What to do with injured wood pigeon

[Burnt0utMum]

Yesterday evening we discovered a wood pigeon in our garden. It was bleeding quite a bit and couldn't fly. DH managed to get hold of it and applied pressure with a cloth to stop the bleeding. We think it's been attacked by a cat and it's wing is damaged. We got a box for it and have brought it inside, given it some food and water and it seems to be doing well. Called a few local vets who weren't much use. Then called the RSPCA who said they would send someone out to collect it. This morning someone called from an unknown number to say they'd be here in about half an hour to collect it but then just didn't show. I've called the main number back throughout today but they don't seem to have a way to contact the collection person other than leaving messages. So almost 24 hours later, the pigeon is still with us and I'm not sure what we're supposed to do now. We also have a cat (she was indoors asleep at the time of the incident as she's old and slow now) and she's had to be put outside since last night (with a bell on) so isn't very happy with me. Any ideas what I can do with the pigeon now? It can't be put back outside as it can't fly and will just be instant prey for the next cat to spot it. It just needs it's wing to heal and it should be fine but I don't feel I can care for it much longer as I have no expertise with birds and we are a cat household. Please help.

I suspect any rescue that collects it will kill it humanely.

You could contact a vet?

I took one into the local vet a few years ago. Could you do that?

Try the RSPCA again?

Looking for advice that doesn't involve killing it, thanks. If it was beyond saving then I can see an argument for that, but like I said it's doing well.

In London these are the people for injured pigeons - if you are out of London maybe still give them a ring to see if they can put you in touch with someone more local: www.londonwildlifeprotection.org/

Local wildlife rescue. There might be small, good, organisations if you search on Facebook or similar.

Are there any wildlife or bird rescue centres near you

If it's broken its wing it's not doing well. But, hey, drag out its demise if you want 🤷‍♀️

No advice, OP, but you and your DH sound very kind. I hope that the pigeon makes it.

Have you had a Google for pigeon or bird rescue places? We had an injured pigeon in the garden and found a place nearby that was able to receive it.

Fuck off 😡

OP do you not have a wildlife hospital around your area? A sanctuary of some kind? Might be worth phoning around.
The rspca are absolutely rubbish and I would never trust them with an injured animal.

If a cat has bitten it it will develop serious infection deep into the tissues and die. The best thing you can do is take it to a vets tomorrow morning and they'll see it under the wildlife act which obliges them to see injured wild animals and birds.

We just turned up at a 24 hour vet with an injured pigeon and they took it in. Maybe worth a try, it’s harder for them to refuse or be unhelpful when your are standing in front of them with the bird.

Keep her warm and try to keep giving some food and water if you do have to keep her til tomorrow.

You’re doing a nice thing. ❤️

Just fuck off.

I think you have lovely intentions but the reality is that a wound caused by a cat will very likely be infected and the bird won't survive long-term.

Unfortunately even without the open wound, it's very hard for wild birds to recover from a broken wing - they don't cope well in captivity and often die of stress even if the wing can be fixed.

I suspect the kindest thing will be to have it PTS humanely, either by a vet or a wildlife organisation. Very few places will spend time and money on an injured pigeon - it's just too expensive when there's no guarantee the bird will even survive.

I found one of these with a bleeding wound on its face last year. I just took it straight to our local vets and they took her in no problem.
I called back a week later and they'd sorted her face with steroid cream and released her.
So basically local vet will help!
Thank you for helping it.

Whereabouts in the UK roughly are you OP?

^ this.
South Essex Wildlife Hospital is great if you are within an hour or so there. We've taken a few birds there over the years.

Any vet will treat wildlife.

It likely won’t survive a cat bite though, especially not one that hasn’t been treated in that long. sorry OP.

I'm in the North west. I've tried calling various different rescues and vets but struggling to get through to anyone that will help. I know tomorrow might be better with it being a weekday again but we'll both be working all day. I wfh so will be able to keep an eye on it and be in if someone can collect it but will struggle to take it anywhere except outside of office hours.

Do you have any 24 hour emergency vets? Our local one took in an injured pigeon I found. They said they have a duty of care for wildlife - not just pets. I suspect they may have put him down but at least I feel I gave him the best chance. He wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes in the garden with all the cats around. Thank you for trying to help him.

a local wildlife rescue is the best bet - vets can give first aid like pain relief, but they don’t generally have expertise in those species or the facilities to keep birds while they recover.

a lot of wildlife will be euthanised if it is not going to be fit for release fairly swiftly because of the difficulties in rehabilitation, and that’s not anyone being callous or cruel, it’s people with knowledge and experience in animal welfare making a necessary decision to balance the suffering of the animal with an uncertain outcome.

Can you drop it to the nearest vets before work / during lunch break / straight after work? You don't need an appointment, just say you've found an injured pigeon & hand it in (former veterinary receptionist here, regular occurrence! It'll probably euthanised as cat bites almost always cause very nasty infections, but better than a slow death).