A homeless man in Los Angeles has the constitutional right to sue the city after animal control officers euthanized 18 of his pet pigeons, federal judges ruled Tuesday.
A three-judge panel from the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said Martino Recchia can file a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services under his Fourth Amendment rights, which bar unreasonable search and seizure. Animal control and law enforcement officers seized Recchia’s 18 pigeons, one crow and one seagull in November 2011 without a warrant after he was questioned by police and allowed them to search his streetside cardboard cages and boxes, according to court documents the Sacramento Bee obtained.
After discovering several of the animals were unhealthy, police were ultimately asked to seize them for a veterinarian euthanization.
A lower district court ruled in the city’s favor during Recchia’s previous lawsuit, but the three federal judges in California are still questioning whether or not his Fourth Amendment rights were violated. Los Angeles Police first confronted Recchia on the street on November 3, 2011, according to court records, where they discovered the 20 pet birds in his possession. The animals were covered in blankets and towels and all had access to food and water. Authorities said the birds were covered in feces, unable to fly freely and the newspaper lining of their makeshift cages were soaked.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Feeding pigeons is considered a philanthropic act but city doctors have a different view. According to doctors, the number of patients suffering from hypersensitive pneumonitis is increasing due to pigeons’ droppings. “Pigeon is a symbol of peace and prosperity and even worshipped by many.
There is no harm in feeding the lovely birds. Harm lies in inhaling the dry micro particles of their droppings,” chest physician Dr Pramod Jhawar said. He said excessive inhalation of particles can lead to asthma and other breathing disorders. “About 10-12 patients in a month are approach us with the problem of hypersensitive pneumonitis and we ask them to sing, kabutar jaa jaa, to get rid of the disease.
Pigeons’ droppings are allergens that trigger breathing disorders. Most of the patients live in multistoreyed apartments where pigeons make nests,” he added. Most common diseases caused by pigeons’ dropping include histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis but in general the doctors treat it is as hypersensitive pneumonitis.
OTHER REASONS
Dr Jhawar said after active smoking, there is threat from second hand or passive smoking. “But third hand smoking, that is, inhaling the smoke or ashes particles that stick on clothes of a smoker and inhaled by children or his loved ones can also trigger asthma,” he said adding, “We cannot prove it through cases but the studies have proved that third hand smoking can also cause asthma.” Other reasons of asthma include pollution, dust mites, pollens and animal fur.
Taking about the number of patients suffering from asthma, paediatric pulmonologist Dr Sanjeev Singh Rawat said 300 million people are suffering from the disease worldwide and the number is about 18 million in our country. “There is no official registration for asthma patients in our country.
In Indore, two lakh people suffer from the disease including 3 percent adults and 15 percent children,” he said. He said asthma treatment like use of inhaler is a last stage treatment. “Inhalers are more appropriate for treatment, as taking tablets is expensive and proves hectic for patients,” he added.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
How many birds is too many for a homeowner to feed?
A northeast Albuquerque neighbor claims a nearby home has so many feeders that birds they’re causing a mess, and that neighbor is asking the city to step in.
While plenty of tall trees surrounding the northeast part of Albuquerque, one home in particular near Eubank and Academy has been a magnet for birds for years.
Neighbor Katie Conant lives near the home that draws all the birds.
“If you watch you’ll see ’em flying in,” said Conant, pointing to more than 15-foot tall bush in the neighbor’s yard.
“They’re definitely doing some stuff to encourage more birds to come on site and get a free meal,” said Conanet.
Conant says this year, she’s dealt with a lot more of what the birds leave behind, especially on her pool cover where bird droppings are evident.
“You know it’s a little upsetting, we come out and I’m like, ‘I’m going to have to scrub,” said Conant.
While Conant says she’ll clean up the mess on her own, other neighbors aren’t so happy with the homeowner who’s attracting the birds and have reported the home to the city.
An anonymous neighbor recently sent a complaint to the Albuquerque 311 website, SeeClickFix.com, titled “Pest Pigeons.” The anonymous complaint calls out the neighbor’s home by address, claiming it has “multiple feeders that “attract rodents” and leave “excrement all over.”
The complainant also asked the city if there are “any codes or rules to limit the number of feeders in people’s yards.”
The city of Albuquerque’s Urban Biology Division hasn’t talked to the property owner yet, but the idea of facing questions from the city for backyard bird feeding has the neighbors talking.
“We didn’t have any thought of doing anything,” said Conant, who didn’t write the complaint.
“It’s a nice yard and they enjoy sitting back there and watching the birds, leave them alone,” said Mike Schaeffer, another neighbor who called the complaint “petty.”
The homeowner hadn’t seen the complaint until KRQE News 13 showed him a copy of it on Monday afternoon.
“We’re birders, you know, we love to bird,” said the homeowner, who admitted to having several feeders in his yard.
However, the homeowner, who says he’s fed birds for years in feeders raised off the grounds, doesn’t believe he’s done anything wrong.
“You can look anywhere over town, there’s huge flocks over the power lines, you know, you ought to talk to PNM,” the homeowner chuckled.
The city says it will send someone from the Urban Biology Division to check out the home this week. The department says the only ordinance against bird feeding is specific to pigeons. The ordinance prevents people from feeding pigeons by hand.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
CONCERN has been expressed over plans to tackle the problem of pigeons swooping around Darlington’s covered market.
The historic market’s new managers say birds roosting under its canopy and fouling around the area represents a potential public health hazard.
Jonathan Owen from Market Asset Management said harbouring pigeons overhead in the market posed a risk to the public, traders and staff and confirmed that the company was attempting to resolve the issue as part of on-going improvement works to the market.
Mr Owen said discussions were on-going with specialist pest control contractors but would not be drawn on rumours that shooting is one of the methods being considered as a resolution to the problem, instead saying various solutions were being discussed.
Members of the public, the League Against Cruel Sports and the Darlington and Teesside Animal Activists are among those calling for the birds to be treated humanely, not culled.
David Jones, from the Pigeon Control Resource Centre, said that the killing of pigeons would only be considered legal if the property owner – Darlington Borough Council – could demonstrate both that the pigeon-related problems were likely to result in a risk to public health or safety and that “all non-lethal methods of control have been tried and found to have failed.”
Mr Jones said: “As far as the law is concerned, it is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure that any pigeon control works carried out are legal.
“Culling cannot be used simply because pigeons are causing damage to a property through fouling. If this were to be done and all other deterrent methods had not been tried first, it would be the property owner who would be legally liable.”
Darlington man Kevin Bland called on MAM to halt their plans, saying: “MAM cannot undertake any action other than to request the involvement of the building owner.
“As the pigeons have been there many years and have not caused health and safety issues for DBC to act up on in such time, that cannot be demonstrated to now be a problem and further, the non-lethal methods of control have been inadequate in their suitability and installation and also poorly maintained, to the extent that they cannot be considered as “tried and failed” as is the requirements of the legislation.”
A spokesman for DBC said MAM had signed a 100-year lease to operate the market and as such, have responsibility for maintaining it.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
The death of a popular baseball coach may have been the result of an argument about whether residents should feed the birds in Pershing Field, according to court testimony.
Charles Lowy, 68, is charged with murder for allegedly stabbing Anthony Bello, 77, twice in the chest on April 15. Officials say one of the stab wounds pierced the retired teacher’s lung, causing his death.
During a Monday detention hearing that spanned nearly 90 minutes, Deputy Public Defender Joseph Russo argued the stabbing was out of self-defense and Bello was the aggressor in the case. His motion to have Lowy, who suffers from severe spinal stenosis, released pending his trial was rejected by Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale.
Lowy was described by his attorney as “the birdman of Pershing Field.” Every day he would fill a small bag of bird food, walk to the park – which is less than one block from his home – and spread the food in a circle around him for the pigeons to eat.
But something went wrong during an early morning confrontation between the two men.
According to one witness interviewed by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, he saw “two old guys roughing it up on the grass” at about 8 a.m. At one point, Bello had his arm around Lowy’s neck and was yelling for someone to call 9-1-1 because Lowry was carrying a knife.
Russo said, during the hearing, that Bello had previously threatened to file a complaint against Lowy for feeding the birds in the park. Following Bello’s death, his neighbors told The Jersey Journal he hated the park pigeons.
Another apparent witness, who was only identified as a “dog walker” in the park, told a second man interviewed by authorities that the two men were arguing about Lowy feeding the birds. That witness has not given a statement to police.
Those who did provide statements, however, said the suspect had hand tattoos and was wearing a red hoody, blue jeans, and skull rings. A pocket knife was said to be the weapon used in the stabbing.
Assistant Prosecutor Keith Travers said similar clothing and jewelry were found in Lowy’s home when he was arrested. A pocket knife with blood stains was also recovered and testing is being done to confirm it was the blade used in Bello’s killing.
Travers showed pictures of Bello’s hands after he died, pointing that there was no indication he had punched or attacked Lowy first.
Lowy’s attorney described him as a “deeply religious” and “peaceful person” with no criminal record, but DePascale denied a request for release on house arrest.
Russo said he will discuss with Lowy the possibilities of appealing the pretrial detention.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Today, PETA filed a complaint asking the University of Minnesota to investigate Dr. Carol Cardona—the Pomeroy Chair in Avian Health for the College of Veterinary Medicine in St. Paul—for false and profoundly irresponsible statements that she made to Bio Corporation, an Alexandria-based classroom dissection–specimen supplier.
A PETA video exposé showed Bio Corporation workers drowning fully conscious pigeons and injecting live crayfish with chemicals, prompting a police investigation and charges for 25 counts of cruelty to animals. But Cardona—in statements contradicted by American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines and veterinary research—defended the practice of drowning birds, prompting the Alexandria City Attorney’s Office to dismiss all 25 charges. PETA is asking the university to retract these statements and determine whether she violated its Board of Regents’ Code of Conduct.
“On University of Minnesota letterhead, Dr. Cardona wrote in support of drowning pigeons, which causes them a slow, terrifying, and painful death,” says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA is calling on the university to clarify that neither it nor its faculty advocate the use of illegal and cruel means of killing animals.”
Although Bio Corporation is required by federal law to adhere to the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals, which prohibit drowning as “inhumane,”Cardona declared that the company’s practices “should be considered pest control.” Although research shows that it can take 5 to 10 minutes for drowning birds to die from cardiac arrest, she claimed that “death by drowning would be nearly instantaneous. In light of this, I don’t think that this form of inducing death should be classified as animal cruelty.”
PETA has also filed complaints against Cardona with the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine and the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Fanciers have refined their methods over the years, including making birds’ diets more nutritious, applying superior breeding techniques and using technology in training.
Once seen as a hobby of the working class, pigeon racing has gradually managed to climb up the social hierarchy in India. People like doctors, lawyers, businessmen, engineers and lawmakers are becoming involved.
“There was a time in Chennai when pigeon racing was largely associated only with auto-rickshaw drivers and daily wage workers,” said Philips.
Many fanciers, who are mostly men, also involve their families in the sport and share their passion with loved ones. Many enthusiasts inherited the sport from previous generations.
Read more: Existential pigeon film swoops to take Golden Lion
There is little chance to make money with pigeon racing and the sport is a labor of love. Even the cash prizes awarded at the racing events are roughly worth 5,000 Indian rupees (€62), whereas the monthly expenses of about 100 birds would cost more than that.
Surprisingly, there is no rampant gambling or foul play such as the introduction of growth stimulators in birds in the loosely organized sport, barring few instances of malpractices.
In comparison, there have been many cases of violation in sports like horse racing.
One of the major challenges faced by the lovers of pigeon racing sport is the government’s reluctance to formalize the sport, which would foster a regulated system.
Pigeon racer Mohanakrishnan’s bird won the 2017 long-distance race
Mohanakrishnan, an ardent pigeon fancier whose bird won the long-distance race in 2017, is gearing up to send three of his coveted birds on an arduous 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) voyage sometime in the next few days. He rears as many as 150 pigeons at the moment and ends up spending up to 8,000 Indian rupees (€100) monthly.
Explaining his feeding methods, Mohanakrishnan, an engineer who goes by a single name, told DW “I feed corn, groundnut, white corn, varieties of wheat, horse gram, candle millet, finger millet to all the birds regularly. Every morning, I also give oil feeds so as to strengthen the birds allowing them to fly longer distances.”
When asked about the training regime for the birds, he said the preparations begin soon after what is known as the “molting period” – typically between July and September – during which the pigeons shed their feathers for fresh ones. The first month after molting is crucial to make the birds’ wings stronger and hone their skills.
After monitoring flying abilities, Mohanakrishnan said homing pigeons are then made to fly at regular intervals between five and 120 kilometers (three – 75 miles) to boost their capability and sharpen their homing skills.
Over a 15-year lifespan, pigeons are their racing peak for four to five years. After this the best are kept as “stock birds” to strengthen the gene-pool of the next generation.
Mohanakrishnan added that an experienced fancier could determine whether a particular bird is worthy of racing by looking at its eyes, wing patterns, body, feathers and legs, but cautioned there is always a chance of making a mistaken guess.
Birds can also be lost due to several factors both during the training and racing phases – but this risk can be minimized if the fanciers take necessary precautionary measures, added Mohanakrishnan.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
In the southern Indian city of Chennai, the pigeon racing season is reaching its climax. For pigeon keepers – or fanciers as they are known – it is a very important time of year. The wings of thousands of pigeons are routinely tested, the birds are watered and fed nutritious meals at regular intervals and much ground-work is laid for a race taking place in the skies.
Chennai is home to nearly half of India’s 7,000-strong fanciers, making it the “Mecca of pigeon racing.”
Between January and April, fanciers put their pigeons to participate in races of varying lengths ranging from 200 to 1,400 kilometers (120 – 870 miles). The former maximum race length of 1,850 kilometers (1,140 miles) was removed after animal rights groups expressed concern over the health of the birds.
As the race for the final category is set to begin, all eyes are on the upcoming event. The winning birds will be sought after for breeding and the first bird to reach home earns its keeper a prize and the respect of his fellow fanciers.
A close-knit community of fanciers raising pigeons has been breaking many barriers in the last two decades as the sport, a passion for thousands of people in South Asia, gradually emerged from a hobby to a cultural phenomenon.
Pigeon racers prepare their birds with a combination of nutrition and training
More than two dozen clubs have cropped up in recent years providing platforms for the fanciers to exchange knowledge, updates and race against each other.
Pigeon racing, also popular in some parts of Europe, first appeared in the Indian cities Kolkata and Bengaluru in the 1940s and 1970s. In Chennai the sport gained popularity in the 1980s.
The Indian Racing Pigeon Association (IRPA) is the official body that conducts races and is recognized internationally. Several other smaller clubs also organize races on their own.
IRPA’s president, Ivan Philips, told DW that there has been steady growth in interest towards rearing pigeons for sporting purposes in India in the past decade. The number of pigeon fanciers grows between 10 percent and 20 percent every year, he said.
Philips says there are plans to conduct racing events twice a year, divided between younger and older birds.
“We have our own pigeon racing Olympics, which is conducted every two years,” he said.
“The next one is set to take place in Poland next year. We also have a two-day world congress for pigeon fanciers during which we discuss and share the latest developments in the sport from other countries. We decide on the future of pigeon racing in our countries for the next two years during the conference,” said Philips.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
A Brent landlord company has been fined after failing to combat noisy pigeons nesting in one of their rental properties, following complaints that the birds were waking up the tenants.
Landlord company Adilsons Property Limited has received a sizeable fine after their tenants complained about the noisy pigeons. The couple were persistently disturbed by the birds, whose cooing awakened them each morning at 4am. The tenants were awarded £7,638 in compensation after Adilsons Property Limited refused to sort out the issue.
Brent Council investigated the property following a complaint lodged about the pigeon infested loft and also a water leak in the ceiling of the property. Adilsons Property Limited made some repairs but was ordered to pay £31,026 after failing to comply with follow-up notices related to the problems issued by Brent Council.
The trial was held at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on March 20. Adilsons Property Limited of Cricklewood Broadway, Wembley, was found guilty of failing to comply with an improvement notice related to sorting out the pigeons. The company was fined £12,200 and told to pay £5,648 in costs and was also told that they must pay a victim surcharge of £170. The property’s manager, Aamir Sultan was also fined £6,100. The two tenants were awarded £7,638 in compensation for the trouble that they had suffered at the hands of the early birds nesting in their home.
Head of Private Housing Services, Spencer Randolph, spoke out about the local council’s decision to prosecute the rogue landlord. He said: ‘Landlords are expected to maintain the properties that they rent out. Tenants in the private rented sector have a legal right to decent living conditions. We will prosecute landlords and letting agencies that fail to comply with improvement notices. This landlord had plenty of opportunities to carry out the repairs but ignored our requests.’
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Nestled in the heart of Chamarajanagardistrict, Kollegal is a small town that has, more or less, become synonymous with black magic. Such is the reputation of Kollegal that people from neighbouring states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu seek out the Tantriks and Mantravadis in the town, to help solve a broad range of problems. However, visitors to this town are no longer queuing up just outside the doors of the Tantriks. Over the past few years, naati vydyaru (traditional healers) in Kollegal have become famous for the treatment they offer for stroke using pigeons, and what is more, they are making a handsome profit from the trade as well – charging a sum of Rs 10,000 to offer treatment.
Residents point to the ubiquity of posters around the town advertising the healers, and the recovery they can effect using the pigeons, called ‘Lakva parivala (stroke pigeon)’. Since pigeons are not protected by any wildlife protection legislation, these practitioners appear to have no problems in operating openly. Interestingly enough, in keeping with the many beliefs of the town, even these traditional healers offer their services only on some days of a week.
“There are several naati healers who offer treatment for stroke using pigeons. Patients from far-flung places come to Kollegal for treatment, and we give them medicines prepared using the blood and meat of pigeons,” said one of the healers.
Pointing out that his ancestors too were involved in the profession, the healer added, “Both my grandfather and father were well known for the treatment they offered with the pigeons. I am continuing the tradition. I am offering this as a service. I offer treatment free of cost to those who cannot afford to pay for it.”
There are other traditions that the healers abide by as well. “I offer treatment only on Tuesdays and Fridays, after offering puja to the family Goddess. It’s a family tradition,” he added.
Kollegal resident Satish Rao said that a few healers had thousands of pigeons at their disposal. “These naati healers do not belong to any particular caste or religion. The most famous healer for pigeon stroke treatment is a Muslim. They use domestic pigeons, and there is great demand for them,” said Rao.
On the other hand, Chamarajanagar district health officer Dr Prasad sought to roundly refute claims. “The treatment they offer using pigeons will have no medicinal benefits for patients,” Dr Prasad said.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
With the temperature soaring in the city, birds suffering from dehydration have increased and several of them had to be rescued, said bird rescuers in Kalyan-Dombivli.
“Ever since the temperature started rising, I have rescued 15 birds from Kalyan this month. They were dehydrated. We fed them water and food and after some days, released them,” said Mahesh Bankar, a bird rescuer from Kalyan.
Usually the number of birds rescued in a month is around two to three. “We have started keeping water in cans and bowls for birds in several parts of the city,” said Bankar.
A group 70 to 80 bird lovers representing Ecodrive – youngsters group from Kalyan-Dombivli area – have been feeding birds water for the past several years. Recently, they have put up cans filled with water across several parts of the city.
“We have covered around 20 different places in Kalyan. Cans filled with water are kept for the birds. We ask residents living in the area to ensure that the cans are filled with water all the time,” said Bankar, adding that such cans were already stationed in areas like Adharwadi, Annapurna nagar, Rambaug, Ramabai Ambedkar garden in Kalyan (West).
Another bird rescuer Suhas Pawar revealed that he has rescued around 13 birds recently and all of them were dehydrated and ill.
“Some of the birds rescued by me are kites, sparrows, pigeons , the greater coucal, spotted dove, the rose-ringed parakeet and Asian Koel,”said Pawar.
Bird lovers in the city have been appealing to residents to immediately alert them if they find a bird dehydrated.
“We have been receiving several calls from residents saying the birds are found at some spot without any movement,” said Pawar.
A group of youngsters called Swarajya Yuva Pratishthan from Kalyan have taken to social media, asking people to keep bowls full of water in their balconies, terraces, and compound walls daily for the birds.
Apart from this, these youngsters also fill water in mud pots which they claim are damaged or are stolen most of the time.
The group has been using mud pots used for final rites at the cemetery as a shelter for birds. The members of the Pratishthan have made around 500 such shelters for the birds till now.
“We decided to use the mud pots as shelters as they were get wasted after the final rituals. Mud pots are a cool shelter for birds,”said Pawar, who is the founder of the Pratishthan.
During summer, the Wildlife Welfare Association in Thane receives around four to five calls a day for birds rescue in Thane.
“We ask citizens to place water bowls and grains on their windows and balconies. This attracts birds such as sparrows, pigeons and crows. Placing big bowls on terrace and making small artificial ponds will help big birds such as kites and owls,” said Manasi Nathwani, secretary, Wildlife Welfare Association, Thane.
“Most birds die due to lack of water,” said Aditya Patil,23, Wildlife Welfare Association in Thane.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
A Brent landlord who failed to deal with noisy pigeons nesting at one of its properties has been hit with a hefty fine.
A couple disturbed by pigeons whose cooing woke them at 4am every morning were awarded £7,638 in compensation after their landlord failed to deal with the issue.
Brent Council inspected the second-floor flat in Burton Road, Kilburn following a complaint about the pigeon infested loft and a water leak in the property’s ceiling was lodged by tenants in May last year.
Landlord Adilsons Property Limited of made some repairs but was ordered to pay £31,026 after failing to comply with follow-up notices issued by the council.
A trial at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on March 20 found Adilsons Property Limited of Cricklewood Broadway, Wembley, guilty of failing to comply with an improvement notice.
The company was fined £12,200 and ordered to pay £5,648 in costs as well as a victim surcharge of £170.
The property’s manager, Aamir Sultan was also fined £6,100 and the two tenants were awarded £7,638 in compensation.
Spencer Randolph, Head of Private Housing Services, said: “Landlords are expected to maintain the properties that they rent out.
“Tenants in the private rented sector have a legal right to decent living conditions.
“We will prosecute landlords and letting agencies that fail to comply with improvement notices. This landlord had plenty of opportunities to carry out the repairs but ignored our requests.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Dozens of pigeons used that dormant time to grow their families in Paseo’s rafters. They’ve claimed the best seats behind home plate, and they’ve marked them to warn anyone who dares sit there.
“While the crews work on repairing the Paseo Stadium to make it safe, it’s the perfect opportunity to get rid of those birds,” said Jon Cramer, recreation administrator for the Department of Parks and Recreation.
He’s fielded many offers of help from people with small-caliber firearms, slingshots and even darts. He continues to decline each one.
“There will be no projectiles, no shooting, nothing like that. We will simply encourage them to move somewhere else,” said Cramer. “There’s a hollow line that runs down the length of the beam, where the pigeons roost. We’ll fill it with spikes and they won’t want to live there anymore.
“And, hopefully, these birds won’t come back.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
National Geographic has dubbed 2018 the year of the bird.
In its March issue, it focused on such amazing mysteries as the epic journey of the bar-tailed godwit, which flies nonstop 7,150 miles from New Zealand to Alaska during its migration.
Helena writer, Jim Robbins has kept an eye to the sky for years, sharing similar fascinating feathery facts.
An international spotlight has been shining on both him and his book, “The Wonder of Birds: What They Tell Us About Ourselves, the World, and a Better Future.”
The book, published in 2017, recently won the Montana Book Award from the Montana Library Association, which will be presented in April.
This coming week Robbins gives a talk, “Celebrating a Writer’s Journey,” 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, at Lewis & Clark Library.
He will also present a pre-event workshop from 5 to 6 p.m. April 3 at the library, when he will discuss his writing process.
Interestingly, birds have played a role in Robbins’ life since his initial journey West after college.
While searching for a new hometown in the 1970s, Robbins and his wife found a nest of baby birds they fed with an eyedropper — that is until a fateful and fatal intervention by a cat.
Robbins, a science and environmental writer who has written for the New York Times and authored or co-authored five other books, just returned from a trip to Australia earlier this month. He was a featured writer at the Adelaide Writers Festival.
He was also featured in a Planet Talks interview as part of the global festival WOMAD, World of Music and Dance.
And he appeared on several radio shows and twice at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne, which hosts author and artist discussions before large audiences.
During one of these, “Feather Permitting: Jim Robbins on Birds,” interviewer Sean Dooley hailed Robbins’ book as a “wondrous read,” adding that perhaps it could be the spark to help awaken public interest in saving birds and the planet.
To get a sense of the magic and wonder birds bring to our world, one need look no further than Robbins’ account of the humble pigeon.
While some see only the nuisance of pigeon droppings, Robbins sees pigeons “at the heart of what animal geography is all about.” He calls them “the closest soul mate” from the the bird world that humans have.
Their companionship with humans stretches back as far as 10,000 years.
He writes: “There’s an important story behind this tough little streetwalker scrambling for crumbs in the gutter. …These birds learn much the way children do, and their vision and perception are uncanny.
“They can tell the difference in painting style between Monet and Picasso.” They’ve aided the Coast Guard as sentinels to find shipwreck survivors, served as couriers for centuries, and worked for the military carrying messages. One even earned the Croix de Guerre military honor in World War I for saving 194 soldiers.
Perhaps this feathery, rugged urban dweller could awaken in human minds and hearts a personal relationship with nature.
“The love for the urban pigeon…may play a key role in stanching the disappearance of global biodiversity.”
Human lives intertwine with that of birds in strange and wondrous ways.
They alert backyard birders and scientists to the health of the planet.
They have played a powerful role in helping some people heal and transform their lives, such as tough urban youths who discover the wonders of falconry.
And they are offering startling insights into bird consciousness or “megamind,” which could be what brings thousands of birds together in flocks and then take flight to migrate.
“I’m a little uncomfortable being in the spotlight,” admitted Robbins over coffee during an IR interview last week.
But he’s looking forward to his upcoming talk about birds and also his workshop on the writing process.
“Longevity is a key to being successful,” he said of his career, “and pushing through the obstacles. That’s where you learn. I’ve had lots of failures.”
He welcomes the attention his books and writing bring to the mysteries and miracles of the natural world.
Prestigious researchers and publications are praising Robbins’ book.
“A must-read, conveying much necessary information in easily accessible form and awakening one’s consciousness to what might otherwise be taken for granted . . . ‘The Wonder of Birds’ reads like the story of a kid let loose in a candy store and given free rein to sample. That is one of its strengths: the convert’s view gives wide appeal to those who might never have known birds well.” So wrote Bernd Heinrich in The Wall Street Journal.
“Engaging, thoughtful . . . This work is worthy of a place alongside David Attenborough’s documentary ‘The Life of Birds’ or Graeme Gibson’s ‘The Bedside Book of Birds.’ . . . Of wide-ranging significance, this offering will appeal to naturalists, anthropologists, linguists, and even philosophers as well as to lay readers,” wrote the Library Journal.
In an IR interview last year, Robbins said “There’s a lot of undiscovered aspects of birds. The theme of this book is how little we know about all this. There’s so much in the natural world that’s unrecognized…it’s remarkable how little we know about the world.”
He said this theme has actually run throughout all his books.
And it is once again the focus of his new book project that is in the works — but can’t be revealed at this time.
“Every time I write a book, my life is changed somehow,” he said. “One of the things that propels me to write books is that good writing can change people’s perceptions of the world. That’s what I’m trying to do.
“I’ve had people tell me that ‘this book changed my life.’”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Half-eaten dead birds have been dumped in Hucclecote and it is going to cost around £8,000 to clear up the carcasses.
The birds, that have had the edible meat removed, were left in a pile in a ditch adjoining Hucclecote Rugby Club and the A40, with this being the third time in a year dead birds have been dumped in the area.
Highways England will be closing a lane of the A40 in order to clear up the pile of dead animals and Tewkesbury Borough Council want to hear from anyone that has been offered cheap pigeon breasts recently.
Peter Tonge, head of community services at Tewkesbury Borough Council, said: “This seems to be an increasingly occurring issue with three reports over the last twelve months of someone dumping dead birds.
“The birds seem to have had the edible meat removed and we would be interested to hear from anyone who has been approached with a supply of cheap pigeon breasts recently.
“Our environmental health team received the first report in April 2017. Ubico (our waste contractors) secured a road closure to enable environmental health officers to visit the site.
“After finding insufficient evidence for prosecution, Ubico were asked to return with specialist equipment to clear the waste.
“Environmental health became aware of more dumped bird carcasses in November 2017. Officers did the best they could to access the site from the adjoining land owned by a local rugby club but on this occasion, they could not get near the dead birds to search for evidence.”
Council officers have visited the site but were unable to find any evidence to catch the fly-tipper.
Tonge added: “This week, we were made aware of a further fly tip of dead birds. We sent officers to the site who confirmed that there isn’t any evidence to carry out a prosecution.
“We have instructed our contractor to clear the dead birds as soon as possible – this will be dictated by when lane closures are able to happen, but we will ensure it is done.
“It’s unacceptable for someone to dump any rubbish, never mind bird carcasses on public land, particularly when we have recently had road closures in this area to litter pick at a cost to the tax payer of around £8,000.
“Our waste crew and their vehicle can only access this particularly unpleasant fly tip safely by arranging a lane closure on this fast moving road – this obviously takes time and adds considerable expense to the whole operation.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Vast sums have been spent on state-of-the-art infrastructure sparking widespread fears that the host nation will milk the competition for propaganda purposes.
Calls for a boycott and the creation of an alternative event grow in volume.
You could be forgiven for thinking this is a reference to Vladimir Putin’s Russia hosting the World Cup this summer but it was also the situation that prevailed more than 80 years ago in the run-up to the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin – only on that occasion one country had the moral courage to boycott Adolf Hitler’s showcase for fascism and set up its own alternative.
It was a noble endeavour but one that was destined to fail in the most dramatic fashion.
By 1936 the Führer had been in power for three years. Anti-Semitic policies had been introduced that banned Jews from marrying non-Jews and nor were they permitted to be employed as civil servants, practise law or occupy public positions.
They released 25,000 pigeons. They circled overhead and then they shot a cannon and they scared the poop out of the pigeons
An “Aryans-only” policy was instituted at all athletic organisations and only one token Jewish competitor was allowed to join the German Olympic team.
Meanwhile, no expense was spared when it came to preparing for the Games.
Hitler commissioned a new 100,000-seater stadium, six gymnasiums and many smaller arenas and gave his favourite film-maker Leni Riefenstahl what was then a massive budget of £5million to record the event for posterity.
Once it became clear that Berlin would be a propaganda pageant, campaigns to boycott the Games surfaced in the US, Great Britain, France, Sweden, Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands.
But once the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States narrowly voted to participate in December 1935, almost all the other countries fell into line.
Only Spain, which voted in a Left-leaning Popular Front government in February 1936, and the Soviet Union, which refused to participate in the Olympics on ideological grounds until 1952, ended up boycotting Berlin.
Not content with simply withdrawing their athletes from Hitler’s Games, the Spanish decided to attempt to steal the Nazis’ thunder by organising a competition of their own.
Called the Olympiada Popular, or People’s Olympiad, it advertised its liberal credentials via a poster featuring images of three athletes: one white, one black and one mixed race.
The Catalan capital of Barcelona was the ideal city to host the competition as it had already built all of the facilities required for the 1929 International Exposition seven years earlier, including a 56,000-seater stadium.
Spain scheduled its Olympiad for July 22-26, which meant it would end six days before the Nazis’ spectacle got under way.
Given the political character of the Popular Front many of the athletes were sent by trade unions, workers’ clubs and associations, socialist and communist parties and Left-wing groups, rather than by state-sponsored committees.
A UK team was organised by the British Workers’ Sports Association.
In a press release sent out a month before the event, it said: “Arrangements for the British team to compete in the Barcelona Peoples’ Olympiad are fastly [sic] gathering pace; at least 30 participants will travel. Athletes, boxers, cyclists and swimmers are expected to go over, and rowers may possibly be included, along with table-tennis players.”
In the end, a total of 6,000 athletes from 22 nations registered for Barcelona, which brought the start date forward by three days to the 19th to accommodate the surprisingly large turnout.
The largest contingents came from the US, UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Czechoslovakia. There were also some political exiles from Germany and Italy. Even the Soviet Union sent a team.
One of the most high-profile athletes to commit herself to the cause was Canadian high jumper Eva Dawes.
She had won bronze in the Los Angeles Olympics of 1932 and silver at the British Empire Games two years later but refused to go to Berlin.
Dawes, who later married an Englishman and died in St Helens in 2009 at the age of 96, travelled to Europe on the SS Alaunia but never got further than Toulouse in south-west France.
She was about to board a train for Barcelona when the British consul informed her that the Spanish Civil War had broken out.
On the very day the Olympiad was set to begin, the army began its rebellion against the government, athletes woke to the sound of gunfire and the Games were over before they had begun.
An article from the time laments: “It is impossible for us to calculate our sports prowess before the world because the javelin has had to be exchanged for a rifle, the discus for a hand grenade, hurdles for parapets and trenches, foot races for military marches; likewise, our joy has slipped towards suffering, and outside attraction was derailed by horror, tourism by invasion, and light, love and life by gloom, hatred and death.”
However, not everything went smoothly for Hitler’s jamboree either.
One of the more extravagant elements of the opening ceremony involved a massive flock of birds.
US distance runner Louis Zamperini takes up the story: “They released 25,000 pigeons. They circled overhead and then they shot a cannon and they scared the poop out of the pigeons. We had flat straw hats and you could hear the pitter-patter on them. But we felt sorry for the women – they got it in their hair. There was a mass of droppings – it was so funny.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
New York’s self-proclaimed pigeon “vampire” could be back in the city’s parks slurping up bird blood very soon, thanks to a sweatheart plea deal.
Daniel Ventre – who terrified tourists last summer when he bit the heads off two squawkers in Bryant Park to guzzle their blood – agreed to resolve his litany of pending cases Tuesday in exchange for just four months in jail.
Though prosecutors and his defense attorney were previously said to be working on a treatment-based deal, no mental health or drug treatment was was ordered as part of the plea.
Ventre, who’d faced up to a year behind bars for decapitating the pigeons and pouring the blood down his front as he exclaimed, “I’m a vampire, I love to eat and suck the blood out of pigeons. I’m Ozzy O sbo u rne,” most recently ran afowl of the law in January.
A s legend has it the former Black Sabbath frontman Osbourne bit the head off a live dove at a meeting in Los Angeles with record executives.
The wannabe Ozzy Ventre was arrested for threatening suicide by subway third rail, traipsing around the B and D line tracks at the 42 Street/Bryant Park station, carrying a bottle of vodka and wailing about “equality” and “social justice.”
Ventre, who Tuesday copped to charges of animal abuse, trespass, marijuana possession, and petit larceny, has been arrested some 40 times.
In the days before his subway stunt, the bloodsucker claimed on Facebook to have consumed human bodily fluids during a recent stint in the “drunk tank.”
“The cop s brought me to the drunk tank at Bellevue hosp and they tied me down and restrained me after I started biting of f the rubber stoppers off of blood tubes and drinking random peoples blood samples,” Ventre wrote.
“Thankfully nobody had anything I could catch.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
I write in response to your correspondent Chris Higgins, who wrote to you (Letters, March 8) regarding the pigeons in Winchester city centre.
Pigeons can cause problems in city centres and Winchester is no exception. There are a range of measures the city council can employ to deal with the problem, but we are looking to fully understand the extent of the issue before deciding which steps are likely to be the most effective. We are currently identifying specific problem areas and assessing where pigeons are having the greatest impact.
Options to address the issue include cleaning areas where pigeon waste accumulates, pigeon proofing buildings, using of birds of prey, acoustic alarms and traps and providing feeding areas in appropriate locations. It may be that a combination of these actions will provide the best way forward, bearing in mind that we are dealing with an historic town centre which is a conservation area with many listed buildings and scheduled ancient monuments.
Whilst the city council is prepared to address the issue, there is an opportunity here for others who have an interest in our city to help – whether they own a building, run a business or visit the shops. Owners can take appropriate steps to deter pigeons from roosting on their premises, businesses can ensure that they manage their waste properly – particularly where they sell food, and shoppers can avoid feeding birds and dispose of their rubbish responsibly. The situation could improve significantly if we work together.
We are developing a plan to ease the situation, building upon the work we have already been carrying out in relation to commercial waste storage in the city centre. However, we are keen to encourage others to support these measures to help ensure they are effective.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Rene Hoppenbrouwers is Director of the Stichting Restauratie Atelier, Limburg (SRAL), Maastricht, the Netherlands, which specialises in conservation and restoration of paintings. SRAL also does research, consultancy, and education programmes. Mr. Hoppenbrouwers, who is in the city for a workshop on ‘Preventive conservation for museums’ , spoke about the Napier Museum, conservation of museums, and what lies ahead. Edited excerpts from the interview
Tell us about your impressions of the Napier Museum
It is a beautiful historic building. It is interesting that it was built as a museum, as a lot of museums are located in buildings that were intended for other purposes. And nearly 150 years later, it is still functioning as a museum.
I hope when they focus on renovation of the structure, the old vitrines (glass display cases) and cabinets inside are respected and they don’t put new vitrines in, as it will clash with the historicity of the building.
What are your observations about the object display?
It is nice that in some showcases, they have LED lights which do not emit UV rays or have temperature problems, but some vitrines have old fluorescent tubes which need to go. That is easily addressed.
As the museum is in a park, the vitrines offer extra protection to the objects against the natural environment. Then there is the pollution and monsoon. So it is good that most of the things are behind glass and protected.
Any concerns?
The pigeons flying around. They probably come through open spaces in the roof. Pigeon dropping may cause corrosion of objects. This needs to be seen in the context of affordable and long-term solutions for object display. So if one wants ventilation, a gauze can be put in front so that big insects, pigeons, or bats can be kept out.
Tell us about the Indian Conservation Fellowship Programme
At a conference of the International Council of Museums – Committee for Conservation in New Delhi, I suggested exchange programmes and those for teaching, as India has a rich wealth of culture and ideas. Nine institutions agreed, and over time, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, New York, came on board. Eighteen fellowships were provided to people across India during the pilot project of two years.
And now, it has been extended up to 2021, to provide 45 fellowships, and also exchange exhibitions between the Metropolitan Museum and India.
The fellowship will cover people from national museums and from INTACH chapters. The idea was that the conservators could go back and transfer their knowledge and experience to other people in India.
Can you shed light on the conservation workshop here
Besides the exchange programme, we wanted to conduct courses on preventive conservation for larger groups of people at least once a year. We have held two workshops in Delhi and Kolkata, but wanted to reach out to south India and the east too so that people from different regions benefit. This is a form of capacity building for museum managers and museologists.
Your takeaway from the workshops
Young people have the drive and want to go forward with heritage conservations. They are very clever and eager to pick up information.
It is also important that we don’t impose regulations and rules, as we learn as much here as the other way round. And I take these home and try and put them in practice there. It is both give and take.
In your presentation, you spoke about inadequate museum storage, even in the Netherlands
Museums mostly focus on displays and exhibitions as they need more people to come in and need private funding as the governments do not provide enough money. So they don’t concentrate on storage.
One solution could be regional centres where museums without good storage space store all their objects that are not on display. There could be a small restoration laboratory alongside. Such collection centres are there in the Netherlands and Singapore.
These could be open to the public too so that they can see what the conservators do.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
In response to Alan Elders article regarding people feeding the birds in the town centre, he is correct in saying its is classed as “littering”. As such you can, if caught be fined for the offence and may get a criminal record/conviction.
I often see people feeding the pigeons opposite Aldi on the waste ground, not with a mere few crumbs, but with carrier bags full of feed and bread! As Neighbourhood Wardens patrol these areas it`s only a matter of time before more people will be caught, so please be WARNED!
YOU WILL be prosecuted for littering.
Many people do not realise what sort of diseases these birds leave behind in their droppings; Histoplasmosis is a respiratory disease that can be fatal, Candidiasis is a yeast fungus spread by pigeons, then there is Ecoli infection which is one of the common infections caused by an enteric bacteria carried in fecal matter.
This is just to mention a few that can be caught and transmitted from bird droppings, so with people feeding these birds in our town centres not only is it a offence to do so, but you are probably, without knowing, spreading diseases.
PLEASE STOP FEEDING THESE BIRDS NOW!
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
