Influencer rescued pigeon and trained it to go out for martinis
An influencer rescued a pigeon and trained it to go out to restaurants.
In a viral series on TikTok called “Purse Pigeon,” party products developer Abby Jardine lets viewers in on her nights out on the town in New York City along with her faithful companion, Pidge, a pigeon she carries with her in her cream, leather purse.
Together, they paint the town red, hitting one NYC hotspot after another.
“If I want to go out for drinks or dinner with friends, I just put her in my bag and she’s down to roll,” the 26-year-old explained to the New York Post. “She’s super social and super chill, so we’ve never been kicked out of any bars or restaurants.”
Jardine told the outlet that while walking outside of her apartment building, she had found Pidge injured and all alone.
“I found her scared and alone by some trash near my apartment at 3 weeks old,” she recalled. “She was just a baby, couldn’t fly, and shouldn’t have been out of the nest.”
After finding the little bird, Jardine took her to the Wild Bird Fund, an animal rehabilitation center on the Upper West Side. While there, the little bird was able to get treated for her injuries. Jardine decided to take Pidge under her wing and adopt her despite having never owned a bird. “I had never owned a pigeon as a pet,” she said. “I’m not even a bird person.”
“But I did know that pigeons can be domesticated,” she added. “When I saw how cute and friendly she was, I knew she was my forever baby.”
“Having her has been the best thing ever,” she continued. “We keep each other company, and she’s a great companion whether we’re staying in or going out.”
Adopting Pidge meant taking on her training, which consisted of bathing, feeding, and potty-training her.
“If we’re out somewhere, I just take her to the bathroom every 30 to 40 minutes, hold her over the toilet and she goes,” she revealed. “I’ve tried to [make her go] over trash cans, and she’s definitely wary of that. She prefers an actual bathroom.”
Over 2.2 million people flocked to Jardine’s account to watch the duo’s antics, from sipping martinis at chic bars to hitting exclusive parties. In the comment section, one person joked, “I need an emotional support purse pigeon.”
“Her life is so metropolitan,” someone added, while another wrote: “She is the moment! Manifesting running into her the next time I go into the city.”
Even brands like Coach chimed in, saying: “We’re here on behalf of the bird.”
For years, pigeons have garnered a bad reputation, often looked down upon with disdain for reportedly carrying several disease-spreading pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella. However, the germs that pigeons carry are for the most part untransmittable to humans.
Pigeon rescue nonprofit Palomacy notes that despite their reputation, pigeons are highly intelligent and intuitive creatures who actually make great pets. They added that breeds of pigeons – such as Kings, Fantails, Tumblers, and Homers – are selectively bred and tamed, leading them to be unable to survive in the wild, but thrive in a domestic setting.
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