West Michigan White Dove Release is a Veteran owned business and was originally registered in 2013 as a Sole Proprietorship in Ottawa County serving the Lake Michigan shoreline within 50 miles of Hudsonville Michigan. Recently I relocated back to my hometown of Saranac so we are now based in Ionia County.
In 2017, while I was still located in Hudsonville, my son Michael D. Phillips started a business in Ionia County Michigan also under the name of West Michigan White Dove Release to help raise more birds and cover more events. We work together to assist each other as needed to expand our services.
In 1998 I began raising Homing Pigeons and a variety of other pigeons as a hobby, I did this for a few years, then other interests and priorities caused me to slowly get out of raising the birds. I'm at another stage in my life now and because I enjoyed watching them take to the air and caring for them, I wanted to get back into raising Homing Pigeons. I wanted to share the love and enjoyment I have of these "thoroughbreds of the air" with others. I chose White Homing Pigeons because they are so beautiful to watch. There is a certain peace and tranquility about them.
My Homing Pigeons are banded with an AU (American Pigeon Union) band in case they happen stray or a personalized band with my information, they can be traced and returned to their owner (me). It seldom happens but it does happen.
Racing or Homing Pigeons are a descendant of the Rock Dove and their homing abilities are incredible; they should be the only bird used for releases. Because they are descendants of the Rock Dove it is ethical to call it a Dove Release
The Ring Neck or Pet Store Doves do not have homing abilities and do not have the instincts to survive in the wild.
Please do not use store bought doves. Please stay away from anyone willing to ship birds for self release. Both of these acts are unethical.