Ever seen a pigeon in a cowboy hat? Animal welfare group seeks help to nab culprit after 'cute' viral video raises concerns
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Someone has been putting tiny red cowboy hats on pigeons in Las Vegas causing welfare workers to become concerned for their safety.
A video of a bird wearing a red rodeo hat recently went viral on social media. While the bird looked cute with the hat on at first glance, local animal rescue and pigeon advocacy group—Lofty Hopes— said the act could be harmful to the birds.
"At first, I was like, oh my god that's cute!" Mariah Hillman of Lofty Hopes told KVVU, "Then, I was like, wait a minute—how did they get those hats on there?"
"Did they glue them? And what does that mean for them? Is it something that's going to impede their flight or attract predators?" she wondered.
The hats seem to just sit on their little heads.
The group has rescued dozens of birds and have nursed them back to health. Their vision is to go "beyond simply saving the lives of pigeons" and to "empower people to have a positive relationship with pigeons."
Hillman and the group are working to remove these hats that appear to have been stuck, possibly using super glue.
Although many users found the viral video to be amusing at first, the concerns became clear soon after. It is unclear whether the birds would find it difficult to see with the hats, some of whom have brims as well.
"We drove up and down here yesterday for a good two hours just handing out business cards to any location where I saw pigeons and people," Hillman said. "If you see these birds, just feed them until I get here. I'm only three miles away, and I'll come trap them."
If you see any more pigeons wearing tiny hats in the Las Vegas area, please call the organization on 702 234 6990.