Rochester Pigeon Who Can’t Fly Finds The Sweetest Way To Help Others
Can you imagine having wings but never getting to feel the wind lift you off the ground? That’s Herman’s life.
He’s a sweet little pigeon from Rochester, New York, who can’t fly, but somehow, he’s found a way to soar in his own special way.
Herman was spotted in the corner of a parking lot, sitting completely still for days.
People thought maybe he was just resting, but something felt off. His head tilted to one side, and he looked weak, too tired to even move.
That’s when Sue Rogers stepped in. She runs The Mia Foundation, a rescue that helps animals born with disabilities or special needs.
When Sue heard about Herman, she packed up and went to save him.
Once Sue took Herman in, it became clear that something was seriously wrong. After careful observation, she suspected a virus called PMV, which can make birds lose control of their muscles, twist their necks, and become too weak to fly.
Sue and her husband put their hearts into nursing him back to health. They fed him carefully through a tube, kept him warm, and talked to him every day.
Slowly, Herman started to regain strength, but his wings never recovered.
Sue tried reaching out to shelters, hoping one could take him in, but most said no. Some even suggested euthanasia since a pigeon that couldn’t fly was seen as “pointless.”
That broke Sue’s heart. She knew this little bird deserved so much more than that. So she decided that Herman would stay with her, for good.
That’s when something magical happened. Sue often fosters newborn puppies with birth defects: tiny, fragile babies who need constant care.
One day, she introduced them to Herman. To everyone’s surprise, Herman became their little guardian.
He’d waddle over, settle right beside them, and start to softly nuzzle and preen them like a protective big brother. It was the sweetest thing you could ever see, a flightless pigeon taking care of puppies like they were his own.
Now, helping puppies has become Herman’s favorite job. Whenever a new litter arrives, he’s the first to greet them.
He snuggles next to them, keeps them warm and calm, as if saying, “Don’t worry, little ones. You’re safe here.” Sue shared in an interview:
“He loves the little newborns. I started introducing new puppies to him and it was always the same reaction. He always just wanted to snuggle with them. He even tries preening them.”
Sue makes sure Herman’s life is full of sunshine, literally. On bright days, she carries him outside so he can walk through the grass and stretch his wings under the sun.
He might not soar through the sky, but he still gets to feel free in his own way.
People often underestimate pigeons, but Sue knows better. She’s amazed by their intelligence as she shared:
“Pigeons really get a bad rap. I’m amazed at their intelligence, how cuddly and sweet they are. I really, really love them.”
Herman’s story isn’t just about survival. It’s about finding purpose when the world tells you you’re not enough.
He may have lost his ability to fly, but he gained something far greater—a reason to keep going, a way to bring comfort to others who need it most.
