A “candy” king pigeon named Flamingo died only a week after he was rescued from a New York Metropolis park, the animal rescue Wild Hen Fund introduced on Twitter earlier this week.
The domesticated chicken, which was “probably raised for meals” and “had no survival abilities,” had been dyed pink earlier than being launched into the wild, the group mentioned.
“We consider his demise was attributable to inhaling the toxins,” Wild Hen Fund wrote.
The rescue group advised JHB by way of electronic mail that it doesn’t know who dyed and launched the chicken or why they did it.
“A lot of our followers guessed gender reveal, but it surely might have been one other type of ceremony, an artwork stunt, we don’t know,” the group mentioned.
Flamingo, who was “a child, barely older than fledging,” was discovered “malnourished” within the metropolis’s Madison Sq. Park by Carlos Rodrigues, a canine walker who commonly works with the group, Wild Hen Fund advised JHB.
The rescue famous that it believes Flamingo was bought from a poultry market versus being a pet resulting from “stress bars on his feathers” — or strains that run throughout the width of a feather, which may point out that the chicken was burdened, sick or not receiving satisfactory vitamin throughout feather improvement.
The group mentioned that after Flamingo was below its care, it did the whole lot it might to take away the dye.
“We tried a wide range of strategies … together with mayo, Daybreak, baking soda and lemon juice,” Wild Hen Fund advised JHB. “We had to do that very sparingly as a result of dealing with and bathing is annoying for a chicken, particularly one in a weakened state.”
Wild Hen Fund advised JHB it was sharing Flamingo’s story “within the curiosity of discouraging the discharge of home birds and dyeing of birds typically.”
“Even with out the added complication of the poisonous dye, he wouldn’t have survived in a metropolis park as a white, helpless chicken,” it famous on Twitter.
The fund advised JHB that releasing any domesticated chicken into the wild is at all times a nasty thought.
“Many supposedly educated homing birds will nonetheless get misplaced, starve or be preyed on,” the rescue group advised JHB.
It additionally famous on Twitter that releasing “doves” or white pigeons for weddings can also be placing the animals in danger.
“‘Dove releases’ sound romantic, however take away the decorations and Instagram pictures, and they’re the equal of dumping your helpless pets on the aspect of the street,” the organization wrote. “That is no solution to rejoice something.”