It has been quite a journey!
Sue started caring for birds whilst working in Vet practice in Staffordshire around 15 years ago. Lots of birds were getting brought in and there was no where to send them for help.
Sue worked with other Veterinary professionals to learn a little about the needs of the birds, which included garden birds such as Bluetits, Robins, Blackbirds, Songthrush, Magpies, Crows and Goldfinches, looking after them at work and then transporting them home to care for when off shift.
By 2018, Sue was receiving around 30 calls a week and looking after 2000 birds each year. Sadly, the vet tech that looked after the pigeons left the practice, so Sue started looking after Pigeons too...and so this pigeon sanctuary was born!
Sue realised that unlike garden birds, once hand raised as orphaned the pigeons couldn't really leave, they needed a forever home. Pigeons are domestic birds, there is no food for them 'in the wild' so raising abandoned babies then releasing them is not an ideal option. So, as you can imagine, over the years the flock here had grown and grown!
In 2022, Sue was made homeless and began living in a caravan on the sanctuary land. Then, three months later she sadly lost the land that the sanctuary was located on.
Sue was offered land in wales by a very generous lady, but unfortunately, after moving there it didn't work out so It was a difficult 12 months of moving to Two other fields in West Wales, each time relocating her self and all of the birds in her care.
Matt moved up to Wales in February 2023 to help with the sanctuary after contacting Sue and asking if he could assist. He wanted to give back to animals in need.
In November 2024 the sanctuary moved onto land at Herd On the Hill Equine sanctuary in Ceredigion, West Wales thanks to the absolute generosity of the sanctuary owners Maria and Eddy.
By the following August 2024, after months and month of non stop rain, the sanctuary was struggling to keep the flock healthy in the set up. PETA offered to rebuild for us, big dry sheds and new slabs and aviaries, but sadly, this was not appropriate for the land at Herd on ther HIll, the decision was made to close the sanctuary, re home the remaining birds and start work towards pigeon advocacy.
Our mission now is to continue to help pigeons from all over Wales and beyond and also to educate people as to why these amazing little birds need our help.
We are funded solely by donations and sales from this website and from our physical shop in Aberaeron, run by Sue
we are open Tuesday to Saturday 10.30 - 4pm
Sues plan is to become a national spokesperson for pigeons in the UK, teaching people why we should love and care for these misunderstood birds and working towards getting pigeon racing over the oceans banned.
We will also provide financial support for sanctuaries who care for pigeons all over the UK.
Our original Sanctuary in Staffordshire
