# @downinnadesert on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DbHUBHrD96G
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/68285966-downinnadesert-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/16a3abb648.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-07-22T23:51:56.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Down In The Desert🌵 (@downinnadesert) — https://gondola.cc/downinnadesert

## Caption

An Arizona influencer couple is responding after facing backlash over blue-dyed live birds used during their gender reveal.

Rob and Ari say they hired a professional bird-release company and were assured the coloring was 
temporary, safe and had been used before. They were also told the trained pigeons would fly directly back home after being released.

Instead, five blue pigeons were later reported near the Salt River. Two were captured and taken to Crystal’s Critter Haven, where the rescue said the coloring did not come out during an initial bath.

The couple says they were later told most of the birds returned home and that the two rescued pigeons would eventually be returned after receiving care. 

However, they say they never received a complete final update and cannot independently confirm what happened to every bird.

An earlier update from the rescue said one pigeon was still missing at that time. It remains unclear whether that bird was ever found.

The bird-release company has since made its Instagram private and has not responded to our messages requesting an updated accounting of the birds.

Rob and Ari say they regret participating, offered resources to help care for the birds and would not have agreed to the release had they known what could happen.

Threats or harassment toward anyone involved are not acceptable.

Via: Statements from Rob and Ari, Crystal’s Critter Haven and previous local reporting

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#Arizona #ArizonaNews #SaltRiver #GenderReveal #Pigeons

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 2,754
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- **Comments:** 941

## Tags

pigeons, genderreveal, arizonanews, arizona, saltriver

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