This afternoon my godson’s mother called me. “There is a sick pigeon on the street in front my door, I think the pigeon is going to die soon. My son is upset about it. Should I call a veterinarian?”

“I’m not sure if a veterinarian would come for a sick pigeon in a city like Amsterdam.”

“But what should I do?”

My relationship with dying animals is complicated. On the one hand I really don’t like to witness the suffering of most animals, on the other hand I hate to waste time.

I said: “Why don't you wait for an hour or so, perhaps nature is going to take care of the sick pigeon.”