Animal welfare charity calls for end to dove releases at weddings after rescuing bird from Milton Keynes canal
An animal welfare charity has called for an end to the practice of dove releases at weddings, after rescuing a bird from a canal in Milton Keynes on Friday August 21.
Milton Keynes Swan Rescue issued the plea after it was contacted by a member of the public who rescued a white dove from a canal in the city.
Although the charity does not normally rescue pigeons or doves, its call handler went out personally to collect the bird, which has now been transferred to Luton Wildlife Rescue for specialist care.
Milton Keynes Swan Rescue director Allie Humphries said: “We are not a pigeon or dove rescue, but we are a team of dedicated rescuers and animal welfare has always been at the centre of what we do.
“If an animal is suffering and we are in a position to help get it somewhere safe, we are not going to ignore that suffering simply because it happens to be a species we would not normally take into care.
“It was fortunate that this particular call came through to somebody who was prepared to act, organise the collection and make sure this little bird got the help it needed.”
The charity primarily responds to calls involving waterfowl and other water-associated wildlife, as it does not have the facilities to take pigeons and doves into long-term care.
Milton Keynes Swan Rescue said following the incident it was asking wedding venues to reconsider the practice of allowing live bird releases during ceremonies and encouraging couples planning weddings to choose non-animal alternatives.
The charity said these are normally marketed as ‘dove releases’, but warned that the birds used are generally domesticated, and are not suited to being released into an unfamiliar wild environment.
“These birds are being used as part of somebody’s celebration, but once that moment is over the bird still has to survive whatever happens next,” Allie added.
“This one ended up in a canal and needed rescuing.
“The important question is not whether a release looks beautiful for a few seconds.
“It is whether every individual bird gets home safely afterwards.
“If even one bird ends up exhausted, stranded, injured or in the water, that animal has paid the price for somebody else’s entertainment.”