‘Poor thing’—TikToker seeks help for a pigeon stuck on a bench

SINGAPORE: A TikToker appealed for help online when she spotted a pigeon trapped on a public bench. In a 16-second clip shared by user @tanyafaithh, the bird was seen struggling to free itself.

The video, filmed at Block 129 Lorong Ah Soo, is captioned: “Hello can someone please call ACRES hotline. There is a pigeon stuck to a bench… TikTok please do your thing and call them ASAP before the pigeon passes on.” 

The TikToker also claimed in her post that she tried to contact the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) for help but failed to get through to them. 

However, in the comment section, the woman posted an update stating that she managed to talk to the animal welfare group — and shared a screenshot of their conversation. When the members of the welfare group got to the location, the bird was no longer stuck on the bench. It was unclear when and how the bird was removed. 

The woman thanked ACRES for taking the time to try to rescue the bird. 

As the video circulated online, many netizens expressed their thoughts and opinions in the comments section. 

One netizen praised the woman, stating: “Beautiful girl with beautiful heart 💖”

Another netizen hoped that the bird was in good condition and thanked the woman for trying to help.

Another netizen commented: “Usually for pigeons or mynahs, ACRES sadly won’t attend to it. They’ll try to get you (the caller) to help but they won’t send someone down and even if they do, they may put it to sleep.”  The commenter added that this is because these types of birds are common in the country and are seen as not worth saving. 

A similar comment said: “Acres is good at marketing to the public but the there is no real actions.”

In Singapore, people can contact the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) for 24/7 wildlife rescue and the National Parks Board (NParks) wildlife helpdesk for assistance.