Pigeon spared death in Australia after U.S. leg tag found to be fake

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A pigeon due to be put down in Australia after apparently flying across the Pacific was spared the death sentence on Friday, after a leg tag identifying it as belonging to a U.S. bird organization was declared a fake. The tag suggested it had lost its way during a race in Alabama and flown more than 13,000 kilometres to Melbourne thereby falling foul of strict quarantine regulations forbidding the importation of live animals or birds. But as a Twitter campaign for the bird – christened Joe by its supporters to be returned safely to America gathered pace, the American Racing Pigeon Union declared the ID band a fake. The pigeon found in Australia sports a counterfeit band and need not be destroyed per biosecurity measures, because his actual home is in Australia. Melbourne resident Kevin Celli-Bird had found the pigeon and its tag in his garden on Boxing Day, according to Australian media. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack told reporters on Friday, If Joe has come in a way that has not met our strict biosecurity measures then bad luck Joe. Either fly home or face the consequences. But, late in the day, a reprieve came from the Department of Agriculture. Following an investigation, the department has concluded that Joe the Pigeon is highly likely to be Australian…. No further action will be taken … in relation to this matter.