by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 13, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
The Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica in downtown Ho Chi Minh City is well known not only for its French architecture and beautiful grounds but also for hundreds of friendly pigeons there.
The birds are friendly enough for tourists and locals to feed them right out of their hands.
They usually play on the sidewalk, perch on the roof of the church or nearby buildings, and gather every time someone feeds them beans.
Many couples choose this destination for their wedding shots, as the pigeons often become a special feature that makes their photos unique.
Established by French colonialists, the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica was constructed between 1863 and 1880.
It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters.
Hundreds of friendly pigeons often wander around the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica in Ho Chi Minh City, and gather every time someone feeds them. Photo: Tuoi Tre
A student feeds pigeons at the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre
Besides pigeons, finches also gather to eat food from locals and tourists at the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 12, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
A pensioner’s determination to feed the birds in her garden has made life a misery for neighbours, a court was told.
Each morning flocks of pigeons, jackdaws and seagulls descend on Brenda Hawkins’ lawn and wall when she puts out her seed mixture and other food.
The birds’ droppings soil her neighbours’ washing hanging on the lines, their cars are continually splattered and they feel threatened by “divebombing” birds.
“There are sometimes 80-100 large birds, mainly pigeons and the noise of the jackdaws is horrendous,” said Linda Jones, anti-social behaviour officer with Conwy County Borough Council.
Speaking at Llandudno magistrates’ court on Saturday, she said that 74-year-old Hawkins had refused to accept advice about merely using a bird feeder which would be inaccessible to larger birds.
Hawkins, of Brookfield Drive, Rhos-on-Sea, pleaded not guilty to comply with a Community Protection Notice (CPN) served on her in June, a step which was taken after previous attempts to persuade her to reduce the nuisance had failed.
Prosecutor Julia Longworth said that CPNs were introduced last year to deal with conduct considered detrimental to the quality of life through unreasonable behaviour.
‘My conscience is clear’
Linda Jones said she became aware of the problem in May 2014, and Hawkins was written to in July of that year, but she continued to feed the birds.
She ignored advice and when told in April this year she could face legal action Hawkins replied: “I’ll go to jail first.”
Diane Fredman, whose garden in Cambrian Drive backs onto the Hawkins’ garden, said she moved into the area six years ago to enjoy retirement.
“We have not been able to do so because of the number of birds,” she said.
Asked if the situation had improved since the CPN was served on Hawkins in June, she replied: “They are still there every day, the same volume and mess. It is very stressful.”
Hawkins said: “I think pigeons are wonderful birds and they don’t make a mess. They cannot defecate when they are flying.
“I know what I am doing; my conscience is clear.”
The Bench found Hawkins guilty and chairman Sandra Ogden-Jones told her: “You have not taken any reasonable steps to comply with the notice and your actions are causing distress to others.”
Hawkins was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs of £409, a criminal court charge of £520 and a surcharge of £20.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 11, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
Dear Porky,
My two cats, George, age 7, and Elaine, age 2, mostly get along great.
I adopted Elaine a year ago to keep George company.
But every once in a while, for reasons that are not at all obvious to me, they will start hissing at each other, sometimes swatting, and then stalk away in a huff.
They haven’t hurt each other yet, but it worries me. What should I do?
Sally
Dear Sally,
Just maybe they’re getting cranky because you ignore them while you watch endless reruns on the TV.
Just sayin’.
No seriously, cats have occasional disagreements.
They can be, you know, “catty.”
Their behavior may include hissing, spitting, swatting or chasing. If cats occasionally hiss and swat and don’t cause injury, or if they take turns doing the chasing, not to worry.
Play aggression is not a cause for alarm.
But major altercations can become serious and should not be tolerated.
Howling, yowling, flattened ears, dilated pupils, raised hackles, arched back and puffy hair are indications that a battle is on the horizon; so, you need to intervene before they get to that stage.
Staring at each other with a twitching tail is an early warning sign.
Cat-to-cat aggression is one of the major behavior problems experienced by cat owners.
If cats have unresolved issues with one another, they may injure each other, spray your house to mark territory, become lethargic, hide, refuse to eat and subsequently lose weight, experience stress and fear and even become sick.
It doesn’t sound like you have a serious problem yet, but there are steps you can take to minimize the chances that it will become serious.
Basically, you can create an environment that promotes harmony between George and Elaine rather than one in which they have to compete for resources.
Provide more than one litter box in more than one location, and let them decide for themselves which to use.
Providing a food dish for each cat or feeding stations at multiple locations can help reduce competition for food.
Multi-level cat trees or shelves make use of vertical space within the home and give cats optional places to hang out.
The more opportunity for cats to have their own spots, the better.
And it goes without saying that your cats should be neutered.
They have enough things to argue with each other about without adding sex to the mix.
If George and Elaine begin what appears to be a serious fight, interrupt them.
Make an obnoxious loud noise by shaking a jar of pennies, snapping your fingers, or clapping your hands.
If that doesn’t work, blast them with a stream of water or throw a blanket over them.
Once they stop fighting, separate them and reintroduce them gradually, even if they have lived together for some time.
Make sure they are settled before putting them together again.
Never ever try to separate fighting cats with your hands! It could result in injury to your hands, face or other parts of your body.
If you are bitten by a cat seek medical attention right away as cat bites are unusually infectious.
The Oswego County Humane Society provides spay/neuter services and assistance, fostering and adoption of animals in urgent need, humane education programs, and information and referrals to animal lovers throughout Oswego County.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 10, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
A pigeon which caused a flap at the Sainsbury’s supermarket in Bishop’s Stortford town centre by taking up residence for several days has left.
Shopper Mick Sleeman was surprised to see the bird in the rafters of the Jackson Square store and droppings on the floor by the delicatessen counter on Monday evening (Oct 19).
“I saw seven or eight Sainsbury’s workers and they were all looking up,” he said. “I looked up and saw what I think is a wood pigeon on one of the rafters. I spoke to someone there and they said it had been there for about three days. There were a lot of droppings on the floor in front of the deli counter.”
On Tuesday, the branch duty manager referred the Herts & Essex Observer to the Sainsbury’s press office, but said: “We have got a pigeon. [It’s] not taken up residence. At the moment our pest control team are dealing with the issue.”
A Sainsbury’s media spokeswoman said the same day: “We are taking the appropriate action to safely remove the pigeon.”
Today (Wednesday), another spokeswoman said: “The pigeon was safely caught and released within 24 hours, and it’s now business as usual at Bishop’s Stortford.”
On the Observer’s Facebook page, Chris Murdoch posted: “There were pigeons in there this time last year. I told Sainsbury’s about it but they didn’t seem particularly bothered.”
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 9, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
A PIGEON infestation at Cunupia High School has forced teachers to seek refuge in the school’s library.
Additionally, the school is also faced with another problem of stray dogs living on the compound and sleeping in classrooms.
Teachers who reported for duty yesterday decided to suspend classes and operate from the library as most of the classrooms were covered with pigeon droppings while in some areas, the birds were living under desks in classrooms.
Sources at the school told Newsday that the stray dog population increased during the recent August vacation with several puppies playing in the yard. Students have in the past complained about being bitten by ticks and fleas. Shortly after 9 am, teachers took a decision not to operate under these conditions and informed school principal Noreen Rajkumar about their decision.
The teachers also informed the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) and the PTA about their decision to abandon classes. TTUTA has promised to send a representative today to assess the situation. After taking roll call, the teachers left their respective classes and headed for the library. Teachers also claimed that equipment purchased for use by students are missing.
Equipment include power saws, compressors and other pieces of equipment valued thousands of dollars. Teachers pointed out that even the timetable for students for the various forms were not provided until Tuesday and when students checked the timetables given to them, it clashed with other classes and now the timetables have to be redone. They added that parents of students attending classes have been seeking transfers because of the numerous problems. They are calling on the new Minister of Education (Arima MP Anthony Garcia is tipped for this post) to intervene.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 8, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
Restrictions in other cities have caused an increase in the trapping of wild birds in Pittsburgh so they can be sold for pigeon shoots in eastern and central Pennsylvania.
To counter this, Pittsburgh City Council advanced a bill Wednesday that would ban the trapping of wild birds in the city.
Councilwoman Darlene Harris, who introduced the legislation last week, said during the council’s Standing Committee meeting that her office has fielded an increasing number of complaints about pigeons being trapped in the city for shoots at gun clubs in eastern and central Pennsylvania.
“These pigeons are sold to gun clubs, held in inhumane conditions, thrown in the air and shot for sport,” she said.
The ordinance is headed for final approval Tuesday, though likely with some amended language to avoid impeding the city Animal Care and Control Bureau’s ability to trap pigeons if necessary.
Rebecca Reid, a wildlife advocate with Humane Options Pittsburgh, which promotes non-lethal means of dealing with urban wildlife, called the shoots “quite a horrifying spectacle.” She said the trapped birds, sold by “pigeon brokers,” are often crammed into cages and “stockpiled” for days at a time before shoots while exposed to the elements.
Trappers get about $5 per pigeon and have been spotted Downtown and in the Strip District in large vans with cages on top, she said. The shoots themselves can kill thousands of birds depending on how long they last.
Mary Kennedy Withrow, shelter director and director of government affairs for the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society, said bans on trapping pigeons in New York and Philadelphia have pushed the practice to Pittsburgh.
Attempts to ban pigeon shoots at the state level have failed for more than two decades, said Heidi Prescott, senior vice president of campaigns for the Humane Society of the United States.
“There is an underground trade in pigeons for live pigeon shoots and there have been an increase in complaints of pigeon trapping in both Pittsburgh and New York,” she said. “This ordinance will certainly help stem the flow of pigeons for the shoots.”
Ms. Prescott has been lobbying against pigeon shoots in Harrisburg since 1993 and last year succeeded in getting a bill through the Senate only to have it languish in the house, where Rep. Mike Turzai, R-Marshall, then House majority leader and now speaker of the House, blocked it from coming to a vote. It has been introduced again this year.
Most states have either banned pigeon shoots outright or through the interpretation of animal cruelty laws, she noted.
The chief opponent of a pigeon-shoot ban has been the National Rifle Association, which called it “misguided” last year.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 7, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, UltraSonic Bird Control
Bungling council workers put up netting to stop bird poo falling on pedestrians but ended up trapping pigeons above a pavement.
A team working for Edinburgh Council installed the net following complaints that the birds were relieving themselves on those walking underneath a bridge.
But, despite an elaborate system to allow the birds to escape the netting, it soon emerged that pigeons were trapped inside and, in the words of one resident, were ‘slowly starving to death’.
Pigeons have been trapped inside a net which was supposed to stop them defecating on pedestrians below
The council have said netting included special pigeon ‘hatches’ which were supposed to let the trapped birds out but prevent free birds getting in.
But residents in the city say the ‘imprisoned’ pigeons appear to be struggling with the hatch arrangement and have complained to the council that the birds are slowly starving to death.
A video posted online shows trapped birds frantically flapping about under the bridge in the Portobello area of the Scottish capital.
Alex Allan, who filmed the clip, tweeted: ‘Thanks for fixing the bridge but you’ve condemned 20-plus pigeons to a horrible death.’
Mr Allan added: ‘Also they are nesting so there are lots of chicks in there too, slowly starving to death.’
The netting was put up last week following complaints that the birds were relieving themselves on pedestrians.
Local residents near the bridge in Edinburgh are angry that the problem will continue and the birds will die
Workers failed to scare off many of the pigeons before installing the netting but carried on regardless.
An internal council email, believed to have been sent from an official to a councillor, states: ‘I suspect they were actually caged in. To me this smacks of poor workmanship or is it acceptable?
‘The pigeons are still flying about inside this morning and I assume will until they die and rot/decompose away. So the pigeon poo will persist for a while longer.’
Andy Matheson, Area Roads Manager for Edinburgh Council said as many as 200 pigeons were moved on from the bridge.
He said the trapped birds could take two-three weeks to escape using the ‘outlet’.
He added: ‘If the numbers of pigeons don’t appear to drop….a section of netting may have to be removed temporarily in order to release them.’
A spokewoman for RSPB said: ‘Pigeons aren’t everyone’s favorite bird but we still need to make sure they are safe and get rescued.’
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 6, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
Q: My elderly, disabled mom owns and lives in a old two-story house in downtown Hutchinson. It is infested with pigeons.Throughout the past years I’ve worked hard to get rid of them, but nothing has worked. Twice, I’ve rented a long ladder and climbed to heights that no one should go without a safety harness in order to try and rid her house of these rodents. The roof is complex and has over 20 roof supports for the eves. I’ve tried every nonlethal approach to deter them: sticky glue, fake owls, nail beds, and blocking their access to perches with wood barriers. I’ve considered hiring a contractor to make alterations to the house, but I don’t know if that would help. I’ve researched this subject for years and I have not found an answer, other than having plenty of hawks around to eat them. Dillon’s grocery store has metal cups spinning on their roofs in an attempt to deter pigeons. According to the store manager they don’t work. I am to the point where I would consider using poison to kill the pigeons. I don’t think that poisoning them would stop other pigeons from nesting. We need help. Is there anyone who can help us?
First of all, I think you are a very good daughter. But, please be safe in your effort to rid your mother’s home of pigeons.
I spoke with Jeff Wells at Advance Pest Control. He says as frustrated as you may feel, poison is not the option. There is a product called Avitrol to get rid of pest-like pigeons. But, it causes them fall from the sky and frighten people. Instead rethink those methods you mentioned. Wells said they should work if properly installed.
For example spikes should work if properly deployed. However, Wells said a lot of times people leave too big a gap between spikes so that they won’t work.
There is an all-natural grape extract product that has been a success at repelling pigeons at Gowans stadium. If you have walked around the area you might have noticed the smell of grapes. Though it hasn’t completely eliminated the problem, it has made a difference.
“At night there will be hundreds of pigeons on the roof of the Cosmosphere while over at Gowans there will be three,” Wells said.
Wells said the product works, but costs $160 a gallon for the grape scent, plus it’s necessary to have a special machine to disperse the spray, which isn’t cheap.
“It’s high rent, but it works,” said Wells.
Wells says your best bet is to hire a contractor to eliminate the roosting sight. Then use Pignx bio-repellent or spikes and make sure they are spaced correctly. Forget owl decoys, he says, they only work if they are moved daily so birds think the owls are real.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 5, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
Avian experts object to proposal for pigeon birth control, say a study needs to be done first.
Taking a cue from the Spanish town of Badia del Valles which is feeding its burgeoning population of pigeons with birth control pills, the Shiv Sena wants BMC to bring down the city’s pigeon numbers in a similar fashion.
According to reports, the Catalan town of will use three automatic dispensers to scatter the required dosage to the pigeon population every morning. Each pigeon will be fed 10 gm of Ovistop, a product made of corn seeds covered in Nicarbazin, which acts as a contraceptive for the birds.
If Sena corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar has his way, pigeons in Mumbai may be put on birth control too. The birds are often regarded as ‘flying vermin’. In his notice of motion, Ghosalkar has claimed the pigeon population is posing a serious health hazard. A pair of pigeons can produce as many as 48 offspring each year.
In April 2014, Mumbai Mirror had reported on how pigeons have rapidly multiplied in the city, and their droppings are leading to respiratory problems in citizens.
The report mentioned how a Mulund homemaker spent Rs 15,000 to cover her apartment windows with netting to block pigeons that had become a health hazard, dropping a huge quantity of ‘infection-spreading’ excrement on windowsills, but even that did not solve the problem. A well-fed pigeon on an average dispenses up to 11.5 kg of droppings a year, the report had said.
Though there have been no studies conducted on Mumbai’s pigeons, the bird, once restricted to a few city areas, have now become almost omnipresent. Ghosalkar has also said in his proposal that many citizens have complained to him.
Incidences of respiratory problems among people, especially those living near the kabootarkhanas, have registered an increase. In fact, there was a move by locals in Ghatkophar a couple of years ago to relocate the kabootarkhana, but it was opposed by bird lovers and even local politicians.
Even before the proposal comes up for debate in the civic body, it has started receiving objections. Sunish Subramanian, secretary, Plants and Animal Welfare Society (Mumbai) said there is no scientific study to prove pigeons in the city are causing respiratory problems in citisens. “Such proposals will send out wrong signals in society,” 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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 4, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
Pune railway has forbidden citizens from feeding pigeons at the kabutarkhana, as its excreta is harming the heritage building
It would not be hyperbolic to term them a killer flock — heritage conservationists and experts across the nation have documented how pigeon excreta has destroyed precious art and the challenge they face in the clean-up process. Closer home, the birds have unleashed havoc among passengers as well as staff at Pune Railway Station, provoking the authorities to put up a warning sign near the popular kabutarkhana and Mahatma Gandhi statue, barring citizens from feeding the pigeons, as it leads to an insurmountable task for the authorities to clean up the excreta.
“The pigeon population around the railway station’s premises has multiplied in recent times, thanks to people flocking here to dole out morsels of food. Their presence is affecting the heritage structure of the railway station. Its roof, the rooms inside and the passages have become very unclean. A few days ago, they had also invaded the VIP lounge and dormitories, leading to a rush of complaints from passengers,” said Sunil Kamthan, station manager at Pune Railway Station. He went on to say that the premises have to be mopped at least six times daily because of this invasion, and that even after, a strong stench lingers along the corridors. “We spent more than a lakh cleaning the roof and shelves of the building,” added Kamthan.
Since simply propping up a warning sign is not known to dissuade people from doing as they please, officers at the station have taken it upon themselves to walk up to the erring citizen to urge them to halt the act. “We have not imposed any fine for feeding the birds yet, but if this persists despite the warning, we will be forced to mandate punitive action,” said Kamthan.
Paresh Jagtap, a passenger, has welcomed the railway’s move, although he finds the flight of pigeons a pleasant sight on the premises. “The warning is legit, but they should continue in their efforts to keep the station premises clean,” said Jagtap. Vivek Bunthambe, a member of the cleaning staff at the railway station, said, “We have cleaned the entire building several times in one year, particularly the upper roof, and yet there is excreta all over the building. The passengers complain about the foul odour that the pigeons leave behind.”
Pigeon excreta is known to stain the surface of abuilding, gradually setting in the process of corrosion. “We generally water jet an unclean surface before restoration. The water is laced with lemon or cinnamon, but even this does not work on pigeon droppings and we have to use caustic chemicals for such spots. Besides this, the bacteria from the droppings attract termites, especially on limestone. And when such termites establish a colony, rats are attracted to feed on them, which establishes a cycle,” said V M Sharma, a civil engineer and contractor who has worked on the restoration of various Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) projects, as well as the restoration of the Red Fort, in New Delhi.
Mumbai-based conservation architect, Abha Narain Lambah, who has worked on the Victoria Memorial, Kolkata and the Tata Palace, Mumbai, where the Deutsche Bank is housed, called attention to the strong acids in the excreta that affect oft stones such as limestone and marble. “It corrodes the surface, discolouring it; at times, even small pits appear on the surface,” said Lambah.
Tejas Garge, an archaeologist from Central Archeological Survey of India, said the phosphorous in the pigeon excreta is known to damage monuments, and hence, too many pigeons around heritage structures can be harmful. “When pigeon excreta lodges inside intricate designs, they are ruined forever. The only thing that remains is stone. It affects the plastering, damaging the structure, as in the case of the Ajanta and Ellora caves. After a rigorous study on the damages, bird proof nets have been put up at these places,” said Garge.
Pigeon excreta corrodes the surface, discolouring it. In some cases, small pits are known to appear on the surface
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 3, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
Weathered residents of Cherryville are mucking up Main Street, and city leaders are looking to curb the problem.
The solution is in the feed.
City Council members recently discussed giving birth control to pigeons.
“Within a year, the pigeon population is diminished through attrition,” Cherryville City Manager Ben Blackburn said.
There are two groups of pigeons living along Main Street, Cherryville Mayor H.L. Beam said.
The birds leave droppings on the sidewalk, cause an odor and destroy property, he said.
The city’s historical museum had significant damage when pigeons came in through a broken window and started to roost, he said.
Beam has worked along Main Street for decades. He remembers one business owner arming himself to take care of the pigeon population years ago.
Beam remembers working late one night and hearing, “Pow, pow, pow.” A fellow businessman tried to eliminate the birds by shooting them, Beam said.
Someone else used poison, but watching birds die on the sidewalks wasn’t something people wanted to see, Beam said.
Blackburn said the city once looked to owls to eliminate the pigeons, but that didn’t work either.
Council members discussed the special bird food during a work session this week.
If the plan is approved at the next council meeting, two bird feeders will be placed on either side of Main Street.
The initial setup will cost about $5,000.
Food would cost about $2,000 each year after.
Within three to five years, the pigeons should be gone from Cherryville, Beam said.
The idea of pigeon elimination came from the city’s Small Town Main Street program.
Through the state initiative, the city has been making improvements to revitalize the downtown area.
Façade grants have been offered. Murals are being restored, and outdoor furniture is being installed.
Some might say pigeons are part of an urban landscape. Beam says they’re a nuisance, and they are residents he wouldn’t mind seeing leave Cherryville.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 2, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting
A PLYMOUTH man says his day was ruined when an army of more than 100 seagulls and pigeons suddenly swarmed on his car and started pooing all over it.
Arnold Barnes said he was enjoying a visit to Devils Point with his wife when the incident happened.
Mr Barnes, from Crownhill, blames two women who brought carrier bags full of food to feed the hungry birds.
He said “at least 100 seagulls and pigeons” immediately flocked to the shoreline and pooed on cars so badly that some motorists sped off to avoid them.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 1, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
WHITBY — Columnist Margaret Carney. July 18, 2012
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Residents of a Queens neighborhood said they’ve had enough of the pigeon problem that’s left their street a disgusting mess, but they don’t know who to ask for help.
As CBS2’s Steve Langford reported, residents turned to CBS2’s Facebook Page, saying the pigeons have taken over a house with droppings covering the sidewalk, forcing people to walk on the street, and stinking up the neighborhood.
“This looks like another episode of the Birds, Alfred Hitchcock, it’s kind of scary,” one resident said.
The scene on Parsons Boulevard in Flushing evoked comparisons to a horror movie from a half century ago, and other foul concerns.
“I had the unfortunate experience of being hit by a couple of them,” Mirana Zuger said.
Neighbors complained that pigeons have been crowding the power line in front of one home every day.
One woman did wax philosophical about the birds.
“I think every living being has a right to live,” she said.
But do they have to live here? Some locals asked.
“This thing is disgusting cause it smells especially when it gets very hot, humid, smells,” Louis Sarmiento said.
The sidewalk has practically been repaved with pigeon droppings. Complaints to the occupant have not gone well a neighbor said.
“They called the police, they called the police,” she said.
CBS2 left for a few minutes and returned to find that someone had dumped a bunch of rice on the sidewalk.
“No, have you seen me feeding the pigeons?,” she said.
As for the pigeon droppings all over the sidewalk, the resident said it’s the city’s responsibility to clean it up.
When asked why the pigeons where there, she had a beaut of a response.
“Ask the pigeons.”
Some neighbors said it’s her horror film, or comedy.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 29, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
CHILLICOTHE – A downtown building owner has reached out to city officials in hopes they will take action to deal with pigeons in the area, although one city councilwoman says the issue appears to be one that won’t be solved anytime soon.
Cam Shipley, who owns the structure known as the Warner Hotel that spans from 27-37 N. Paint St., approached city officials earlier this week about his concerns about pigeons in the area. He said he wants an ordinance drafted because he isn’t permitted to kill the birds and referred to them as being “a real health issue.”
Shipley said he has tried to deter pigeons through various means, including noisemakers, chemicals being sprayed and plastic owls being displayed. Shipley addressed a city committee on Monday about the issue.
“The fact that they’re even talking about it is interesting because you’re going to find that there are animal activists that say, ‘No, you shouldn’t kill anything’ and I agree, I agree with it, but they don’t have the problems we have and they don’t have the serious health issues from the droppings that are all over the building all over town,” Shipley said.
Currently, Shipley has a net above his building to deter the birds and believes once the Carlisle Building opens for business later this fall, pigeons will be a problem there as well. Shipley is also considering an electrical deterrent on the building, adding that he is looking at other alternatives in the meantime and hopes the city will take some action on the matter in the next year or two.
Still, he stressed that he thinks downtown Chillicothe has a bright future ahead of itself and thinks pigeons continue to be an issue until some solution is found to control them. Bob Etling, who owns a building located on West Second Street, is in favor of controlling pigeons and suggested having a few hawks in the downtown area to get rid of them.
“That’s the natural solution,” Etling said.
But City Councilwoman Beth Neal said she thinks the pigeon issue won’t go away anytime soon.
She said officials will explore what has worked in other locations to deal with pigeons, but stressed that it appears there isn’t much the city can do in the meantime.
“It’s an ongoing problem that will never be solved and all we can do is try to find a humane way to control the pigeons, to make sure we’re not doing anything to encourage them to roost there,” Neal said. “Our goal is to see how we can help downtown building owners. It’s not a problem we’re going to resolve.”
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 28, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, UltraSonic Bird Control
The GAA has introduced a new form of Hawk-Eye at Croke Park in a bid to keep pigeons away.
Gus, a two-year-old harris hawk, has been brought in to ward off the birds after flocks invaded the pitch during recent hurling and football matches.
“I haven’t had a serious conversation about it,” Peter McKenna, Croke Park’s stadium director, said. “Everyone seems to think it’s very funny that the GAA is hiring a bird,
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 27, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, UltraSonic Bird Control
A 70-year-old East Devon woman has been slapped with an ASBO banning her from feeding seagulls and all other birds in her home town.
Rose Rodell had been in the habit of feeding a variety of birds at her local park and cemetery, among them gulls, pigeons and doves.
But the local council gained an order to stop her after complaints from some residents in Sidmouth..
She has even been threatened with eviction from her council home if she continues – but has launched a legal bid to get the order overturned in court.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 26, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
WHITBY — Columnist Margaret Carney. July 18, 2012
It’s estimated there are 50,000 feral and unowned cats across Northwest Arkansas, according to the Northwest Arkansas Community Cat Project. They say that number is growing rapidly, so they’re joining forces with other local organizations to control the wild animals.
Mary Bartholomew says several feral cats have lived on her property in Prairie Grove for years.
“I regularly feed them,” Mary Bartholomew said. “They were really just starting to produce at multiple rates and it was getting to be way too many .”
She hopes she found a solution. The Northwest Arkansas Community Cat Project teamed up with the Friends of Prairie Grove Pound on Monday.
“It was literally a trap, neuter and return, so we have managed colonies and we don’t keep having the overabundance of litters every season,” Lesa Bement, Founder, Friends of Prairie Grove Pound said.
The organizations spayed and neutered almost 50 cats through a mobile vet clinic at the Prairie Grove Fire Department.
“So that’s 120, maybe 200 kittens that won’t be born this year, just this year. Not to say the kittens that those kittens would have next year,” Marcia Donley with the NWA Community Cat Project said.
Donley says feral cats are unsocialized, and most likely can never be tamed into a house pet.
“A truly feral cat, I liken it to a raccoon or a squirrel,” Donley explained.
Feral cats can serve a purpose. Often times living in barns and killing off unwanted field mice populations.
“When we first moved here we had a mouse problem in the house. They would come into the house somehow, and once the cats came around we have not had problems with snakes in the area or mice,” Bartholomew said.
For people like Mary, fixing feral cats means preventing overpopulation and euthanasia.
“I just think for the good of society and the good of the cat,” Bartholomew 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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 25, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
A crackdown on cats suggested by some Dunedin city councillors could be scratched due to legal concerns.
The prospect was raised at yesterday’s planning and environment committee as councillors debated two new draft bylaws designed to update rules for controlling dogs and other animals in Dunedin.
The two documents – one covering dog control, and the second other animals and birds – were to be released for public consultation once endorsed by councillors.
Complainants as vexatious as dogs?
But Cr Kate Wilson took exception to their contents yesterday, questioning why the documents sent a ”really clear message” about controlling dogs while overlooking cats.
Cats were the only animals allowed to roam beyond their owner’s property boundary, without rules set by council for controlling them, she said.
That was despite views previously expressed by groups like Save the Otago Peninsula (Stop) about the need to control domestic cats, perhaps even by neutering them, she said.
”I believe there’s a willingness in public to test that, or at least have that discussion,” she said.
She questioned why draft rules covered protecting wildlife from dogs, but not cats.
Council animal control team leader Ros MacGill told yesterday’s meeting she would need legal advice on any move to apply such rules to cats in future.
But despite that, consultation material to be released to the public included three options to manage cat problems.
The options ranged from no change to introducing new restrictions, including a requirement that cats be neutered, kept indoors at night or even banned in some areas.
However, council staff proposed only to limit cat numbers in cases where there were problems and voluntary action failed.
Cr MacTavish said two of the options appeared ”fairly limited”, while the third was ”fairly restrictive”.
She wondered if the council had considered registering and microchipping cats, as was already required for non-working dogs, instead.
Ms MacGill said she would also have to seek legal advice on that idea, as it was her understanding such rules had to be set nationally.
Council staff indicated legal advice could be considered during the consultation process, but Cr Wilson said she would not vote to begin that process until legal issues were considered.
Mayor Dave Cull also worried about releasing documents without first understanding their legal implications.
”It may be delayed . . . but one of the lessons we have had in other areas is, get it right the first time,” he said.
Councillors voted to leave action on the draft bylaws until legal advice was considered.
The draft bylaws also sought to update a host of other rules, including relaxing one to allow dogs on leads to be walked at the St Clair Esplanade, Ms MacGill said.
The rules would also address other key issues, including ongoing problems with dog fouling on sports fields and dog attacks on wildlife, plus improving access to dog-exercising areas, she said.
The proposals were not yet set in stone, and public consultation would guide the final shape of the bylaws, she said.
”It’s not a decision we have made. We want to make that very clear.”
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 24, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
PIGEONS IN ST JAMES PARK TODAY
. REXMAILPIX.
It’s time to take a leaf out of Spain’s book, as complex lung ailments are being reported by city pulmonologists, thanks to a rise in pigeon population
A bird census carried out three years ago by citybased NGO Ecological Society had pegged the number of Rock Pigeons at 13,271 all over Pune. The population has increased since, with its impact felt on the health of citizens over this period of time. Today, pulmonologists in Pune are known to attend to three to four patients each week with lung ailments caused by pigeon droppings — a rarity just three years ago.
Forty-one-year-old Mohan Sonkamble (name changed to protect identity), who used to run a laundry, had to give up his favourite hobby of feeding pigeons. It’s tending to the same flock that has had him bed-ridden with acute and subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis. He is presently on ventilator. “He has loved pigeons since he was a child and now the feathers and droppings have wreaked havoc on his system. His lungs stopped functioning, given the deposits of dust from droppings. It has also affected his heart.
We have no option but go for a lung transplant, which is not only beyond our means but also comes with no guarantee of success,” said his brother.
The cases of ailments are not localised in overpopulated and congested parts of the city. Given the corresponding rise in construction activity in and around the city — where the birds fly in to roost — the ailments have become widespread. As Dr Mahavir Modi, pulmonologist, Ruby Hall Clinic, said, “Illnesses driven by residue of pigeon droppings and feathers are affecting those living in posh areas as well. Most of them develop cough, which cannot be easily traced as the symptoms are that of an asthma patient.” Like Sonkamble, most patients are hit by acute and subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis, where the patients’ lungs inflame from the inside, with early symptoms resembling pneumonia. “The patients do not respond to antibiotics and steroids have to be administered to them. The condition can get very serious with some even needing ICU care with a need for oxygen,” added Dr Modi.
In yet another case, the wife of a senior government employee residing in Erandwane has been a victim, too. She has been suffering from dry cough for six months and, at times, her face would blacken due to lack of oxygen supply. “She used to be treated for respiratory tract infection, but there was no let-up in her condition. After she tested negative for tuberculosis, we finally got a CT scan and blood test done, which revealed the ailment,” said her husband. He added that pigeon menace in their neighbourhood stops them from even opening windows and balcony doors. “There is a shop nearby and the owner puts out food for the pigeons over there. This has led to a spurt in pigeon population here,” he added.
Such patients, with repeated exposure to the birds, are also likely to become victims of lung fibrosis, which can be devastating with no cure available. “Besides these, they are also carriers for many deadly fungi and atypical bacteria, which can cause diseases like cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis (fungal lung infections) and psitacosis (bacterial lung infection) — all of them rare and hard to diagnose,” said Modi.
Dr Nitin Abhyankar, a pulmonologist from Poona Hospital, said pigeons lead to 60 per cent cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis among patients living in urban areas. “It is almost as if flying rodents are affecting people. While those with acute hypersensitivity can be treated with high dosages, it is extremely difficult to treat the patients who reach the chronic allergy stage,” said Abhyankar. Dr Sundeep Salvi, director of the Kalyani Nagar-based Chest Research Foundation, explained that the hypersensitivity pneumonitis or bhronchiolitis obliterans are known to block the small windpipe and sometimes affect the alveoli in the lungs. “The constant dry cough is known to last nearly four to six weeks. The diagnosis is difficult and a CT scan becomes imperative,” he said.
A Spanish town, Badia del Valles, near Barcelona, plagued by pigeons, has started mixing contraceptives in the bird feed to curb population, as some birds are known to have as many as 48 chicks a year. While there is yet to be an initiative of that scale here, Swati Gole, founder of Ecological Society, votes for a second census. “We want another survey to mark the change in the pigeon population. Since the pigeons are known to nest in buildings, with the rising settlements around us, their numbers are bound to have increased. Moreover, birds also thrive when they are fed with grain, which is common among Indians,” said Gole.
The constant dry cough is known to last nearly four to six weeks. The diagnosis is difficult and a CT scan becomes imperative
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 23, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
(October 6, 2015 – Toronto, ON) Ingrid Veninger is one of our favourite filmmakers. Publisher Ralph Lucas first met her for the Toronto screening of The Limb Salesman at the Canadian Film Festival in 2004. Since then Northernstars has interviewed her twice, most recently in 2013 when the film she wrote, produced and directed, The Animal Project, opened in general distribution. It is strange to use the word general, which makes things sound sort of normal, when reporting on such a talented and unique filmmaker.
In a small group that includes Winnipeg’s Guy Madden, Veninger doesn’t so much make movies as she constructs them, builds them from initial idea to a finished project that has been crafted with abundant care, remarkable problem solving abilities and a swift spirit that adapts undaunted to the challenges involved in getting a film made. And when it is done, she finds a way to make it even better.
Such is the case for He Hated Pigeons. It’s her 5th feature film and it will enjoy a very special one-time only showing at Toronto’s Bloor Hot Docs Cinema on October 18 at 3 in the afternoon. He Hated Pigeons is a deliberately low-budget film, this time a remarkably well-measured tale of love and loss. It stars Pedro Fontaine (pictured) who met the director when he served as a translator when Veninger was attending a film festival in Santiago, Chile in 2014. When the job was done, Fontaine mentioned that more than a translator he was also an actor and it would be nice to work together. Sometime later Ingrid Veninger contacted Fontaine to say that she wanted to write a role just for him.
As Veninger tells it, “This project has been the most intense. Not because I booked the crew’s flights to Chile before there was a script, or because I planned to primarily shoot in a language (Spanish) that I don’t speak and in a foreign country, or because I wrote the lead role for an actor whose work I has never seen… but because every step of the process had to allow for the added uncertainty of a live-score.”
That’s right. The movie has been made without a music track. As we have written here before, while the words in a movie may tell you what to think, it’s the music that tells you what to feel. Veninger continues: “The idea different musicians, in each city, improvising their own music was a commitment that influenced and informed every choice in making this film from writing and shooting, through editing and sound design. There was no way the live-score could be a gimmick, it needed to be intrinsically woven into the fabric of the film so that it became essential.”
The key word in here in case you missed it is “improvising.” There is no written score for the live musicians to follow. This isn’t a rehearsal piece. I any other filmmaker’s hands this might be ascribed as throwing caution to the wind. But for Ingrid Veninger this is just part of the process of making her highly individual films.
“He Hated Pigeons deals with letting go. Life is uncertain. Filmmaking is uncertain. And, I want the audience to feel something which has its own intrinsic impermanence. So every public presentation will be a one-time-only event.”
For the October 18 screening in Toronto the improvisation will be provided by Ohad Benchetrit and Justin Small. The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema is located at 506 Bloor Street West and the rice of admission is “pay what you can.” Which is quite a bargain when you’ll be experiencing something that is, quite possibly, priceless.
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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
