Syndication: New Jersey Herald
(New York, NY) – The purposefully dyed king pigeon that was brought to an animal rescue in New York City is reportedly struggling to recover. Rescuers say they’ve tried several methods to remove the pink dye, which may be hair dye. The working theory is that the bird was dyed for a gender reveal party.
One of the biggest problems is that the hair dye has a strong odor, forcing the bird to essentially live inside of a cloud of fumes. This has the ability to negatively affect the bird’s respiratory system. The pigeon is reportedly struggling to keep food down and it’s very weak. Its natural preening process is also a risk, given its feathers are covered in dye.
Rescuers say the bird has never flown before and may have been purchased at a live poultry market.