To feel so upset - pigeon

[Swimfiend]

Just on my way to a meeting for work in central London. Got utterkyndrenched in the downpour and saw a completely soaked pigeon on the side of the road. Poor thing looked really wet and bedraggled. I watched it and it couldn’t fly, it kept trying to and limping. As I watched it moved closer to the middle of the road. I didn’t have anything to pick it up with and I thought maybe I should pick it up with my hands but then would I have taken it to this meeting.

as I watched it a car ran over and killed it. I just feel really upset. And maybe I should have moved it. There was nothing I could use but maybe I should have used my hands.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Just feeling incredibly sad this morning. I keep thinking about it, not knowing it was going to die just before it did and struggling in the rain.

I'm sorry for all of you who also have witnessed something similar and thank you for the kind comments.

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.

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.

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.