The RSPCA wildlife centre in Nantwich is seeking homes for a flurry of pigeons who were rescued after being found grounded in Cheshire and Staffordshire.
Staff at RSPCA Stapeley Grange on London Road have been rehabilitating the birds, some of whom are domestic racing pigeons, after they came into the centre suffering exhaustion.
The centre has seen a surge in the number of pigeons arriving in the last couple of years.
As well as people deliberately abandoning their birds when they no longer can afford to keep them, many of them are lost pets who have not been able to retrace their journey home.
Some of the 18 pigeons at Stapeley Grange have been in the care of the RSPCA for 10 months.
The rehoming appeal comes as the animal charity has revealed it is facing a rehoming crisis across England and Wales.
New figures show that in 2023, 42% more animals arrived at the RSPCA than were adopted.
RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre Manager Lee Stewart said: “Most of these pigeons have come from the Cheshire and Staffordshire area, and some from further afield.
“They were mostly grounded and exhausted and they were spotted by members of the public.
“They did not cope well with being left in the wild, so they have needed a bit of TLC to get them going again.
“They have received excellent care, but now we would love to find them new loving forever homes, as some of them have been with us for quite some time.”
Racing pigeons can travel very long distances and they will stop for breaks along their journey when they become tired.
But they are susceptible to cats and other predators and some can get lost and are unable to fly back to their lofts.
Lee added: “We are always keen to find new homes for every domestic pigeon which comes through our doors, whether they be unwanted, neglected or unable to be reunited with their owner.
“It can be difficult finding new owners for birds like this as not many people have the facilities to house them.
“We are willing to transfer longer distances for the right loving forever home, up to 100 miles if we find the right homes.
“We’d urge anyone who is in a position to be able to help us to get in touch.”
New owners will need to have large aviaries and previous experience of caring for domestic pigeons, as well as the necessary time and resources.
Anyone interested in adopting pigeons should contact Stapeley Grange on 0300 123 0722 or email [email protected]
The RSPCA – in its 200th year – is launching its annual ‘Adoptober’ rehoming campaign, urging animal lovers to adopt a pet from a rescue centre or RSPCA branch rather than buying from a breeder to help ease the spiralling rehoming crisis.
Karen Colman, who leads the RSPCA team finding places for rescued animals, said: “Our rescue centres are jam-packed, and across the board, we’ve been seeing more animals coming to us than we are rehoming.
“We are issuing a rallying cry to anyone considering adding a pet to their family to step in and help by giving a rescue pet a second chance instead of buying from breeders.
“There’s nothing more heart-warming than a successful adoption, and the wonderful staff at our branches and centres celebrate every time an animal finds their forever home.”
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