Brussels association rescues 400 injured pigeons per year

A Brussels-based non-profit organisation, L’Arche de Biso, rescues more than 400 injured pigeons per year, but volunteers are struggling with the workload and need more hands on deck.

The volunteers receive no subsidies, Bruzz reports, but they look after sick and injured city pigeons because traditional rescue centres, such as the Royal Belgian Society for the Protection of Birds (LRBPO), do not.

“City pigeons aren’t registered as wild animals, but as ‘domesticated’,” volunteer Eva Eysermans explained.

“That’s why you can’t bring them in, whereas you can with wood pigeons, for example.”

The group uses a Facebook page to alert each other to sick or injured pigeons, with as many as four or five posts a day during the busiest periods.

L’Arche de Biso has been in existence for two years and has some 20 active volunteers. But these volunteers say they can barely keep up with the number of reports of sick or injured pigeons.

“The problem is that we don’t have enough volunteers,” said Eysermans. “Many people simply ring to ask if we can come and collect one.”

The volunteers provide first aid to the animals and have learnt, for example, how to splint a leg or bandage a wing. If a pigeon is badly injured, it is taken in by someone at home.

Volunteer Pascale Ritschard from Auderghem is currently looking after 14 pigeons in her home.

“That’s actually a bit too many, but I can’t say no,” said Ritschard.

“I’ve been a volunteer since June last year and have already seen 97 pigeons come through. I don’t even dare to say what it costs me.”

L’Arche de Biso is entirely dependent on donations and receives no subsidies. Volunteers often dig deep into their own pockets for medicines and food. In very serious cases, a vet must also be called in.

In a recent Facebook post, the charity issued another call for help: “At this rate, we’ll be exhausted, both physically and mentally. In practical terms, we’re calling for solidarity. Helping out now and then would make a huge difference.”

A few examples are given of ways in which people can help, including by taking in injured pigeons to relieve foster families or bringing injured pigeons directly to volunteers, rather than simply providing a location and asking them to collect the bird.

Eysermans said the image of pigeons as "rats of the sky" has a discouraging effect on would-be volunteers. She herself takes in two to three birds at home, depending on demand.

“Pigeons are actually very sweet and clean animals: just like cats, they spend the whole day preening themselves,” said Eysermans.

“In the morning, you simply need to give them food and water and sometimes administer medication. They really don’t require much work and they don’t smell.”

Volunteers would like to one day see a fully-fledged rescue centre for city pigeons or a dedicated space for the young chicks that have fallen out of their nests.

“They’re too young to be released straight away, so we could really do with a place – preferably free of charge – to build aviaries where we can look after them for a longer period,” said Ritschard.