A Nottingham woman has gone viral after adopting a pigeon that she met in a beer garden. Hannah Hall, an NHS worker, was out drinking with friends in the Rose and Crown in Lenton on Monday, May 2 when a very friendly pigeon caught the attention of her group.
The pigeon was first lingering close to her friend, who has a phobia of birds, so Hannah stepped in to sit closer to it. It was then that the bird got closer and closer, eventually sitting on her and staying there for hours - it was a pub trip that would eventually end with her taking it home with her.
She decided to document what happened and posted a video about it on social media website TikTok, which has since been viewed more than seven million times and liked more than two million times. In fact, an account she made on Sunday, May 8, already had more than 40,000 followers as of May 9.
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She said: "I wasn't even going to go out but my mum said 'go on, go and see your friends'. I didn't really notice him at first. I told my friend that she could swap with me, so we swapped places. He just comes on my knee all of a sudden and he stayed there for about three and a half hours. In the end, he was almost tucking himself into my jacket."
Hannah was approached by a member of staff who told her the pigeon had been in the pub earlier and mistreated by some customers, who were kicking him, so staff tried to usher him outside again. Then, when a group of girls came into the beer garden asking if anyone had seen a pigeon, Hannah told them she had the bird in question with her while her group was having a drink.
"They said they couldn't believe I had actually got him," she continued. "He was in the Wheatsheaf where they were earlier and some students were trying to throw him into the air to make him fly, I think they thought it was funny. These girls felt so bad they scooped him up and carried him outside to a quieter area."
Hannah has been told by experts that pigeons are domesticated birds who do go to humans for help when they feel they are in trouble - which makes her believe the pigeon wanted to be looked after by somebody that day. After taking him home, Hannah wasn't sure if her new friend would even make it through the night - but now everyday he appears to be getting healthier and stronger.
Despite letting him out in the garden and giving him the opportunity to leave, the pigeon has chosen to stay by Hannah's side and remain at the house for the past week. She added: "We have really, really bonded. I'm going to take him to my vet to find out for sure if he is a boy or a girl and to get his injuries checked over."
Hannah is then going to let her new followers and anyone following the story help choose a name via social media. "I feel a big responsibility now," she laughs. "I need to keep everyone informed now. I didn't really think that it would get that kind of response."
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