Pigeon rescue crew find peace in tending London's flocks

By Vitalii Yalahuzian and Sam Tabahriti

LONDON (Reuters) - Seeking solace in a turbulent world, Jennie Brennan and Jacob Peter have found an unlikely source of wellbeing: quietly rescuing and rehabilitating London's pigeons.

Pigeons in urban areas often suffer from a preventable condition known as "stringfoot," in which litter such as thread, fishing line or human hair becomes entangled around their toes. Untreated, the birds can lose a toe, or even a whole foot.

"There are so many problems in my life, in the lives of people I care about, and in the world generally, that I can't really do anything about," Brennan, of the London Pigeon Rescue, told Reuters.

"But what I can do is save a pigeon's life, or their toes, or restore their abilities. That might seem like a small difference, but to that pigeon, it's massive."

On rescues, the pair of volunteers use seeds to attract pigeons, then gently cover them with a kitchen towel before removing any constricting debris with scissors or pliers.

"It's a man-made problem,” Brennan said. "I think someone needs to be responsible for helping them with the problem that we've created."

Brennan first began feeding pigeons during the COVID-19 lockdown after reading they were going hungry. Over time, she began noticing injuries and sought help on Facebook from Peter, who was already rescuing birds.

Since then, the two have worked together and attempted to tend to the birds three to four times a week, often responding to tips from concerned members of the public.

"Liking pigeons as much as I do means that I have little friends everywhere I go. So if I'm busy running stressful errands and feeling a bit sorry for myself and I see a couple of pigeons passing, it just brightens my day up," Brennan said.

(Additional reporting by Gerhard Mey; editing by William James)