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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

T o let my son chase pigeons

376 replies

mrsruffallo · 02/10/2009 14:19

DS loves chasing flocks of pigeons. Every time we go to the park he and his friends scream with delight as they fly away.
Woman in the park today got very angry and told me that 'pigeons have feelings too' and that IT WAS CRUEL.
Funnily enough there was something along similar lines on CBeebies the other day.
AIBU to think it's just a bit of fun?

OP posts:
OrmIrian · 02/10/2009 17:40

I suspect this has got heated but FWIW I don't think it matters much. If he was catching and disembowelling them I'd be affronted and tell you off for being cruel, but just making them flap about ? Not a problem.

BTW that doesn't mean that I think it's OK to treat any animal as a toy.

seeker · 02/10/2009 17:41

I agree, hecate - and did, further down the thread. But no one's listening to us.

franklymydear · 02/10/2009 17:44

a dog that doesn't chase things? is it stuffed?

Golda · 02/10/2009 17:46

I'm listening seeker. I totally agree with you.

MissAnnesley · 02/10/2009 17:47

Really, all the "fuck off" and "knock your block off" talk is completely uncalled for. There's no point losing your temper, time to have a little glass of wine I think, it's what I'm about to do.

We have different ways of looking at the world and different beliefs. We are unlikely to be reconciled but I'm sure we're both old enough and ugly enough to live with that.

C'est la vie. C'est Mumsnet.

JennyPennyNAPPYWEB · 02/10/2009 17:52

I would never let my DC do it. No, it might not harm/tramatise them or anything but regardless of what people say it is definatly NOT teaching your children to have respect for living creatures.

Just like I wouldn't let them purposly kill insects or harm any animal. Its just not nice really is it.

It obviously isn't the end of the world if kids do it, but I don't see why any parent would want to encourage it.

DoingTheBestICan · 02/10/2009 17:52

You are right,i apologise if was a little ott earlier.

I still think its a load of rubbish to say its cruel to pigeons to chase them.

I am now leaving this thread as like you say we all have different views,& to me there are far more pressing issues out there to judge than some blinking pigeons being chased.

MrsGhoulofGhostbourne · 02/10/2009 17:52

Chasing them not cruel - not as if he was injuring them! Tjose old people who feed vermin and envourage them are far more u nreasonable.

tethersend · 02/10/2009 17:55

Hang on... does this mean there isn't going to be a fight in the park?

TheMitsubishiWarrioress · 02/10/2009 17:56

So, the parents who let their children chase pigeons, you don't mind if someone's dog chases your toddler/child, and the owner says 'awwww, he won't hurt anyone, he loves children'.

YABU.

It is now about pigeons having feelings, it is about having basic respect for our living environment.

junglist1 · 02/10/2009 17:59

I don't let my boys do it but I don't think it's cruel as such, doesn't mean they want to hurt them. I've had brats come to play and squeeze my cats neck and have never been so disgusted in my life. There's a difference between that and being interested in getting the birds to flap away.

DorotheaPlenticlew · 02/10/2009 18:00

tethersend

MrsGhoulofGhostbourne · 02/10/2009 18:02

The children never catch the pigeons, and don't bite them, and children can't fly away.

seeker · 02/10/2009 18:03

Do the pigeon chasers let their children chase ducks and ducklings as well?

CommonNortherner · 02/10/2009 18:04

Slippery slope arguments are ridiculous!

Jamieandhismagictorch · 02/10/2009 18:04

seeker I'm listening

defineme · 02/10/2009 18:09

I don't think slippery slope arguments are that ridiculous really. I couldn't care less if other people chase pigeons-they'll get over in, but my kids like to chase cats too so I just ban all chasing of animals as that's easier. My friend's child taught them to stamp on slugs and I've banned that too-disgusting mess and for some reason the glee they took in it repulsed me a bit - not that I care about slugs either.

defineme · 02/10/2009 18:10

get over it

seeker · 02/10/2009 18:11

"Slippery slope arguments are ridiculous! "

Often they are - but in this case, I fail to see how you're going to explain to a toddler that chasing pigeons is OK but chasing ducks and ducklings is not. I'm sure I couldn't have done it - so it seems to me that a blanket ban on using living things as toys is a good plan.

Podrick · 02/10/2009 18:20

I think pigeons are vermin tbh

I also personally think that keeping any animals as pets is wrong, but I don't judge people who do keep pets.

Chasing pigeons is no big sin.

GibbonInARibbon · 02/10/2009 18:46

I think instilling a respect for the environment is a mandatory part of parenting, or at least, it should be.

I find it a real shame that so many people laugh at the idea of showing respect to all forms of life.

Tabithacat · 02/10/2009 19:14

So why is me chasing your children different to your kids chasing anything. I don't actually like pigeons, it is the principle - you don't deliberately startle anything or encourage your children to. And I didn't compare feelings of a pigeon to the feelings of your kids. I just can't see the difference between one big living thing chasing a little living thing, it doesn't matter what that living thing is.

And no, my dog is not stuffed - he is just better brought up than your kids! The dog has been taught that he cannot chase things because if I hadn't he'd think it is alright to chase the cats, kittens, rabbits, birds etc. that he regularly comes into contact with and that is not on.

To summarise, it is not the fact that they are chasing a pigeon it is the fact that they are chasing anything that is wrong.

ChilloHippi · 02/10/2009 19:18

JennyPenny is right. I'm not concerned that it might scare the pigeons, but I am trying to teach my DS to respect all animals, so chasing pigeons, just like chasing the cat, is a no-no. So YABU, I'm afraid.

FuriousGeorge · 02/10/2009 19:19

Don't let my children chase them,but they do enjoy eating them [woodpigeon,that is,not feral pigveons].

seeker · 02/10/2009 19:23

I do wish one of the people who think it's OK for children to chase pigeons would tell me whether it's OK for them to chase ducks.