Six ’emaciated’ pigeons were dumped in a box and abandoned by the side of the road.

One of the birds had already starved to death by the time the grim discovery – on Cherry Tree Drive in Hazel Grove, Stockport – was made on Saturday.

The other birds were so skinny that their bones were visible.

A resident found the pigeons at the side of her driveway and alerted the RSPCA after realising they were not in good health.

Inspector Heather Morris was sent to the scene and found the five surviving birds were very unwell. They were emaciated, lame, had pigeon pox and were very dirty.

They were taken to the RSPCA’s Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre where a vet assessed them and decided the kindest thing to do would be to put them to sleep to end their suffering.

Inspector Morris said: “It is really unusual to have pigeons abandoned and it was so sad to see them in such a sorry state.

“Whoever allowed to them to get like that would have known they were unwell and emaciated – that doesn’t happen overnight. Their bones were visible they were so thin.

“I believe they were in this box for 24 to 48 hours and during that time the starving birds were without food and water.

“It is so cruel to just dump animals like this, if they are ill they should be taken to the vets to be put out of their misery but not left to suffer a lingering death.”

She said one bird was ringed but the details were out of date. There was a name on the rings which read “Behrooz”.

The cardboard box was also distinctive with the words ‘Private Reserve Fries’ written on the side.

Inspector Morris added: “I would like to appeal to anyone who recognises the name on the ring or knows of this type of pigeon in the area to come forward.”

 

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)

Zee TV’s popular show Guddan… Tumse Na Ho Payega (Ved Raj’s Shoonya Square Productions) will see a cute track involving a pigeon who will become Guddan’s (Kanika Mann) pet and confidante in quick time.

As we know, Guddan has been given the responsibilities of the house and she has been careless at her job.

Soon, a pigeon will make an entry into the house and into Guddan’s heart. The pigeon will turn to be Guddan’s saviour whenever she would do a mistake. The pigeon will basically safeguard the house keys that Guddan handles.

As per a reliable source, “The pigeon will no doubt help Guddan but a few problems will also get created because of its presence. In one instance, it will dirty Akshat’s (Nishant Malkani) suit and this will anger him. And Guddan will be given the duty of cleaning it up in quick time.”

We hear that two cute pigeons have been given shelter on the set of Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega for this particular track.

“They have become the centre of attraction on the set in quick time,” a source from the set says.

Aww!!

Are you all excited to see Guddan’s saviour the ‘khabootar’ in action?

 

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)

Bizarrely, the man explained that he was trying to use the birds as bait to recapture his pet owl, which had escaped. He was caught in a public area of woodland near Wakefield and had his children with him at the time. The air rifle was seized by police and the owner reported for firearms offences.

 

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)

Nuisance pigeons have ruffled a few feathers among diners at restaurants at Chatham Maritime.

And now site managers have chosen a humane way of getting rid of the pests – they have brought in a flying squad.

Trained falcons have proved successful in deterring the birds at Pier Five where there are a number of al fresco eateries.

The most common is the harris hawk, which are natural predators of pigeons and therefore their regular presence scares them away.

Chatham Maritime is home to several restaurants and with views across the water, is popular with diners wanting to sit outside and soak up the atmosphere.

But the food was also attracting birds looking for scraps.

Chatham Maritime Trustees have hired Rentokil Pest Control experts to eradicate the problem.

Rentokil’s operations manager Paul Catlin said: “The pigeons are a genuine problem for a number of the traders at Pier Five.

“A humane approach was the best way of dealing with them.

“Hawking represents a natural way to deter birds in urban areas without harm, while protecting visitors, residents and traders.”

The pigeons love of food has encouraged them to come into regular human contact, with some brazenly approaching customers around the marina area.

Rentokil has hired falconers to carry out the task.

Falconer Marc Bushell is a regular visitor with his hawk, Oliver.

The birds, which are trained at The Hawking Centre at Doddington, near Sittingbourne, protect landmarks and places of special interest throughout the south, including London.

Katie Kinnes, from Rentokil, said: “Hawking is becoming more and more popular and, with some areas being inaccessible, it is often the only way of resolving the nuisance.”

Liam Merrett, a supervisor at Pier Five and Kitchen, said it had proved quite a novelty see a falconer walking along the quayside with a hawk.

Mr Merrett said: “We are quite sheltered here and we have patio heaters, so our customers like to eat and drink out even in the winter months.

“It’s a nice setting looking out on to the marina.”

The regular presence of raptors alters the behaviour of pigeons and gulls, who learn to avoid areas where the birds of prey are frequently flown, moving on to nest or roost elsewhere.

 

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)

 

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)

A Somerset wildlife rescue has issued a strong warning about the danger of air guns after a pigeon was shot and seriously injured in Weston-super-Mare.

Staff at Secret World Wildlife Rescue, in East Huntspill, were left shocked and angry after they were forced to put down a pigeon which had been shot with an air gun on Remembrance Sunday (November 11).

When the pigeon arrived at the animal rescue centre, Sarah Tingvoll, Section Leader at Secret World, successfully removed the metal pellet from the bird’s wing, but made the tough decision to put the bird to sleep to prevent any further suffering.

“This is a very sad story but putting the bird to sleep was the right thing to do for its welfare,” Sarah said.

“We know most gun owners use their guns in a responsible way, but this horrific case should serve as a permanent reminder that the consequences of using a pellet or air gun irresponsibly can be deadly.”

Carrier pigeons played an important role in World War I and World War II and were used to send messages from the battlefield thanks to their speed, flying altitude and ability to make their way home.

Sarah added: “The fact that this bird fell victim to a gun shot on Remembrance Day makes this story even more heartbreaking and poignant.

“Carrier pigeons played a pivotal role in both world wars and their role is often overlooked.”

After World War II, 32 pigeons were awarded with the Dickin Medal – a medal used to honour the work of war animals.

 

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)

PARIS — They were messengers, spies and sentinels. They led cavalry charges, carried supplies to the front, comforted wounded soldiers and died by the millions during World War I.

Horses, mules, dogs, pigeons and even a baboon all were a vital — and for decades overlooked — part of the Allied war machine.

Researchers have been hard-pressed to find official accounts of the services rendered by animals during the Great War. But if their labors once were taken for granted, four-legged and winged warriors have been acknowledged more recently as unsung heroes.

France recently decided to recognize their wartime role. And in 2004, Britain installed a huge memorial on the edge of London’s Hyde Park to “all the animals that served, suffered and died alongside the British, Commonwealth and Allied forces in the wars and conflicts of the 20th century.”

Here’s a look at how they contributed.

___

WHAT THEY DID

An estimated 10 million horses and mules, 100,000 dogs and 200,000 pigeons were enrolled in the war effort, according to Eric Baratay, a French historian specializing in the response of animals to the chaos, fear and smells of death in the mission that man thrust upon them.

World War I marked the start of industrial warfare, with tanks, trucks, aircraft and machine guns in action. But the growing sophistication of the instruments of death couldn’t match the dog tasked with finding the wounded, the horses and mules hauling munitions and food or the pigeons serving as telecommunications operators or even eyes, carrying “pigeongrams” or tiny cameras to record German positions.

“They were quasi-combatants,” said Serge Barcellini, comptroller general of the Armed Forces and head of Le Souvenir Francais — The French Memory — in a recent speech devoted to the role played by beasts of war.

Indeed, gas masks were fitted to the muzzles of four-legged warriors braving noxious battlefield fumes.

In France, as in Britain and elsewhere, horses and mules were requisitioned.

One typical sign posted in southern Paris ordered citizens to present their steeds and mules to the Requisition Committee by Nov. 14, 1914, or risk “prosecution by the military authority.” It was becoming clear there would be no quick end to the war that ground on for four more years.

___

FEATHERED HEROES

Cher Ami, or Dear Friend, the carrier pigeon who wouldn’t quit, lived up to her name, saving the lives of 194 American troops of the “Lost Battalion” of the 77th Infantry Division, isolated behind enemy lines during the 1918 Meuse-Argonne offensive in eastern France.

About 550 men had held their ground against a far larger German force for days before coming under fire from American troops unaware the trapped soldiers weren’t the enemy.

On Oct. 4, Maj. Charles Whittlesey sent Cher Ami into the skies with a final message giving the U.S. battalion’s location, followed by a plea: “For heaven’s sake stop it.”

Cher Ami lost an eye and a leg from German gunfire, but kept flying, around 25 miles (40 kilometers) in about a half-hour, according to the United States World War One Centennial Commission. Survivors of the “Lost Battalion” returned to American lines four days later.

Another carrier pigeon named Vaillant, assigned to the French military, also performed extraordinary feats during the war.

On June 4, 1916, he was released into the sky with the desperate message, “He’s my last pigeon.”

French Commander Sylvain Eugene Raynal, encircled by Germans at the Fort de Vaux near Verdun, was counting on Vaillant to save his men.

The feisty bird flew through toxic gas and smoke, reaching the Verdun pigeon loft choked by fumes. With no help arriving despite Vaillant’s courageous effort, Raynal and his men surrendered three days later.

Both Cher Ami and Vaillant were awarded France’s Croix de Guerre, or War Cross.

___

ROUND ‘EM UP

Horses are ancient warriors, but most of those conscripted during World War I weren’t war-ready. They died by the millions, from disease, exhaustion and enemy fire, forcing the French and British armies to turn to America to renew their supply. A veritable industry developed with more than half a million horses and mules shipped by boat to Europe by fall 1917, according to the American Battle Monuments Commission.

So important was the commerce that the Santa Fe Railroad named a station Drage, after British Lt. Col. F.B. Drage, the commander of the British Remount Commission in Lathrop, Missouri, a major stockyard for the future beasts of war.

“So the war business in horses and mules is good,” read an article in the December 1915 issue of The Santa Fe Magazine, for employees of the railway system. Good for the farmer, contractor, supplier and railroads, it said, but “not good for the animals.”

___

SERVICE BY EXOTICS

Among the more exotic animals called into service was a baboon named Jackie, who served with the 1st South African Infantry Brigade in then British-occupied Egypt and later in the trenches in France and Belgium. His acute hearing and keen eyesight helped warn soldiers of enemy movement or possible attacks when he would screech and tug on their clothing.

Jackie was wounded in Flanders Fields when the South African brigade came under heavy shelling in April 1918 and his leg had to be amputated.

Lt. Col. R.N. Woodsend, of Britain’s Royal Medical Corps, described that procedure: “He lapped up the chloroform as if it had been whiskey, and was well under in a remarkably short time. It was a simple matter to amputate the leg with scissors.”

___

DOGS OF WAR

Man’s best friend helped soldiers survive. Dogs served, firstly, as spotters of the wounded, learning to identify ally from enemy. They also served as sentinels, messengers, transporters and chasers of rats — the bane of the trenches along with lice and fleas. The French military created a service devoted to dogs of war in December 1915.

Less official, but crucial to soldiers’ morale, was the role of dogs and other creatures in the trenches, and as mascots. Stray dogs running from fighting were adopted as companions along with other animals, including a Royal Air Force fox mascot adopted by British pilots.

These dogs and other mascots helped soldiers “think of life … and the life they hoped to find again,” said Baratay, the French historian, in a speech last month in Paris.

 

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)

Representative image AHMEDABAD: A man and his son were beaten by three persons over an alleged theft of pigeons in the Madhavpura area of the city late on Monday night. The complainant, Gulzar Qureshi (51), and his son Arman (16) were sleeping at the terrace of their house in Rustam Mill’s Chawl in Madhavpura when three unknown persons rushed there and started asking why Qureshi’s son had stolen four of their pigeons. “The three persons abused and assaulted me while asking about their pigeons. On seeing me being beaten by them, my son Arman intervened but they then started beating him as well. During the fight, my son fell from the terrace and suffered a fracture in his leg,” said Qureshi. Qureshi then began shouting for help and as people from his neighbourhood gathered, the three men fled. Qureshi and his son were taken to Civil Hospital in Asarwa, where Arman was hospitalized. Madhavpura police lodged a complaint of assault, using abusive language, and abetment, against three unknown persons.

 

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)

 

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)

Poisoning pigeons as a way to control their population is cruel and sickening, and should be stopped at once.

Usually, pest controllers feed the birds bread laced with poison. A short while later, these birds will be found writhing on the ground in agony. While struggling and still alive, they are picked up and thrown into garbage bags to be disposed off.

However, a few days ago, I realised that a new type of poison is being used.

This white powdery substance is left near rubbish chutes or on pavements where the birds can be found. The birds ingest this powder and die a slow and painful death.

I have seen three dead pigeons, as well as a cockerel.

Town councils should not be given the right to poison at will. Neither should the word “cull” be used to make it sound acceptable, because it is not.

Similar cases have been reported in Paya Lebar and Ang Mo Kio.

Just how many birds are poisoned each year?

As overpopulation is due to human feeding or the improper clearance of food, the best way to tackle this in the long run is through education, though it may take longer to see results.

Children should be taught from a young age not to feed wild birds and animals.

 

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)

An officer responded to a 4th Avenue address where the complainant on scene was upset that the gas truck driver was waving his gas measure stick at the pigeons that he was feeding bread to in the store parking lot. The complainant said he stops here once a week and feeds the pigeons and doesn’t think it’s right for them to wave items at the pigeons and make them fly away. The officer noted, “The truck drivers were just keeping the birds from flying around while they refilled the gas pumps due to their being bread all over the parking lot.”

 

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)

Herds of rustled cattle, millions of stolen bees and a flock of pinched pigeons are only a handful of farm crimes that film producer Geoff Morrison displays in his new documentary series.

The series, titled Farm Crime, tells the stories of farmers across the country who have been victims of crime. The documentary sets a serious tone, underscoring how crime negatively affects a farmer’s well-being and their livelihood.

“I think when I started reading up on these stories, the first thing that surprised me was that there is a large market value for these products,” said Morrison of Big Cedar Films.

“When I think of that one theft involving maple syrup in Quebec, it was enormous in scale, something like $18 million. People were laughing at it, but it was actually serious. It’s incredible someone could pull that off.”

Morrison partnered with CBC to air the series online, releasing a set of six 15-minute episodes each week. They include cases of stolen cattle, blueberries, bees, pigeons and oysters. As well, he profiles a farm that saw a thief butcher stolen animals on site.

Like the maple syrup theft, he said these cases were hardly taken seriously. Mainstream news organizations weren’t reporting on them and, if they did, they were treated like a joke.

“It was clear to me that coverage from big or national publications was light,” he said. “It was somehow hilarious that all these bees were stolen. The local papers did take it a lot more seriously.”

When selecting farmers to profile, he said he wanted people who were comfortable sharing their stories. As well, out of the six provinces he visited, he profiled one farmer per province to showcase agriculture’s diversity.

“At the end of the day, they are good human stories of people willing to share what they’ve gone through,” he said.

The case involving oyster thefts in Prince Edward Island sticks with him the most. Morrison said the oysterman was robbed while tending to his sick wife in hospital. With the help of others, they managed to catch the thief, who was later prosecuted.

“That’s a standout case,” he said. “They handled it well, even with the terrible circumstances they were facing.”

For many of the farmers he profiled, he said crime has had long-lasting effects on them. Some change the way they do business and they feel less secure.

In the case involving stolen pigeons, Morrison said the farmer has lost his sense of security and isn’t entirely comfortable with people on his property.

“That moment of having his pigeons stolen still comes back to him,” he said. “It’s not unique for any victim of crime to feel that way.”

Morrison said he hopes the series makes people, especially those living in cities, more aware of farming and how crime can severely affect farmers.

“I hope they get a greater appreciation for the hard work that goes into growing food and agriculture products,” he said. “These crimes need to be taken seriously and we need to respect those victims, like any victim of crime.”

 

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)

The Hyatt hotel chain has pulled all affiliation with a downtown Edmonton hotel that was ordered by Alberta Health Services to clean up leaks and venting issues tied to pigeon feces.

The company confirmed Thursday that as of Sept. 4, the Hyatt Place Hotel – located on Jasper Avenue and 95 Street – was “no longer a Hyatt-branded or a Hyatt-affiliated property.”

The luxury hotel chain did not say why the branding was pulled or whether the move was linked to the health order issued by AHS last month.

An inspection done in late August found nine HVAC units on the roof were pulling in fresh air from an area contaminated with pigeons and pigeon feces.

The inspection also found the heating and ventilation system in the hotel was not in good working order. Issues included broken fans in the laundry room and carbon monoxide detectors in the parkade that were not calibrated.

Other issues pointed out during the inspection included extensive water staining on the ceiling tiles, light fixtures and walls throughout the lower level hallways.

In its statement Thursday, Hyatt Hotels said it is in the process of reaching out to guests with upcoming reservations. Guests with questions can contact Hyatt’s Global Reservations Center at 1-888-848-9496.

The hotel in Edmonton’s Quarters district was designed by local architect Gene Dub at a cost of $60 million. The 13-storey hotel has 258 rooms and 11,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor.

The hotel began operating in October 2016 and during the official grand opening in January 2017, was dubbed a significant milestone in the redevelopment of The Quarters.

“We wanted to create something very beautiful,” Prem Singhmar, owner of Hyatt Place Edmonton/Downtown, said at the time. “We wanted it to reflect the vision for the future of downtown and the Quarters.”

Area Councillor Scott McKeen said he didn’t know why the decision was made or what the impact on the area might be. Generally speaking, though, he said there hasn’t been enough progress in The Quarters for his liking.

“I think the area has a ton of potential but I think developers have been a little skittish because it was close to areas of the city where there was social disorder and homelessness,” he said.

The Hyatt Place was the first new hotel to open in the city’s core since 1978.

 

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)

 

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)

Cheating their way to a one million yuan prize, two Chinese competitors in a domestic homing pigeon race smuggled their birds on a high-speed train, taking home the top prize.

The racers, surnamed Gong and Zhang, took part in the annual competition held by Shanghai Racing Pigeon Association (SRPA) last May, Chinese news outlet Legal Daily reports. The race invited people to send their one-year-old birds in a long distance flying challenge starting from central China’s Henan Province to Shanghai in east China, a course covering over 600 kilometers.

A total of 5,850 pigeons took off from the start line in Henan’s Shangqiu City in the morning of May 1. Gong’s and Zhang’s birds were among the competitors. All participants were tagged with a tracking device that timed their flight, and their results would be announced online once the birds reached the destination.

At around 4:30 p.m., the first pigeon touched the finish line, with the winner breaking the existing record. The bird belonged to Zhang. Within the next hour, another three birds arrived at the goal, all belonging to either Zhang or Gong.

Shocked and baffled, many pigeon racers soon started questioning the results, especially after they discovered that Zhang’s and Gong’s birds covered longer distances with shorter times, Shanghai Morning Post reported last year.

Receiving complaints from multiple participants, SRPA initiated an investigation towards the first 1,000 birds returning to Shanghai and reported the case to the police.

When the organization contacted Gong and Zhang, both racers claimed that their birds were already lost or dead. They later voluntarily gave up the cash prizes which totaled over a million yuan (approximately 146,000 US dollars).

The two were later arrested by the police for investigation and confessed they had cheated during the race and killed the winner pigeons.

Gong told police that they had trained the pigeons before the race to fly to a rally point near the starting line. Their plan was to collect the birds during the race and smuggle them back to Shanghai via high-speed train.

Their plan worked. But fearing their fowl play would result in serious legal consequences, Gong and Zhang chose to give up the prizes.

The duo each received a three-year suspended sentence, Legal Daily reported the court’s decision on Monday. A district-level court in Shanghai fined Gong, the criminal mastermind 30,000 yuan (4,400 US dollars) and Zhang 20,000 yuan (2,900 US dollars).

 

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)

 

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)

A 41-year-old garage owner threatened to burn his next door neighbour’s house down after he believed their cat had attacked one of his beloved racing pigeons, a court heard.

Behzad Shuwani used racist language against his neighbours in Gloucester during his tirade of abuse.

Judge Michael Harington heard from prosecutor, Robert Morgan-Jones, that there had been ‘historic tensions’ between Shuwani and his neighbours in Jersey Road before the incident on February 8 this year.

Shuwani was subject to a suspended jail term at the time of this incident, the prosecutor explained.

He had been sentenced in September last year for running what was described by the judge as a ‘cannabis factory’ at his car workshop on Jersey Road.

Shuwani pleaded guilty to racially aggravated public order and simple public order offences during the incident in February.

He also admitted that by committing those offences he was in breach of the earlier suspended sentence imposed for drug cultivation at his business.

Gloucester Crown Court heard that the victim, 70-year-old Abdulkadir Susiwala, was at his home when he heard noises outside at about 10.30am.

When he looked out of the first floor window of his property he could see Shuwani next door with a can of paint thinners shouting about Mr Susiwala’s cat attacking one of his racing pigeons.

The court heard Shuwani said: “I am going to burn all of you, and your house, and your cat!”

The police were called, and they could hear shouting in the background of the 999 call, the prosecutor said.

When they arrived Shuwani was ‘immediately aggressive’, and shouted towards racist language towards Mr Susiwala’s home.

Mr Morgan-Jones said the thinners were seized from the property and Shuwani had a lighter on his person when searched.

The court heard a victim statement from Mr Susiwala, who said he believed Shuwani would carry out his threats.

The family said they are worried about going outside their property, and are concerned about any further future problems with Shuwani, who arrived in the UK in 1997 from the Kurdish region of Iraq.

Representing Shuwani, Mark Sharman described it as ‘an unfortunate situation’.

“They do not get on. They do not see eye to eye,” the barrister said.

However he accepted “his words and behaviour were utterly inappropriate”.

Mr Sharman argued this was the first incident despite tensions over the last five years, and there had been no repeat.

“The defendant believed the complainant’s cat had attacked one of his pigeons,” Mr Sharman said.

“He owns approximately 100 racing pigeons. That is very important to him. That reaction though, was deeply inappropriate.”

“For obvious reasons the [racist] language he used was not acceptable,” Mr Sharman told the judge.

Mr Sharman argued it was a “spur of the moment reaction to something that had been bubbling under for some time”.

“I make it clear, I lay no blame at the door of the complainant,” Mr Sharman said, and urged the judge to consider a further suspended sentence.

The judge said: “I am persuaded it would be unjust to activate the suspended sentence you are subject to.

“The old offence was planned, and this was heat of the moment, and entirely different.”

Shuwani was given 15 months jail suspended for two years and ordered to attend 20 rehabilitation activity sessions and complete 120 hours of unpaid work for the benefit of the community.

A restraining order to protect Mr Susiwala and his family was imposed for five years.

 

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)

 

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)

A remarkably resilient pigeon has defied the odds and survived being trapped down a Cambridgeshire home’s chimney.

The distressed bird was heard to be clawing and flapping for days after it fell and got stuck behind a gas fireplace.

After receiving little support from wildlife experts, the house’s owners turned to a local handyman for help.

The sooty pigeon was released apparently unharmed after a seven day ordeal and flew off to the nearest high tree.

Allison Jackson, in her 60s, and Joan Jackson, 91, of Fulbourn, heard the loud thud of the pigeon plummeting down their chimney earlier this month.

“We heard clawing and we thought it could be mice or a rat. We never had any idea it was a bird,” explained Allison.

“It wasn’t singing a song or anything like that. He was clawing the whole time.”

The two ladies speculated what sort of “monster” had dropped down their chimney and called for help.

“You’re imagination goes wild,” joked Allison.

Technicians from the gas board turned off the supply to the fireplace, but advice from wildlife experts was useless, claims Allison.

No-one seemed to know how to remove the fireplace and there were even recommendations to call the fire service.

“It was just clawing and there was also a banging noise. I suppose it was just trying to get out again,” she added.

She and her mother turned to local handyman David Peat to see if he could rescue the bird.

“They phoned me up and said there’s a noise going on in one of the chimneys,” David explained.

“We didn’t know what it was. It was just making a bad noise.”

A gas technician came to the property and confirmed that a bird was inside the chimney, but still its wait for release went on.

David added: “Days had gone by. I said ‘whatever is in there is going to be dead surely. It couldn’t last that long without food and water’.

“They said: ‘We haven’t heard anything in two days. We’ve given up hope’.

“I went round and rattled the fire from side to side and low and behold he started again.”

David estimated the bird was stuck inside a shoe box-sized space.

“Once he got down the bottom he couldn’t flap his wings inside to get out,” he said.

“How long does a pigeon last like that? It must have been terrible in this heat.”

Eventually David was able to get a electrician to help show him how to remove the fireplace and get the bird out.

“We said he wouldn’t be alive and boy did he put up a fight,” said Allison.

“They got him in the end and he flew up the highest tree.

“It’s such a great relief, thinking about that poor bird down there.”

David added: “There he was all perky. There wasn’t anything wrong with it. We took it round the corner and away it flew.

“The bird was black, it had sooty stuff on it but it looked unscathed.

“I said: ‘It’s going to the nearest lake for a drink and a wash’.”

According to guidance from the RSPCA about ‘living with pigeons’, wire frame structures can prevent the birds settling on chimney stacks.

 

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)

Forty-seven-year-old K. Chathura, a seasoned bird fancier from Colombo, makes three trips to Chennai every year, mainly to visit his relatives. During these trips, he visits his favourite grain shop on a narrow lane behind the bus terminus in Mint where he buys grains for racing homing pigeons.

Located on the busy Mint Street, this small square-shaped shop has sacks of gunny bags, and only a little space for customers to walk.

Apparently, racing pigeon fanciers in Colombo also like to buy grains for their birds from this shop. And, Chathura buys grains for a few pigeon fanciers in Colombo.

He says back there, most of these grains, especially safflower and sunflower seeds (which are fed to racing pigeons for its fat content), are not available. Most of the grains for the racing homing pigeons in Colombo are imported from Indonesia.

“Imported grains from Indonesia are of poor quality. In my latest trip to the city a week ago, I brought around 120 kg of grains from the Mint shop,” he says.

“Buying imported grains is easy. But the grains brought from Mohammad Ali’s shop are of high quality as they are selected carefully from the wholesale market there. Also, these grains are locally cultivated and therefore suit native homing pigeons. This is evident from the healthy growth of my birds,” says noted film director and an avid racing pigeon fancier, C. Vetrimaaran.

Fifty-three-year-old Mohammad Ali, who runs the shop along with his wife, Jamila, for more than three decades, says he entered the grains-selling business after dropping out of school as a Class VIII student. Since then, he is running the shop with racing-homing pigeon fanciers as its main customers. The shop also sells grains for cockatiels and African lovebirds.

Racing pigeon fanciers across the State, including Vellore, Ambur, Nagapattinam, Ranipet, Wallajah, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Madurai and Thiruvanamalai visit the grain shop regularly.

Pet lovers from Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Nellore also place orders with the shop. Most of the 20 pigeon-fancier associations in Chennai, the highest in the country, prefer to buy grains from the shop.

 

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)