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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is it illegal to kill a wild animal at work?

444 replies

SilverDoe · 27/01/2022 09:57

Posting for traffic. Is illegal/possible to pursue for animal cruelty if someone kills a wild animal in their work place?

I have been googling but I can only find information really regarding livestock and pets.

OP posts:
SilverDoe · 27/01/2022 11:50

@Wreath21

BTW I also like corvids and find them fascinating, and would not approve of someone taking it upon themselves to kill a wild bird just because they considered it a nuisance. But that's not the issue here. The issue is that OP is working herself up into a ridiculous, self-righteous frenzy over something that may not even have happened and seems determined to harm other people over some third-hand bullshit. Some of you sound like the sort of vicious morons who share photographs that are allegedly of some or other notorious criminal via social media, revving each other up to hunt them down and batter them...
Again I think "self righteous" frenzy is a bit hyperbolic considering I have emailed the customer care thing about a bird being killed in store.

I don't want anyone battered thanks, and I avoid the use of social media. You have a certain perception of me which is fair enough, but it's waayyy off. I'm a millenial, I have an existential crisis over criticising anyone especially if it could affect their job.

OP posts:
SilverDoe · 27/01/2022 11:50

is she going to accept that or run screaming back to social media insisting that she KNOWS he did it and he MUST CONFESS AND BE PUNISHED?

Definitely the latter of course Grin

OP posts:
Newfluff · 27/01/2022 11:51

Op I agree with you. I can't believe the whataboutery on this thread.

Wreath21 · 27/01/2022 11:51

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

overthehillandsofaraway · 27/01/2022 11:51

I don't think you know this man killed the bird, or if he did, how he did it. You've joined the dots, and whilst you might not be wrong, you don't have proof. Given the lack of information you have, I'm not sure how any body (such as the RSPB) is going to be able to successfully investigate and take this further.

FWIW, I would have been upset too. But I just don't think this going to have any consequences unless someone witnessed what happened (if it happened) and speaks up.

alwaysontheloo · 27/01/2022 11:52

I would email the CEO of the chain of shops and make your complaint to them. You can find details very easy or PM me and I will find it.
That poor magpie Sad

ShadowsInTheDarkness · 27/01/2022 11:52

I'm really confused about how you have come to the conclusion that he must have killed it in an inhumane way? I keep poultry, ducks, hens etc and have had to cull due to illness many times. It is considered kinder to do this yourself, if your birds aren't used to lots of handling than taking a bird to a vet, because they are not remotely used to being inside human and domestic spaces and the fear they feel means they aren't getting a "kind" death when pts at the vets. A wild bird would have been incredibly stressed being taken to a vets as you suggest would have been kinder.

Magpies are very clever and a bird like this that was clearly very friendly and unafraid of people is likely to have been hand reared or had some kind of stay at a wildlife hospital in the past. Unfortunately humans intervening and hand rearimg birds without planning a site to release them to leads to birds like this one that can become pests.

We are in the middle of the worst avian flu outbreak in years in the UK. I am certain that with that in mind, if this manager had sought advice about a wild bird coming into a shop which sells food he would have been advised to have it dispatched. You can't trap and relocate birds like this as there is a risk they will become nuisances elsewhere. Rescues are not taking in birds unless in emergencies atm due to the avian flu outbreak.

In terms of dispatch method I would be very suprised if it wasn't humane. Magpies are small birds and it would be relatively simple to snap its neck which would kill it instantly. That or a sharp hit to the skull with a brick which again would have been a very quick death.

As has previously been pointed out, all of the above aside, you have no way of knowing whether the bird had been injured by a bicycle, car, person, cat or fox. Overly tame birds very often fall prey to cats and foxes especially in urban environments.

Animal welfare is less about a black and white "keep everything alive at all costs" and more about understanding the bigger picture. There are so many factors that you don't know and haven't taken the time to understand, and instead have jumped to the assumption that this was a poor healthy innocent bird, trampled to death by a psychotic lunatic.

Wreath21 · 27/01/2022 11:52

@Newfluff

Op I agree with you. I can't believe the whataboutery on this thread.
Er, what about the fact that OP has no idea if what she's shitting herself about ever actually happened...
DropYourSword · 27/01/2022 11:53

I'm sure my having a pair of guinea pigs is WAY worse than a guy stomping/strangling a friendly little bird to death, of course.. hmm

You've just completely invented this!

I'm so surprised so many think he didn't kill the bird tbh, it's so obvious

I don't think many (if any) are saying he didn't. We're simply saying you really don't have all the facts at all. You've now taken to inventing what happened.

You have absolutely no clue how or why he killed the bird.

If you're in there twice a day you can simply ask hey, what happened with the magpie this morning?

I understand that you care about animals but honestly, you keep pretending that you know what happened when you really don't!

SilverDoe · 27/01/2022 11:53

@Wreath21

Millenial, eh? I suppose that explains the delusional obstinacy and refusal to consider that you might be wrong...
Oh the irony Grin

I think you need to step away from the thread, it's not sparking joy for you and I don't know if you are related to Mr Magpie Murderer but you seem incredibly incensed by what was ultimately a very reasonable question, if you read back my OP.

OP posts:
Inspectorslack · 27/01/2022 11:54

You’ve no idea what happened.

Magpies are certainly not the sort of things that should be in shops.

I would have considered it a nuisance. Sorry op.

godmum56 · 27/01/2022 11:54

There are special public health rules about wildlife in food shops, food sale and food preparation areas. Its mostly used in the large warehouse type supermarkets where birds get in through the open doors....no one want's bird shit on the cheese counter! BUT the killing must be done as humanely as possible. Google Defra general licences

HangingOver · 27/01/2022 11:54

I bet he wouldn't take this hard bastard on

endlesssighing · 27/01/2022 11:55

Did anyone see him kill it?

If you want contact the RSPB and report it to them.

I was under the impression you cannot cull birds during nesting season but I think that starts in February?

The best thing to do is simply no longer give the shop your patronage. Little else will happen. It's a shame for the bird, but I suppose from his side having a wild animal frequently fly into his shop is a health and safety issue.

There are laws around killing squirrels etc and I wonder if it also applies to birds. It has to be 'humane' whatever that means.

Please don't stress yourself out. As harsh as it sounds, if he 'stamped' on it, that was possibly for the best. It wouldn't have known a thing.

SilverDoe · 27/01/2022 11:55

[quote HangingOver]I bet he wouldn't take this hard bastard on

[/quote] Haha!
OP posts:
PossiblyDreaming · 27/01/2022 11:59

@endlesssighing again, the RSPB is a conservation charity not an animal cruelty charity. If you’re reporting do so on 101 and you will be referred to a wildlife crime officer. I worked at the RSPB for nearly a decade and spent 90% of my time answering the phone and repeating these two sentences again and again and again.

Pluvia · 27/01/2022 11:59

@TheRealityCheque

Imagine a world where a grown adult keeps animals couped up in an unnatural environment as 'pets' for her own entertainment has the audacity to complain about what another person MAY have done to a pest, without a shred of evidence or even knowledge.
This! With knobs on.
MulticolourTulips · 27/01/2022 12:01

He obviously killed the bird. Why wouldn't he just say he didn't kill him if he didn't!!

Maybe he did say that. Maybe he's said it so many times he's fed up of saying it. Maybe he said it in part of the shouty argument that your husband didn't hear.

It's perfectly possible.

ScrollingLeaves · 27/01/2022 12:01

Maybe some posters who don’t understand the OP’s reaction should read ‘The Ancient Mariner’ to see why she is upset.

If the shopkeeper didn’t do it, or if it was a mercy killing, or killed because a customer was attacked by the magpie - or something like that - the shopkeeper can say.

endlesssighing · 27/01/2022 12:02

[quote PossiblyDreaming]@endlesssighing again, the RSPB is a conservation charity not an animal cruelty charity. If you’re reporting do so on 101 and you will be referred to a wildlife crime officer. I worked at the RSPB for nearly a decade and spent 90% of my time answering the phone and repeating these two sentences again and again and again.[/quote]
I apologise! You learn something new every day. I thought the RSPB was the avian equivalent of the RSPCA. I look silly!

ScrollingLeaves · 27/01/2022 12:04

I hope you get an answer from the. shop chain OP.

I haven’t read the full thread but wondered if you asked the RSPCB for advice?

Could your DH speak to the manager and simply ask them what happened?

PossiblyDreaming · 27/01/2022 12:05

@endlesssighing don’t apologise! The RSPB do so much to try and reinforce this message but it just doesn’t get through. I worked for them thinking I’d be doing exciting conservation work and I just ended up saying the same two sentences on repeat for years and not having any time to do my real work as a result. Not that I’m bitter or anything Grin

chesirecat99 · 27/01/2022 12:05

My partner is going to go and have a word this afternoon when he picks DC up from school. He is not shouty like the lady (although I trust the lady, she works at the school) and he will find out what happened.

Wouldn't it make more sense to speak to the woman who works at the school if she may have witnessed what happened? If you tell her you are making a complaint, she might want to complain with you and give her witness account. I doubt the shop manager will be willing to discuss it with your DP.

ScrollingLeaves · 27/01/2022 12:06

Sorry, just seen the RSPB
would be the wrong agency.

SilverDoe · 27/01/2022 12:06

*TheRealityCheque

Imagine a world where a grown adult keeps animals couped up in an unnatural environment as 'pets' for her own entertainment has the audacity to complain about what another person MAY have done to a pest, without a shred of evidence or even knowledge.

This! With knobs on.*

My piggies would vociferously disagree with you there.

OP posts:
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