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 4000 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 option. So, as you can imagine, over the year the flock here has grown and grown!
We do, where possible, re-release pigeons that come in from towns and cities once they are well, or we would be in danger of having too many birds and unable to take on more and of course, as the birds age, we sadly loose them to age related illnesses , so its an ever changing flock.
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 in Staffordshire.
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. 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,
The sanctuary is now on a beautiful flat drained sand surface, the old horse school that is no longer used at the sanctuary and its is PERFECT for the aviaries!
Matt moved up to Wales in February 2023 to help with the sanctuary after contacting Sue and asking if he could assist. He was fed up of the rat race and wanted to give back to animals in need.
Our original Sanctuary in Staffordshire
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.
All money raised also helps fund Herd on The Hill Sanctuary, who care for Rescued Horses, Sheep, Pigs, Chickens, Cats and Dogs.
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
