I’ve created a new category in this blog and named it “Love all wings”. Whatever activities that I’ve done for the pigeons, I wish to share it here. After witnessing the pigeons killing last month, the helplessness in me drove me to be a voice for the pigeons.
At first I thought I would start by creating some slides, then videos and post it everywhere so that people can understand pigeons.
However, two days ago, in Meiling street, two community cats had consumed poisonous food meant to use for the pigeons and in the end both passed on.
I started a petition today, demanding for an end to pigeon culling and it goes like this:
On the 4th of June, numerous pigeons, other birds, and two community cats were found dead at Blk 155 and 156, Mei Ling Street. The cats died horribly, gasping for life. It was clearly an act of pigeon culling. A resident witnessed a pest control worker spreading poisonous food with the intent to kill pigeons. Fortunately, no humans consumed the poison. The SPCA confirmed that the community cats’ deaths were due to the poison used for pigeons.
A similar incident occurred on the 24th of April, 2024, at Blk 195 Kim Keat Avenue. I witnessed an Indian man spreading poisonous food next to his pest control vehicle around 3 pm. Dead pigeons and those still struggling were swept into black plastic bags by cleaners. The man claimed to be acting on orders from the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council. Despite my emails to the Town Council, AVS, and the MP-in-charge, I have not received a reply.
The experience of witnessing these killings was distressing and traumatic. Such massive culling is frequent, notably at Jalan Tenteram, where ACRES confirmed the use of poison. Pigeons lack designated food sources and rely on human food. Bird feeders, fined for helping these birds, are unfairly punished, while those who kill them are rewarded. This sends the wrong message about our values and morals.
Covid-19 has killed over 7 million people, while diseases from pigeons have caused only 2 deaths worldwide. We must consider humane alternatives to control the pigeon population to prevent potential harm to children or other species.
Humane Alternatives for Pigeon Population Control:
1. Non-toxic Birth Control Methods:
Use corn-based feed containing nicarbazin, which has reduced the pigeon population outside Masjid Haji Muhammad Salleh mosque by 60-70% (Straits Times, 10 Nov 2016). Similar methods have been effective in Basel, Switzerland, and Barcelona, Spain.
2. Construction of Nesting Boxes or Platforms:
Install nesting boxes or platforms complemented by regular feeding and cleaning, as done in Paris. Eggs are replaced with dummy eggs to prevent hatching, leading to a gradual reduction in population and fewer issues related to droppings and damage.
3. Encourage Relocation of Pigeons:
Relocate pigeons to designated nature parks where their population can be managed. Plant trees like the Saga tree, Singapore Cherry, Banyan Tree, and papaya trees to provide food sources away from residential areas. Complement this with proper waste management and public education to keep our environment clean.
These methods enable humans to live in harmony with nature, aligning with our goal of being a city in nature. We urge the town councils to consider these humane and sustainable solutions in consultation with animal welfare groups such as ACRES, and government agencies like NEA, AVS NParks. Culling is a short-term solution that worsens the problem as the remaining birds breed more. Let’s adopt a more humane and sustainable approach.
Sign this petition to support humane and sustainable pigeon population control in Singapore.
There aren’t many signatures but lots of views and shares. I didn’t carry on sharing because the story was twisted to be rodent poisoning by the town council. What a swift change! And what can I do? Instead of apologising for poisoning 2 community cats, we were told to remove the cats around the area for the convenience of rodent poisoning. This is absolute arrogance!
*Thanks Melanie for helping with the petition!
Cats who teach me to fly... 