Caught a tagged bird

Yesterday a rock pigeon paid our family a visit. He strutted around our yard just like he belonged and even let dh pick him up. The local DNR came out this morning to take a look and confirmed it's a rock pigeon, but told me I won't have any luck finding the owner by the tag as there's no database to refer to. We'd love to keep him, but he'd be penned up in a large cage outside, and wouldn't be allowed to wander freely as our cats would love to have him for dinner. It's unbelievable we even saw him before they did. So we've decided to set him free. Hopefully he won't come back to our house, but instead find the way to his/her real home.

Autumn

ps. just in case..... the tag number is 1049 mrr au 2001