Frequently Asked Questions

What type of doves do you use?
They are a domesticated relative of the Wild Rock Dove. They have been specially bred for their flying ability, their homing instinct and their pure white colour. All our birds undergo intensive training to ensure they return home safely after they have been released.

Where do the doves live?
Our birds live in modern lofts, divided into sections according to their age. Our family has been keeping birds for over 50 years and we are members of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association – Loft Number NW4865.

How far can the doves fly?
The doves are trained to fly distances ranging from 5 to 500 miles. However to ensure their safety, we only release our doves within a radius of 50 miles from our loft at Hapton. At this distance, depending upon weather conditions on the day, our birds can fly up to 50 miles an hour.

How do the doves arrive at the release site?
The doves and baskets are taken to the release site by an experienced handler who co-ordinates the release.

At what point during the occasion should the doves be released?
This is entirely personal choice and we tailor our service to your own individual requirements.

What time of day is best for a release?
The time of release on the day of the event is very flexible but the doves must have time to return home before dusk. With this in mind, the safe time release window will depend upon the time of year of your wedding / event and we will advise you of this at enquiry stage.

What about bad weather?
It would be lovely if all our special occasions took place on lovely warm days with clear skies but unfortunately this is not the case in Lancashire. Because of this there may be times when it is not safe to release the birds; conditions such as fog, low lying mist, heavy rain, storms and very strong winds would endanger the birds if they were released. In these circumstances a refund would be given.

Will the doves ‘soil’ on guests?
This is highly unlikely, but obviously cannot be guaranteed. To try to eliminate this possibility, our doves are kept on a special feeding programme prior to release and ‘handling’ the doves is kept to a bare minimum.

Can the doves be released indoors?
No, this is not possible. The doves would be disorientated and stressed and would certainly injure themselves.

Why should we use Love Doves for our special occasion or event?
Our family has over 50 years experience of looking after, caring for, handling and flying birds. If you decide not to use Love Doves, please do your research and make sure you use a dove release company that uses trained birds in top condition and where the welfare of the birds is paramount.

Can we buy doves from a pet shop and release them ourselves?
We would never advise this as these birds do not have any homing instinct and would probably not leave the release site. They would then become a nuisance at the site and, ultimately, they would not be able to survive in the wild.