Children chasing pigeons. Abusive?

[S1ur]

It is time for the Mumsnet verdict.

Say your piece.

As you can tell, my superior older sister knowledge kept me out of the firing line.

lol omdb.

Actually, geese are really the only bird you can legitimately stamp your feet at. One hint of fear and they become hunters, seeking out innocent children and not-so=innocent grandmothers to chase away.

Well, yeah, Canada geese - you sometimes do have to stamp your feet and bark at them when they start mugging your DC.

You have experience of these delightful creatures then?

I am afraid of geese.

And they know it.

You have a neon sign flashing above your head don't you slur?

I think I have a scent.

The scent of geese fear, a bit like channel number five only with more adrenalin.

not the scent of brown trousers?

I assure you my trews are brown by design not accident.

Pondering what the scent of Channel 5 is... you have some strange form of synaesthesia? BBC1 smells of Quality street chocolates I'd guess, but I'm a bit stuck on the rest.

lol.

I think it is wrong and tell dd off when she occasionally does this. Not sure about toddlers who dont understand but think you should tell them it is wrong.

arf

yy chanel not channel obv.

but still, channel five would surely be the smell of sweat of light porn and that plastic smell of qvc.

BBC would be all virtue and worthy BO.

oh whoops, then I am a pigeon-abuser. Have never grown out of wanting to chase pigeons as they strut smugly around the station concourses (hmm, didn't think about pigeons being smug when we were discussing smug animals on another thread...).

BUT have never managed to get within a foot of actually catching one of the verminous blighters (nor would I want to!!) so can't really see that it amounts to abuse - if causing them to get off their smug little legs and take to the air is abuse, then scarecrows are abusers too.

And in fact, one could say that it is to the pigeons' benefit to be chased and forced to fly as they become right fat bastards from strutting around eating too many stray chips.

judgeslur - yes, geese, you wouldn't want to chase those things now, way too scary.

I don't let my dcs chase pidgeons. I don't let them feed them either. Dh spent the afternoon with ds aged 6 shooting rabbits. So we are a bit conflicted in this house. Chasing = bad, shooting dead = perfectly reasonable.

Channel 5 smells of Impulse.

Chasing pigeons is wrong, because children should never be allowed to tease any living thing in even the mildest way. IMHO

Seeker ... it depends on the child surely

Oh dear, one minute ago seeker and I were shoulder to shoulder, two lonely voices standing up for our mutual principles ...

But now I will disagree with seeker (to a point)
I think big children chasing after pigeons is maybe inappropriat behaviour ... I would probably discourage my children now (they are 4 and 8)

But surely it is fine for small toddlers to chase pigeons?
And um ....
Ahem is it really bad to teach your toddler to shout "Pigeon Pie" at the top of his or her voice when they are chasing said pigeons?

They are vermin and eat phlegm.

My kids will shoo them away, as will I.

We don't cozy up to ikkle ratties either!

erm my dd1 chases seagulls and pigeons because the dog does though before you all report me neither of them ever have a chance of catching them.

dd1 says that she is trying to catch one to take home to grandad because his pet pigeon died and grandad was sad. i dont know why she thinks the dog is chasing them

both of them know not to chase ducks etc and nither of them are overly keen on ducks. both like looking and feeding when they are in the water behind a fence but when they get out its a different matter.

Urgh , chase them chase them.

Its good fun. They are back in a sec anyway and it don't hurt them.

I have no problem with children chasing pigeons. It is fun and pigeons are a pain. I don't believe that it causes the pigeons any great harm. I think they are used to it, and know that children are a great source for dropped crisps etc.

I would be worried if the children were actually trying to catch the pigeons, but mostly they just like it when they all wheel up into the air. If they just ignored the children, the the children would soon lose interest anyway wouldn't they?

I actively encourage ds to chase the chickens (thats what he calls them) when we go into town. It gives him the chance to run around the town square while i have my coffee

And what about the number of people who are scared of birds? Is it fair on them when pigeons fly at them because they're being chased? What would your reaction be if that was the situation you were in. I have no problem with anyone shooing the blasted creatures away.

Aha, slur, i have just found the thread that this question relates to. Let me just make myself clear on this point. While i may encourage ds to chase the pigeons (vermin that he has no chance of catching), i do not in any way condone the chasing of ducks or other animals, or throwing stones, or hurting of any animals. and if i saw other children hurting or trying to hurt animals, i don't think i'd be able to walk away without saying something.