help, catch it by throwing a coat or other item of clothing over it, and contain in a box or even open topped bag, held together loosely to allow air flow. Pigeons aren’t wild birds, the ones that live in town centres are feral domesticated pigeons, so the offspring of racing pigeons that never made it home, so they tend not to panic and flap as much as other types. London Wildlife Protection are a fantastic charity, who do rescues, rehabbing etc.

I love pigeons, and I hate the vitriol they receive for just existing. Thank you for caring about this little one.

I know it isn't nice to witness but I would feel relieved if an animal, which is struggling with being poorly/injured is quickly put out of its misery like that. Better a quick death than suffering.

You may be interested to join the London Pigeon Stringfoot and Rescue FB page. They are always looking for support to help London pigeons.

I’m sorry you saw this. It would have really upset me too.

DH says the pigeons are really fat at the moment and so they are finding it hard to take off, with their extra weight. I don't know if that's true or not.

This has happened to me, twice. It’s just awful. Please don’t feel bad, you weren’t the one who ran him over and you were trying to help. Please ignore those heartless comments from people, the world needs less of that “it’s only an animal” attitude.

So little can be done for birds that can’t fly. Better it was hit by a car than the many other ways a bird can suffer. Poor you though.

Presumably you know that people can demonstrate empathy and compassion without it being the biggest issue they have to worry about? Very strange comment.

OP I would be exactly the same. Horrible thing you had to see and I would’ve felt incredibly sad for the pigeon as well. As others have said, at least it was instant and it wasn’t struggling in pain for a prolonged period

Nasty and completely needless reply.

We found a dead pigeon last week at the front of our house .looks like it just fell out of the sky dead
Plus a couple dead in the toad
I thought at the time ,more dead pigeons than normal

It is upsetting to see

I saw a duck running from one side of lane to the other on an A road, then a lorry ran over it. Happened all so quickly

It was really upsetting, cars were swerving a little but there was nothing that could be done

I still think about the little duck when I drive on that road

I feel you @Swimfiend

something like this would effect me for the rest of the day.