By Ella Buxton via SWNS
Meet the woman who forces her husband to share a bed – with two pet pigeons who kiss and cuddle her.
Animal lover, Lucie Morris, 31, travelled 50 miles to pick up an injured pigeon before ”falling in love” with the bird.
After two weeks of treatment, she says the pigeon “refused” to leave so they named him Rosie Cheeks – thinking he was female – and let him stay.
Fearing he would be lonely, the mum-of-two decided to adopt second pigeon, Flori Pretzel, a girl in March 2024. to keep him company.
The feathered friends have now “taken over” Lucie’s life – roaming freely around the house and even sleeping on her partner’s pillow.
Lucie, a stay-at-home-mum from Briton Ferry, Neath Port Talbot, Wales, said: “Someone had posted on Facebook that an injured pigeon was living in their garden and I knew I had to rescue it.
“I’d planned to release him once he was better, but he made himself at home.
“These pigeons have completely stole my heart – they are a huge part of our family.
“I love waking up to their kisses and cuddles.”
When Lucie first brought Rosie home in February 2024, she said the bird “immediately” took on the role of house boss – despite having an injured wing.
He “roamed” around straight away, and even “teased” her dogs Bronson, eight, a beagle, and Cookie and Poppy, six, beagle cross terriers.
Lucie, who is married to Anton Morris, 38, a joiner, said: “I never planned to keep Rosie, but he just wouldn’t leave.
“He’d pop out in the garden but always come back inside.
“He started to fly on my dogs backs, sit on our heads, and made himself at home.
“Anton was apprehensive at first, but after a few days of having Rosie, he fell in love with him too.”
In March 2024, Lucie decided to adopt a pigeon – naming her Flori – after she feared Rosie would be lonely whenever they left the house.
But the two didn’t see eye to eye, with Rosie asserting his dominance when Flori arrived.
Lucie said: “I went onto an adoption page to get him a friend, and didn’t tell Anton.
“I knew he’d be OK with it.
“Rosie is boisterous and he’ll eat off your plate and fly onto your head.
“Flori is the more loving and caring one – she doesn’t leave my side.
“Their are the polar opposite, and I’d often catch Rosie trying to intimidate Flori.
“But now they tolerate each other, and our dogs have also taken a liking to them – we’re one big happy family.”
Lucie says that Flori was “timid” at first, but within days the bird started to nip her cheeks softly – the equivalent to a pigeon kissing affectionately.
Now they share a special bond, and Lucie claims Flori is “stuck” to her hip.
She said: “Rosie is content on his own, but Flori is clingy so I’ll always take her with me when I go to my mum’s or friends house.
“If I have to pop to the shop, mum will look after her for me – she can’t be by herself.
“I’ve had a few weird looks when I’m in the car as Flori will sit on my shoulder but I don’t mind one bit.”
The feathered friends only cost the couple of 14-years £20 a month, and despite being “messy” pets, Lucie says she would be lost without them.
She said: “They’re both cheeky characters, and they aren’t tidy eaters.
“Whether it’s their own food, or food from our plates, I’m always cleaning up after them.
“But it doesn’t bother me – I love them too much to care.”
The birds now “smoother” Lucie, Anton, and her two children, Austin, 11, and Lainey, four, with kisses every day and have even found a place to sleep – in her bed.
Lucie said: “They both have their own cages, but they never sleep in there.
“It didn’t take them long to make there way to our bedroom, and once they found a comfortable place to sleep, that was it.
“Me nor Anton mind that they spend every night with us because we adore them.
“They’ll even sit on our chests when we have a bath – you can hear the pitter patter of Flori’s feet running to the bathroom when the water’s running.
“There is a big stereotype around pigeons, but they are such interesting birds.
“I couldn’t imagine life without them.”
