Gunsights on pesky pigeons

KENT BLECHYNDEN/ The Dominion Post

PLEASE DON'T SHOOT: Ed Abdool, who is horrified that the council may shoot pigeons, has organised a protest campaign that starts today. `We want the council to do some research into using humane methods for a cull.'

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Pesky pigeons could be shot in downtown Wellington, despite concerns raised by the SPCA.

Wellington City Council has set aside $15,000 to cull the birds after outdoor diners at Midland Park complained of intimidating behaviour by food-scavenging pigeons and a proliferation of droppings.

A first step would be for contractors to collect eggs from nests to limit bird numbers.

But council spokesman Richard MacLean said some pigeons nested in hard-to-reach areas and guns might have to be used to deal with them. "Shooting is going to be a last resort but we definitely aren't going to rule it out.

"The SPCA can be assured that we will be doing things humanely. We are not in the business of causing unnecessary pain to animals."

However, SPCA spokeswoman Lisa Snow said shooting was a dodgy way of killing pigeons.

"One of the problems with shooting is that it is very easy for the birds to be injured, fly off, and not actually be killed."

The council also said the use of poison to kill problem birds was still a possibility. Ms Snow said this method would not get SPCA support.

"What poison does is it sedates the birds and they get slow and cold and they die that way.

"We always know when poisoning has occurred because inspectors are always getting calls about birds that are in distress out on the streets."

The SPCA has called on the council to look at long-term, humane methods to reduce bird numbers.

These include the use of birth-control pellets.

"They have had success with that in London," Ms Snow said.

Mr MacLean said putting pigeons on the pill was being investigated by council officers.

"We are treating the whole issue as a bit of a trial and a bit of an experiment in terms of what is the best way to deal with it."

A protest campaign, starting at noon today, has been organised by Wellington man Ed Abdool, who is horrified that the council may shoot pigeons.

"We want the council to do some research into using humane methods for a cull."

- © Fairfax NZ News