Maryland Pigeon Adopts Animal Shelter Before Finding Forever Home

Last month, staff at the Montgomery County Animal Services Center noticed something unusual - a pigeon spending a lot of time around their building. At first, they didn't think much of it, but this was no ordinary bird.

Valley the Pigeon Makes Her Intentions Clear

The pigeon, later named Valley, decided she wanted to come inside. Her method? Using a staff member as a taxi service. Valley simply landed on them and hitched a ride into the building.

Staff checked her over and found she was healthy with no band that would show she was someone's pet. Following protocol, they gently escorted her back outside.

But Valley made it clear she wasn't interested in outdoor living. Again and again, she landed on people, catching free rides into the building. Her behavior showed she wasn't just looking for food - she wanted to be inside.

From Uninvited Guest to Staff Photographer

Valley's determination reached new heights when a photographer came to take pictures of the adoptable dogs. The pigeon decided this was her chance to show her skills. She landed on the photographer's head and refused to leave.

As the photographer moved from dog to dog, Valley stayed put. She showed no fear of the dogs and seemed to be supervising the photo session, making sure all the best angles were captured.

Finding a Forever Home

The staff realized Valley was showing far more domesticated traits than a wild pigeon would. She seemed to lack basic survival skills that would help her make it on her own outside.

So alongside their posts for cats and dogs, the adoption center added an unusual listing - one friendly pigeon looking for a forever home.

The story ends happily for Valley. She was adopted by a woman named Karen who drove over 200 miles to welcome the determined pigeon into her family. Now Valley lives a cozy life, roaming freely inside Karen's home.

This pigeon who "applied" for residence at an animal shelter not only found herself a temporary job as a photography assistant but also landed exactly what she was looking for - a loving forever home.