Pigeon People is a NYC wildlife group that uses rescue, advocacy, & education in legal, peaceful, & respectful ways to help wild animals that live near human settlements.

We're against population control of pigeons & geese & believe that euthanasia means mercy killing, not a substitute for responsibility or the love & care we share with animals. Rescued wild animals should be cared for & released. If release is impossible, they should be given forever homes. Not all wildlife centers follow these rules. Our new group, Rehab Watch, is trying to reform them.

Pigeons don’t get bird flu or W. Nile virus & are not likely to give people disease. But rumors invented decades ago say that's not true and lead to cruelty and neglect of pigeons in need of rescue. If we saw pigeons as friendly, harmless city residents, our wild companions, attitudes would change.

Let’s protect wildlife from being trapped, shot, netted, or poisoned & stop laws for cruelty or extermination. As immigrants, pigeons aren't well protected by law, & Canada geese are killed by the federal govt. for inconveniencing people more than for collisions with planes.

To deter pigeons, killing frees roosting areas but invites new pigeons. More effective methods are humane & cheap – mesh, wire coils, plastic spikes, & sloped surfaces. Keeping Canada geese away from lawns can also be done harmlessly.

We've convinced landlords to release pigeons from cages, awnings & mesh. We’ve proposed an amendment to law to allow pigeons in NY apts. for sanctuary & fostering space. Men throw nets over a flock of pigeons & most likely sell them to restaurants, to hunters for canned shoots, & to dog trainers. Why isn’t the government investigating?

Rehab Watch
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rehab-Watch/104769089585171?ref=ts
NYCPRC.org

Al Streit & Gela Kline - 212 873-6030, Al.Streit@Yahoo.com, NewsToGela@Yahoo.com
Joanna Tierno - 646-464-5185, DeeSnd@aol.com