Animal exploitation, in many instances, is happening right under our noses. Brutal practices are intentionally kept clandestine to avoid public scrutiny—because after all, we can’t possibly take action against something we are unaware of.

“Pigeon racing” is a prime example of these hidden, abhorrent activities that surround us during spring and summer. The official “season” for this blood sport begins this month, and if you equip yourself with knowledge surrounding this brutal practice, you may be able to save a bird(s) in need and prevent them from being exploited further.

What exactly is pigeon racing?

Each year, from April to September, thousands and thousands of domestic homer pigeons are bred, only to suffer and die in a strenuous attempt to fly hundreds of miles back to their home after being shipped to a mass release point. This is all so that humans can gamble on which might get home fastest.

This is not a sport; it is all about gambling. It is a pay-to-play lottery where the overarching factor in “success” is pure luck. Humans entertain themselves by exploiting these birds and putting their lives at risk. Countless birds die or get lost during training flights.

Or they are just killed outright when they “lose” a race.

The pigeon racing participants somehow wash their hands of guilt by referring to this barbaric practice as “culling”.

Some sick, weak sadists actually wrote a guide on killing pigeons, based on traits and behaviors displayed in their nests as infants. It’s unfathomably awful, and it is exactly why:

These birds should never be returned to their exploiters.

Here’s how you can help

So you think you’ve found a stranded racing pigeon. The first step is identifying if it is a domestic pigeon, which is quite simple: look for a band around their leg/ankle. Based on where they came from, this band can take on many different colors and materials.

True pigeon caregivers may place a band with their phone number and information on it – this is to help facilitate a safe return home in case the bird is lost. Birds who are forced to race are often found with untraceable plastic or metal clip-ons in various colors or with a two-digit number. These are only used to help differentiate birds within an owner’s flock and for identifying race winners.

Despite what pigeon racers would lead you to believe, domestic pigeons are very rarely able to assimilate into feral groups of rock pigeons, and they often need our help and intervention.

When humans domesticated animals, we changed the very trajectory of their existence, rendering them unable to forage and fend for themselves in the wild. These races are also extremely physically demanding—a found pigeon could be facing physical injury or distress. That’s not to mention, other animals like hawks, foxes, dogs and cats pose a huge risk to the survival of these stranded birds.

Once you’ve established that a bird is domestic, the next step is to catch them and get them out of harms way. Palomacy pigeon rescue provides some wonderful resources to help with this endeavor, and the task can be as simple as setting up a DIY box and stick trap.

If you’ve found a pigeon (or dove) in need, bring the bird indoors to safety and contact the closest rescue and, if needed, ask for referrals to others closer. You can also join the Palomacy Help Group and post a photo for quick help from the rescue community there. They can help you care for the bird you’ve rescued and/or find help.

Typically, when a pet pigeon is lost, their person will look for them, posting on craigslist, Nextdoor, social media, lost and found sites, contacting local rescues, etc. However, exploiters who race pigeons never seem to want their lost birds back. If the bird does end up back with the breeder/racer, they will be killed for their “inferiority”.  

Do the right thing by helping and protecting our pigeon friends.

More Information and Resources

Valuable and trusted resources include Great Lakes Pigeon Rescue as well as Palomacy (https://www.pigeonrescue.org), who puts out literature intended to be shared with patients of the Association of Avian Veterinarians.

This Pigeon/Dove Rescue Locator, put out by Palomacy, is also helpful if you need to find a group who can help/take in a found bird. Remember: make sure you thoroughly vet any rescue group you work with!

Gabe Ahmed is director of development for Friends of Animals.