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"As
the Good Book says, each shall seek his own kind. Which translated
means, 'A bird may love a fish, but where would they build a home
together?' "
—
Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof
TIMARU (New Zealand) — In this case, a bird loves a dog, and they
built a home in New Zealand.
(Photo: Ron Lindsay / Timaru
Herald)
Hikers traveling along Gleniti Road are
often bemused and bewildered at the sight of a black and white sheepdog wandering out on the
range
accompanied by a small, white pigeon. The dog, "Zoe",
and the bird, "Pretty Bird" have been inseparable for about a
year, reports The
Timaru Herald.
When Dorothy and Brian
Richardson bought the property several years ago, they happened to
inherit a pair of
pigeons. Last year, one of the birds died, leaving its mate,
Pretty Bird, forlorn
and broken-hearted. But P.B. was soon on the rebound, looking
for love and making
advances toward the Richardsons' puppy Zoe ("Frailty, thy name is
pigeon!").
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Contrary to the natural instincts of
both bird and dog, the
relationship flourished, and now the two have made their
"nest" together in Zoe's kennel. Dorothy Richardson says
that wherever the dog goes, the bird goes; it sits on the edge of her
dish when she's eating, and when Zoe is out working the sheep, Pretty
Bird lands in the paddock and then flies back to the house with her when
she's done.
Some lazy afternoons, Zoe can be seen
resting her paw on Pretty Bird while the bird snoozes comfortably
underneath. And on several occasions
the two lovebirds have even been heard conversing with each other in
strange grunts and chirps.
Imagine how the cross-cultural exchange
of ideas could benefit both animals. On the one hand, Zoe could
teach Pretty Bird the canine qualities of loyalty, service and
sociability. On the other hand, the pigeon could teach the dog how
to leave droppings on the hoods of freshly-washed cars. Well,
maybe that's a bad example...
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