Please save the doves

Getting married? Congrats! But please reconsider plans to release a flock of doves when you say “I do.” Some companies use white ringneck doves, which lack homing skills. When released they will starve or dehydrate within 5 days. Ringneck doves are not native to North America and, like most any domesticated animal, cannot survive in the wild. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that releasing a ringneck dove will almost certainly result in its death. The lucky guy in this photo came in to Walden’s Puddle after being found emaciated in a local backyard. A kind person caught “Noodle” and brought him into the Puddle.

Walden’s Puddle only cares for Tennessee native, wild animals (like the baby squirrel being hand fed), but lucky Noodle was adopted by one of our volunteers.