On September 1, 1999, the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette announced: “For the first time since 1934, thousands of pigeons will not be wounded and killed in the infamous Labor Day pigeon shoot in Hegins, Schuylkill County” (Pa). On August 17, 1999, the Hegins Pigeon Shoot was officially cancelled after years of intense campaigning by The Fund for Animals with the support of the entire animal protection movement including United Poultry Concerns (www.upc-online.org/f96hegins.html). Unfortunately, pigeon shoots are still being conducted by some of the sports clubs in Pennsylvania.

The campaign to end pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania is now being vigorously waged by SHARK (Showing Animals Respect & Kindness). SHARK, whose activists travel to Pennsylvania almost every week to attend the pigeon shoots and document the cruelty, points out that Pennsylvania’s Animal Cruelty Law, Title 18, section 5511 prohibits a person from wantonly or cruelly ill-treating or otherwise abusing any animal. The law also prohibits neglect, abandonment, and deprivation of food, drink, shelter, or veterinary care. Pigeon shoots violate every one of these prohibitions. All of the information including videos can be downloaded at www.sharkonline.org.

WHAT CAN I DO?

Please urge District Attorneys John T. Adams and David Heckler to prosecute pigeon shooters under Pennsylvania’s cruelty statutes. Request a written response.

Please ask the American Veterinary Medical Association for a statement that clearly defines the AVMA’s stand on pigeon shoots. Tell SHARK if you receive a response.

Larry Corry, DVM, President
American Veterinary Medical Association
1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360
Email: avmainfo@avma.org
Phone: 800-248-2862
Fax: 847-925-1329

For more information about pigeons, please read “The ‘Human’ Nature of Pigeons” at
www.upc-online.org/pigeons/human_nature_of_pigeons.pdf.