To think kids should not chase pigeons

[greentreesdream]

I’m aware miserable bastard of the year award might belong to me but it pisses me off when I’m quietly making my way through a town or city centre and a flock of alarmed pigeons come flying towards me at eye-level.

There’s also something horribly aggressive in kids who stamp at them.

AIBU / miserable or do others agree it’s a bit of a shitty thing to do?

"Oh for gods sake. Try stopping my happy two year old boy. Seriously there are worse things in life. Get a bloody grip. Kids really should be seen and not heard in this country. It’s so sad."

God forbid you should parent your child. But it's ok, he's "happy".

@Carycy

Well I don’t generally let him walk freely along the road!. I am talking about if we are walking along a path around a lake for example.. getting rather pedantic here.

So he can run straight into a lake? Just admit you don't mind this bit of cruelty because they're just pigeons.

Well so far none of my kids have managed to charge in the water or get themselves attacked by swans. I will remember to have a ball with me at all times when going for a walk in future op. I am sure the birds won’t catch his attention at all then. I just don’t think it’s that big of a deal. The never seem much bothered and still come back for feeding if we have bird feed ( no we don’t take bread) and you are all trying to think of non sensical examples when I am taking about coming accross a couple of pigeons.

Yanbu. Why does anyone think that letting their child scare an animal for fun is ok? Shows a real lack of empathy. Not a nice trait in anyone.

God forbid any child that chases pigeons if I'm in the vicinity because I will shout at them to stop and I'm quite happy to give the bloody parents an earful too.

It's cruel. Not funny and not excusable.

It probably doesn’t do any permanent damage cary; tbh that isn’t really the point. It’s unpleasant and anti social for other people for one thing and when you boil it down it’s pretty unkind.

My DD has never done it and not have I encouraged it but I can't say I'm bothered if I see another child do it. Pigeons are horrible

Pigeons are lesser creatures. They are vermin. They are also not “scared” of children running at them in the way that you or I would be - they have an instinctive trigger reaction to potential danger and move out of their way. It’s no more cruel for a three year old to run after a pigeon than it is for a kitten to run after a pigeon.

they are vermin an excellent reason for NOT sending them flying at peoples heads!

Well I’d rather adults didn’t feed the rats with wings so when the adults stop I’ll worry about children chasing them 🤷🏻‍♀️

It is cruel and there is no justification for it . It distresses the birds and if a child thinks it is OK to be cruel to animals then the parents need to take a ,omg ,too, at their parenting skills.

Cary

I personally do dislike the pigeons going all fluttery and spreading their nastiness even more... Especially if it's (random example) a piazza with cafés and outside dining opportunities around it. And then somebody had to disturb the flying menaces.🤢

Children should be taught to respect wildlife and other living creatures. They shouldn't be allowed to chase them, or torment them in any other way, just for fun. It's horrible.

They’re vermin, rats with wings. Chasing a creature nature equipped with the means to escape unscathed is hardly cruelty. Birds are frightened into flying off all the time by a whole multitude of things. This is the most precious thread I’ve ever seen on MN - and that’s a pretty high bar.

But no, animal welfare hasn't really occurred to me (well, up to now).

And yes, I'm a vegetarian.... (information for those who felt the need to bring eating habits and lifestyle choices into it.)

Letting kids know it’s okay to scare something smaller and defenceless is not okay and I wouldn’t be surprised if pigeon chasers grow up to be less kind people.

I absolutely hate it and have told off random children for doing it on more than one occasion, it makes my blood boil

Inexcusable to allow your children to terrorise them for no reason

I cannot believe people think this is normal kid behaviour! I'm with you OP. I've 2 DC's who've never chased pigeons /scared ducks/stamped on insects etc because when they were little I taught them to.. you know.. not do it
It pains me to see what kind of a world they're growing up in when supposedly intelligent parents don't teach their children to be kind

I don’t feed them one and nor was anyone else in the town centre this morning. So what precisely is wrong with saying to a child ‘do not do that. It frightens the birds and other people do not want the birds all flying at them!’

You're right OP. My son used to do it when he was small (and even when he was not so small, grrr) and I was constantly telling him off for it. It is soooo annoying.

Pigeons are annoying, too, but you shouldn't chase them.

Mine don’t chase them anyway. But I’m not going to worry about other people’s kids doing so.

@Carycy

Oh for gods sake. Try stopping my happy two year old boy. Seriously there are worse things in life. Get a bloody grip. Kids really should be seen and not heard in this country. It’s so sad.

Appalling attitude. There are plenty of ways in which people of all ages can be heard without condoning cruelty.

I’m not worried. I’m pissed off!

I stomp on the ground when pigeons get too close myself, which are no different to rats, squirrels and other pests.

It's not like kids are twisting their necks or gouging their eyes...

Where I grew up govt commissioned pest control regularly shot pigeons to cull numbers. Until people complained how inhumane etc.. they stopped it and there is a pigeon issue.