A viral TikTok showing the heartwarming moment a pigeon “adopted” an unwitting customer at a British pub has amassed 11.6 million views, with the TikToker sharing how they came to own a pigeon as a pet.
“So I’m at the pub with my friends and this pigeon decides to sit on my lap,” the user explains as footage of the pigeon resting on their knee plays in the background. “I found out from the staff that he’d wandered into the pub and people were kicking him.”
According to the user, who posts under the handle @realvintagedollshouse, she’d been told by local students that they brought the pigeon to this pub after it became “disoriented” by people throwing it around.
As the footage switches to her carrying the pigeon home on her shoulder, the user adds, “I knew I couldn’t leave him so I bought him home. He even fell asleep on me at one point and was clearly exhausted.”
@realvintagedollshouse I’ll never turn away a creature in need, am I now the home alone pigeon lady? #pigeon #pigeontok #pigeonlady #feedthebirds #babybird #animallover #animalinneed #wild #bird #birdtok #homingpigeon #storytime #unexpectedfriendship #adviceneeded #birdkeeper ♬ A Little Bird Told Me – Paula Watson
Initially, the creator said that she was worried the pigeon wouldn’t make it through the night, but the video, which showed a compilation of the pigeon’s progress over the next few days, showed the “tame” bird going from strength to strength.
As well as spending a lot of time on the TikToker’s shoulder as she brushed her teeth and did household chores, footage also showed the pigeon happily flying again. She also gave viewers a peek of the makeshift bedding and food she had set out for the animal.
The user ended the video appealing for viewers’ help, saying she was unsure whether she was able to keep the pigeon or if it had to go to a sanctuary or be released back into the wild—but commenters were widely supportive, with many of them urging the creator to keep the pigeon as a pet.
“Pigeons fare better as pets than they do in the wild,” one commenter wrote. “You won’t be doing any harm by keeping him.”
“He has chosen you,” another commenter added. “I think he wants to stay with you.” Another commenter remarked that the video feels like “the start of a Disney movie.”
In the days since posting the video, it appears that the TikToker has decided to keep the pigeon as a pet—and even created a separate TikTok account for the animal under the handle @comeonlittlepigeon.
The user did not immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via Instagram direct message.
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