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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to be bothered about cruelty to pigeons (longish - sorry)

11 replies

Selks · 26/04/2011 14:00

Ok, so I am at work (on lunch break). We have had a big problem with feral pigeons in the gap between buildings where I work - pigeon shite everywhere. Last week a company came in and put a big net over the top of the gap to stop pigeons getting in. All well and good, except they failed to flush the pigeons out of the space before they put the net up, thus trapping about a dozen pigeons under the net. They then took pot shots at them using air rifles. We in the office only realised that when we heard the gunshots and saw distressed pigeons flying about and confettis of feathers raining down. Why they didn't flush the pigeons before putting the net up I don't know.
So today I look out and realise that there are still three pigeons trapped. They have no source of food or water and so will starve or die of thirst. The net is about four stories up so no way of opening it for them.
Me being an animal lover I raised the issue with one of the managers who has responsibility for liaising with the building owner (who contracted the pigeon people). I was basically met with a shrug of shoulders and an annoyed face. I said I am not prepared to do nothing about unnecessary animal suffering and that even if they had to be shot it was better than them dying of thirst or starvation. Manager crossly passed me the phone number for building owner who I contacted about it. Building owner agreed to request pigeon people to come back and 'finish the job'.
So now I feel I have blotted my copybook with this manager, who clearly sees me as some neurotic fuss pot.
But they may just be pigeons, but there is no need for unnecessary animal cruelty in my book.
So, AIBU to stick my neck out like that for a few pigeons and piss boss off?
(thinking most people will think I was...?)

OP posts:
MaisyMooCow · 26/04/2011 14:04

YANBU to stick your neck out. Well done for speaking out and doing something about it.

Balsam · 26/04/2011 14:06

Two pigeon threads in one day!

PlentyOfPrimroses · 26/04/2011 14:09

YANBU. I got really upset when they started doing this round london. There was a bridge I walked under every day and they put the nets up without removing nests first. The poor parent pigeons were going frantic trying to reach the babies. Well done for speaking up.

coccyx · 26/04/2011 14:13

thats animal cruelty surely. by all means try to reduce the numbers but not sure they should be allowed to take pot shots and knowingly leaving some there with no access to food/water and no way of getting out is horrid. slow death.
Well done you

NulliusInVerba · 26/04/2011 14:32

Are you the same person with the other pigeon thread?? Is this national pigeon day and I have missed something??

I have to say they are disease bags. BUT I would be against any unneccesary suffering to any animal, so what they have done is wrong. Even to pigeons.

buggerlugs82 · 26/04/2011 14:39

This reply has been withdrawn

This post has been withdrawn due to privacy concerns.

MillyR · 26/04/2011 14:44

My sister is in a very, very similar situation, OP. I doubt you are the only person at work who is unhappy with the way it is being dealt with - other people have probably complained.

Selks · 26/04/2011 19:24

Nullius - no, it's not me who did the other pigeon thread. Complete coincidence. They are disease bags yes, and I supported the netting of the space. They needed to be got rid of, but it could have been done without cruelty.

MillyR - sadly, I think I was the only person to complain. Other people just said 'oh dear' and carried on. I have the reputation there of being a crank...this has added to it really, but I don't care.

OP posts:
Selks · 26/04/2011 19:26

The poor things were still stuck there when I left work today. I hope the pigeon people will be back very soon....I can see that I'm going to have to chase it up.

Thanks for your feedback, folks. Nobody else at work seemed to give much of a hoot, so it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who feels this way.

OP posts:
tigerchilli · 26/04/2011 19:31

YADNBU. Pigeons may be a nuisance at times to people but to take pot-shots at them and/ or leave them to die of dehydration is disgusting.

wotnochocs · 26/04/2011 19:37

I think shooting them is fine- they are vermin, but not leaving them to starve.

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