Abby Jardine rescued a pigeon from a pile of garbage near her home in Brooklyn in May 2023. Since then, she has formed an incredibly close bond with the bird, naming her Pidge. She contacted wildlife rehabilitation center Wild Bird Fund before scooping the chick up and taking it in for treatment. She ultimately decided to adopt the hapless hatchling, despite knowing very little about bird care. She quickly set about teaching Pidge how to bathe and feed, and then she actually trained the bird to use the toilet. The 26-year-old now takes her pet bird to all the best New York hotspots, thanks to transforming the orphaned bird into what she calls a “purse pigeon.” Jardine said she has never been kicked out of any restaurant for toting the bird along. “I just take her to the bathroom every 30-40 minutes, hold her over the toilet, and she goes.” Pidge has even taken several flights, thanks to airlines that allow domesticated birds to travel in the cabin with their owners, provided they are transported in a kennel that fits safely under the seat. Jardine says she has no plans to get rid of the bird, which is good. Wildlife experts say that releasing the bird into the wild is not an option at this point. Once a bird has been domesticated, it won't know how to forage for food, recognize predators, find a mate and home.
