Send these letters to your town council and insist that it stops KILLING pigeons in response to complaints and explore humane methods of control!
Remember that the town councils are to SERVE every resident equally and not RULE over residents. They are to respect the wishes of residents who appeal for NO-KILL solutions and they must also NOT ASSume that every complainant of birds want them KILLED!
Look out for your respective town councils here and send off an email now.
http://app.sgdi.gov.sg/listing.asp?agency_subtype=dept&agency_id=0000007289
Ever occur to you why some of us can be this much concerned with animals suffering? Because government is not. Why not? Animals don't vote.
~Paul Harvey
© ABC Radio Networks
Paul Harvey with his wife Angel and son Paul J
Very little of the great cruelty shown by men can really be attributed to cruel instinct. Most of it comes from thoughtlessness or inherited habit. The roots of cruelty, therefore, are not so much strong as widespread. But the time must come when inhumanity protected by custom and thoughtlessness will succumb before humanity championed by thought. Let us work that this time may come.
~Albert Schweitzer
We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals. Animals suffer as much as we do. True humanity does not allow us to impose such sufferings on them. It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it. Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, humanity will not find peace.
~Albert Schweitzer, The Philosophy of Civilization
Un-published letter from ACRES:
I refer to the article “Shocked by pigeon culling? Then stop feeding them” (ST 28/2/10).
ACRES is concerned that poisoning is still being used as a way of culling pigeons, as poisoning tends to induce a slow and painful death for the birds, undoubtedly involving a great deal of suffering.
In addition to emphasising the point that culling the pigeons addresses only the symptom of the problem, and to address the problem at the root level it is essential to educate the public to stop making food accessible to pigeons, ACRES would also like to highlight the following points:
1.Culling by poisoning is potentially dangerous for pets, wild animals and even children who may consume the poisoned bait.
2.Alternative and humane methods of bird population control are available. Progressive vector control agencies, such as the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), have approved humane methods such as the contraceptive baits (Ovocontrol) for pigeon control since 2007.
3.As an alternative method of population control, Town Councils can consider providing Artificial Nesting Sites. Dovecotes or nesting boxes can be constructed and installed at a low, one-off cost at these sites. Once pigeons have been encouraged to roost in these sites, their eggs can be collected regularly and destroyed. This is a simple, fast and very effective way to reduce pigeon numbers. Another advantage of such Artificial Nesting Sites is that they provide a way to move pigeon flocks away from sites where they are considered a nuisance, to sites where they will pose no problems.
4.Even the life-death issue of bird strikes (collisions between aircraft and birds) are being managed humanely by the bird strike committees around the world, and poisoning of birds is not considered as a method of solving this serious problem. In 1999, the Bird Strike Committee in the U.S. recognised that "poisoning creates a serious environmental problem, as the entire domain, as well as other animals, can be affected by the toxic substance used. It is against our principals to use this method, and actually, it is illegal in most countries".
5.Scientific research has shown that culling is completely ineffective, as bird numbers can increase above pre-cull levels within weeks of the cull being carried out (Reference: Regulation of the Street Pigeon in Basel by Daniel Haag-Wackernagel. Article published in Wildlife Society Bulletin, 1995).
ACRES urges Town Councils to cease the current pigeon culling operations using poisoning, as they are inhumane, ineffective and costly (involving third parties), and instead explore more humane and effective methods of long-term pigeon population control.
Amy Corrigan (BSc)
Director of Education
Director of Cruelty-Free Living Campaigns
ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society)
www.acres.org.sg
91 Jalan Lekar
Singapore 698917
(O): +65 6892 9821
(F): +65 6892 9721
(HP): +65 8168 4355
Director of Education
Director of Cruelty-Free Living Campaigns
ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society)
www.acres.org.sg
91 Jalan Lekar
Singapore 698917
(O): +65 6892 9821
(F): +65 6892 9721
(HP): +65 8168 4355
