Cruelty Down Under

If you're up to it, please register and comment.The article, in part is below. I'll post the link in the next post.

Pigeon killers have some support
12:00a.m. 19th April 2009
| By Mark Bode

Culling About 20 pigeons were found dead on the banks of Mooloolah River on Friday. Photo:John McCutcheon/182125
Stuart Walton is like the only griever at a hated relative’s funeral.

The Chancellor Park man mourns the loss of 20-odd pigeons he found dead or dying on the banks of Mooloolah River at Minyama on Friday.

He believes the birds were poisoned and reported the incident to Kawana police, who said they would contact Sunshine Coast council.

Mr Walton was so unnerved by what he saw that he grabbed his fishing gear and hightailed it.

“There were a lot of them. They were dying right in front of me,” he said.

“They all seemed to go the same way – pushing their beak into the ground. I didn’t feel well about it.”

But Paula Rowlands, Gympie-based wildlife coordinator and carer for Wildcare Australia, admitted she would have been happier if more pigeons were killed.

She’s forthright in her belief that the breed should be wiped off the map.

“I’d poison them, too,” she said.

Ms Rowland’s can’t stand any feral animal, but pigeons are right up there on her hit list.

“The only pigeons I like are the ones on plates ... pigeon pie,” she said

Look what is happening to the poor Romans, Ms Rowlands stressed. “Pigeon sh.. on all those beautiful buildings and statues.”

Don’t ever bring a pigeon to Wildcare Australia on her watch.

“We get people bringing them in all the time.

“They say, ‘I’ve got a bird’, and they bring it in and it’s a bloody pigeon. I have to get rid of it.”

Surely someone like the vice-president of the Sunshine Coast Racing Pigeon Association has some sympathy for the dead birds?

Not so.

Ross Brogan said feral pigeons gave racing pigeons a bad name.

And like Ms Rowland, he favours extermination.

Mr Brogan likened feral pigeons to brumbies and racing pigeons to thoroughbreds – one’s a pest, and the other is a multi million-dollar industry.

“I’d rather not see them around. Everyone puts us in the same box as feral pigeons,” he said.

“They’re not good for our sport. They hurt our image

but you must open the article to get to the bottom, to register and post comments.

http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2009/apr/19/pigeon-killers-have-some-support/

I grieve the loss. I grieve the loss of any innocent especially when that loss is celebrated with such hatred and venom.
My name is Charis Palmer. I'm the resource moderator pij-n-angels, an international pigeon forum dedicated to education, resue, rehab and resources for both feral and fancy Pigeons.
Pigeons and humans share some of the same characteristics and there are differences for sure.
Pigeons do litter but without intent of causing damage...humans purposely litter and deface buildings with graffiti.
Pigeons mate for life, both mother and father share the responsibility of caring for the young. Need I say more?!
Rarely do Pigeons make humans ill, inspite of what pset control companies will tell us so that they can make a buck. Sure wouldn't want to ride in a bus with a human that has the flu.
Pigeons have served with courage in both World wars and even though ingured some have been responsible for saving the lives of thousands of soldiers. Currently, some serve in Iraq.
Call me a crazy Pigeon Person...call me a crack pot because some of you will. I will wear the label with pride.

That is very sad. I don't understand why people hate pigeons, I assume that they have been taught to, but somehow we have to unteach them.

I commented, but doubt that it will be published.

Cynthia

I agree on all accounts.

Just think of the people we know of that have crossed the path of a pigeon, picked it up even though they weren't fond of them, sought help and through that experience their negative 'way of thinking' about pigeons turned into a positve one.

If we can open the mind of 'one' person, then we have succeeded.

I am glad that yours led them all, Charis. It was very moving. The nasty, negative comments that came towards the end were obviously from the brainless.

I am still struggling to think of a way of making the whole world love and appreciate pigeons , the pest controllers have been so successful with their negative image, surely the opposite point of view could be spread with equal success, somehow?.

This morning was my weekly pigeon feed (I suspect that they are being culled, so will give them a large good meal once a week, unless I have to go back to catch string injuries). There is a place where it is safe to feed them, a large tree with a brick wall around it. There were pigeons waiting there but there was also a man eating a sandwich and I had seen him duck when a pigeon descended.

There was nowhere else that I considered safe to feed them in that spot and I didn't want them to bother the sandwich eater, so I slipped them some pigeon mix. Well, the pigeons dived down from all directions and the man grabbed his breakfast and left, glaring at me as he did so.

I emptied out all the seed and caught sight of him as I walked back to my car, so I apologised profusely when I saw him and said that as soon as I put down the seed I realiied that I shouldn't have done that. He was surprisingly nice, saying that he felt under attack and adding "At least you apologised, most people don't bother". Then he added "Pigeons carry all sorts of diseases which we catch..."

Of course I told him that they didn't and that I knew this because "I study pigeons...", but really a short statement like that doesn't help, what people really need to know is which diseases people can catch from pigeons and in what circumstances. Even I used to think that touching a pigeon coukd make me ill....not that it stopped me!

Maybe we could compose a song and get Susan Boyle to sing it for the Queen.

Cynthia

Cynthia wrote:

Maybe we could compose a song and get Susan Boyle to sing it for the Queen.

Cynthia

A worldwide # hit would be great!
Right up there with Elton John's 'Skyline Pigeon'. That's a beautiful song.

Cindy

Matilda wrote:

* When you get your business csrds for this site, keep some in your pocket and if you come across someone that you think might be interested in being educated, give them a generic card with just the forum address.
I know this is frustrating and lonely at times to be in a sea of humans that are illeterate when it comes to understanding, respecting and honoring fellow creatures. Likely they can't do those things for their own kind either. Remember that you have us and we get it.

I like the song idea.

** Personally and off topic, I would be much happier with spell check.

* That's what I'm doing. We just never know who's path we may cross.

** DITTO on that!!

Many of us were stunned when we first heard the voice of Susan Boyle, a contestant on a UK talent show. The majority of the audience was laughing at her until she began to sing.
Pigeons are like that. Those of you that speak of them as feathered rats are only showing your ignorance. You're buying into prejudiced information that has been taught to you....and so it continues.
Educate yourself. Gather information with a mind that's open rather than closed. Break the cycle of hatred and ignorance.

I was just notified that the above post was approved.

That is wonderful, Charis! I hope that you will hunt down as many anti pigeon comments as you can and use that same reply while everyone is talking andthinking about Susan Boyle.

Cynthia

You can use it too, Cynthia.

Thanks Charis, I will!

Cynthia

Matilda wrote:

Many of us were stunned when we first heard the voice of Susan Boyle, a contestant on a UK talent show. The majority of the audience was laughing at her until she began to sing.
Pigeons are like that. Those of you that speak of them as feathered rats are only showing your ignorance. You're buying into prejudiced information that has been taught to you....and so it continues.
Educate yourself. Gather information with a mind that's open rather than closed. Break the cycle of hatred and ignorance.

That's wonderful, Charis.

Apparently my authentisity is in question...down under.

I made another post on the newspaper blog and thought I'd posted it here but it went away.
I hope they post it...down under.

Of those that wish...please verify I exist.

Here they are...

Charis is for real. Break the cycle of hatred and ignorance. Getting crytococcal is extremely rare. Catching the flu , cold or STD from a human is not so hard at all.

Matilda wrote:

Here they are...

Charis is for real. Break the cycle of hatred and ignorance.
Getting crytococcal is extremely rare.
Catching the flu , cold or STD from a human is not so hard at all.

So true!