Woman Saves Drowning Baby Bird While Man Shouts and Laughs from Riverbank (video)

full story and over 700 comments: http://www.care2.com/causes/woman-saves-drowning-baby-bird-while-man-shouts-laughs-from-riverbank.html

Donna Boden of the UK was recently enjoying an afternoon at a pub near the river when she noticed that a baby bird had fallen into the water and could not get out. Watching the fledgling thrash and struggle, Donna knew she had only one course of action. She readied herself to travel across the muddy water to help the bird near the opposite bank and little did she know, she was about to become a victim herself.

Beautiful footage of Donna's bravery captured by a bystander is sullied by the monstrous cackles and taunts of a man who harassed Donna throughout the rescue. He roars with laughter as Donna tries to swim rather than walk because the broken glass on the river's bottom is a danger to her feet. And when Donna finally reaches the grass again, there is a long pause and Donna pleads for someone to take the bird from her hands. Sadly, no one helps her pull herself back out of the deep water despite the fact that she is cold and exhausted.

"There was not a chance I could sit and watch the poor waterlogged bird drown while everyone else seemed happy to do nothing," Donna explains. In fact Donna, who shared this rescue as part of The Great Animal Rescue Chase tournament of heroes, was inspired by another participant, Judith Sudilovsky, who waded into the Jordan river last year when clergy discarded a wounded dove there following a religious ceremony.

After the pigeon was safely taken from the water Donna saw to its care while others continued to drink and enjoy their lunch, averting their eyes from the drenched rescuer and the recovering bird.

"The pigeon safely dried off with crushed biscuits and a bowl of water in the nearby bowling green," Donna says with relief that she was in the right place at the right time. And now on Youtube, the rescue video continues to be a mixed source of pride and ridicule.

"It was a rotten pigeon. Five points for the amusement factor though!" comments the man who posted it on Youtube.

As bullies have a long history of cowardly behavior, we wonder how long it will be before the video is taken down now that so many like-minded animal advocates have arrived to support Donna's actions.

The truth is that scorn and laughter are often directed at those who rescue animals, particularly those who are helping species other than cats and dogs. Rescues like this call for heroes with thick skin and a moral compass that won't be thrown off course by the rantings of the ignorant.

From the Birdman of Long Beach:

I never seen that many comments on anything and this was for a pigeon so you know how that makes me smile. I believe we are actually changing a lot of peoples negative views and I think my relentlessness has contributed to some extent.

I had a interview this past week with Kate Karp from the Long Beach Post who did my big story in 2009. She is starting on a story about the cold hearted jerks at City Place that refuse to allow me to rescue the injured pigeons on there property outside of Walmart. I will be sure to send you the story when it comes out.

I found a forever home for one of the cats on our property today that someone dumped and she started eating here about two months ago. She was so sweet and she was being picked on by a black cat that comes here and now she is safe so what a great day it was. And a lady named Davy Katy that manages properties who gave me a donation from one of my care2 stories. She is taking the sweet little white dove that animal control seized and brought to me months ago. She will pick her up this weekend and she is very excited about it. She is even getting a walk in aviary for the dove ( wow )

Take care my friend and life is good. Will release Hope soon and he is flying in the bathroom right now with Patches and his mate.