In the summer, wedding celebrations are at their peak. Many brides and grooms want to make their big day unforgettable for themselves and their families. With great attention to detail, various program items and surprises are planned. But flying pigeons is no longer appropriate and can earn the couple dirty looks from animal-loving guests.
They are considered a symbol of love and loyalty because they stay with a chosen partner for life: the doves. People who marry usually have the same desire. And so, the “letting” (letting fly) of white doves has developed into a popular wedding custom.
What is less romantic is the way some birds ordered with a mouse click perceive the procedure: “The transport in small boxes, the separation from the partner, the noise at a wedding, the sudden opening of the cages and the associated blinding by bright lights, being attacked by strangers: all this means enormous stress for the sensitive animals,” says Veronika Weissenböck of the animal protection organization “Four Paws”.
Furthermore, a large proportion of disoriented “fancy pigeons” die of hunger after release or are killed by birds of prey. Does that bode well for a marriage?
Often they cannot find their way home
The owl and bird of prey station in Haringsee, which takes in and cares for injured small wild animals, knows a thing or two about this: weakened white doves are repeatedly taken in, which have of course been released at weddings, but are then completely disoriented and can no longer find their dovecote.
But the problem lies in the breeding: according to “Four Paws”, wedding pigeons are bred primarily for their good looks and special plumage: “The good orientation skills that pigeons normally have are often lost,” explains the head of the station in Haringsee, the veterinarian Dr. Hans Frey. “If they are then released and do not know the area, they are completely helpless and have problems surviving in the wild.”
Sad ending
This can happen when they fly into a window at the wedding and die. Or they panic and come too close to an overhead line or other obstacle. Their striking colouring literally makes them stand out from a flock of pigeons and is therefore the favourite prey of predators. “It is not a pretty sight when that happens at the wedding itself,” says Dr Frey.
Haringsee currently has four white doves in his care that were found disoriented and brought to the plough. Future married couples must ask themselves if they really want to endure the suffering of animals for a spectacle that only lasts a few seconds.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
