by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 13, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
What a police department does
It is a public expectation that the police will help citizens resolve the issues concerning them.
The Ontario Police Department, when receiving a call for service, a concern, or information, must objectively consider factors such as whether the issue fits within the scope of law enforcement duties, whether a concern is legitimate, and if there is any appropriate action that can be taken (to name a few).
The department also tries to take into account various circumstances bearing on any particular situation that might make it unique or that might justifiably change how it should be handled, all while striving to maintain fairness and objectivity.
In light of this, the Ontario Police Department, on behalf of the governing body and the citizens, is making the following public announcement.
The issue
Over the course of the last several months, multiple residents of the village have brought to the attention of the police department various concerns about cats throughout the village. It has become evident over time that there is a legitimate public interest regarding a substantial feral cat population within the village.
There are (conservatively estimated) 30-plus cats not appropriately cared for as pets within the village limits, as directly observed by police, and maybe many more,according to other estimates. The problems have included sick cats, including one that had diarrhea for months; cats leaving scat on private property/decks; cats digging in garbage; feral cats harassing pet cats (taking food, attacking and injuring the pet, etc.); and a cat severely biting a human; not to mention the various other annoyances any animal at large might pose, as you can well imagine.
Not least to mention is the warning given by veterinarians that an unmanaged feral cat population can become inbred, causing a low quality of life for the cats themselves. Of particular concern is the fact that a local veterinarian has documented two chronic, contagious, fatal diseases in cats from Ontario: feline leukemia and feline AIDS.
Why the police department is involved
This type of situation is not unique to Ontario, and various jurisdictions have unique ways of dealing with it. There is no animal control officer for cats in the village, many of the situations fall under village ordinances, the legitimacy of public concern has become obvious, and there is action that can be taken.
The Ontario Police Department is therefore acting in conjunction with other public officials and on behalf of the welfare of the public as it tries to address the situation comprehensively and efficiently.
How you can be a part
You can help! The most efficient way for the village to control the issue is with citizen cooperation, and we are asking for it now.
1) If you have a pet cat(s), please keep its location controlled (the same as you would a dog) and get it spayed or neutered. Unwanted kittens could potentially become part of a feral cat population.
2) If you don’t have a pet cat, please do not feed cats. Feeding stray cats contributes to,rather than alleviates, the problems. Consider the following clarification: Anyone feeding a cat regularly is claiming ownership under the village ordinances.
3) Take advantage of a low-cost cat clinic when it is offered in the village (watch the County Line for information on a clinic that will be offered later this spring). The clinic offers spay or neuter services at greatly reduced prices as well as vaccines.
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 | Jul 12, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
Feathers are flying in Horncastle over calls from the town council for people to stop feeding the town’s ‘problem’ pigeons.
Councillors issued the appeal through the Horncastle News after expressing concerns about the damage and amount of mess the pigeons are causing.
They claim that people feeding birds are leading to an increase in the pigeon population.
Councillors have previously ruled out other suggestions to control the number of birds, including putting them on the pill or bringing in trained hawks to kill them.
The council was supported by the town’s History and Heritage Society and the local Federation of Small Businesses.
Some residents also backed the council but several others say the birds should be left alone.
And one pigeon – dubbed Percy by locals after taking up residence in the town centre – appears to have his very own fan club.
Pensioner Sylvia Petfield told the News: “I know the pigeons do cause damage to buildings but surely there are more important things to worry about in this town.
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 | Jul 11, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services
City of Wichita Falls staff said there are no easy solutions when it comes to the pigeon infestation under the overpasses along Broad and Holliday streets.
“It is an infestation, that’s the only word for it. Just like rats or mice, they can be a problem when we see them in the volume that there are on Broad and Holliday,” John Burrus, Director of Aviation and Transportation said Friday.
Burrus said the large number of pigeons that gather under the overpasses has been an ongoing problem for more than a decade.
First, the city asked the Texas Department of Transportation to address the issues. TxDOT told the city that they were not equipped to handle the problem, Burrus said.
The next step was city council approval, several years ago, for “Slinky-like devices” that were supposed to keep the birds out, but Burrus said they did not work at all. Then, Burrus said he had his welding crew members attach metal barriers along the underside of the overpasses.
“The barriers helped some, but it did not slow it (the gathering of birds) down at all,” he said.
After that attempt, Burrus said they backed off the issue for a while until there started to be an increase in bird strike reports at Wichita Falls Regional Airport.
A bird weighing just a few ounces can destroy a jet engine, so the city needed to address the bird problem for the safety of pilots and passengers.
The city and Sheppard Air Force Base regularly pair to divvy up areas of the city in an effort to control bird problems. The downtown Holliday/Broad area falls under the duties of the city, but there were still no departments equipped to handle the situation.
The city has about 35-40 metal cage traps that are baited and placed near trouble areas including Broad/Holliday area, near the Jasper Water Treatment Plant, Kickapoo Airport, and near the Regional Airport.
For a short time, the fleet maintenance department was setting traps, gathering the trapped birds and euthanizing them by hand.
Soon it was obvious that the task was more than they could handle along with their other duties. The health department and animal control services were both also asked to assist, but again said they were not equipped to handle the situation.
Because the pigeon problem affected air travel, the burden was placed on Burrus’ department.
He said they contracted with two different pest control companies, but had “bad experiences” with both companies not checking the traps regularly and several birds died of dehydration.
“That was unacceptable. I think we (the city) do a much better job that the private companies. It is a fine balance between humanely handling the birds until they are euthanized,” Burrus said.
The city teamed with a new company, Pond Pest Control out of Amarillo, about a year ago for the pigeon situation and Burrus said they have been great to work with.
The city fully cleans out the underpasses twice a year and Burrus said they have cleared out 18-inch thick layers of pigeon feces, dead birds and all manner of health hazards.
Other nuisance birds like cattle egrets and grackles can be scared away or relocated, but Burrus said the pigeons do not scare easily and come right back to their roosting area when shooed away.
“No one wants to do it (trap and euthanize the pigeons), but it’s a necessary part of the job. If we do not take care of it, there are going to be much larger problems at the airport.
A secondary issue, but still a huge, huge issues is the health problems where the birds drop feces,” Burrus 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 | Jul 10, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services
CARLSBAD N.M. (KRQE) – Saying their dirty and dangerous, a New Mexico town in cracking down on pigeons. Feed them and you can get in trouble.
People in the Cavern City say pigeons are everywhere.
“There are quite a few pigeons here around town and at the different businesses,” said Shayella Yarbrough, Carlsbad resident.
Now the city of Carlsbad has decided to take action. City council approved an ordinance that ban residents from feeding or providing environments that attract pigeons.
“It will help move them away from the city, move them out of the middle of this city. I get calls all the time about people wanting to know how to get rid of pigeons,” said Woods Houghton, Program Director for the Eddy County Extension Office.
The city says the ordinance will help eliminate some of the health risks associated with the bird’s droppings.
Also known as rock pigeons or rock doves, the city classifies them as birds not native to North America.
“They’re called trash birds because they communicate a lot of known diseases to both livestock and humans,” said Houghton.
Now people in Carlsbad caught feeding or harboring the birds could face fines up to $500 or even jail time but the city says it doesn’t want it to come to that. They just want people to stop making the birds feel so at home in Carlsbad
“You know in town it’s definitely a good thing to do, especially around restaurants, areas where there is food preparation for humans,” said Houghton.
A lot of people in town say they will be happy to see the birds gone. “It’s just really unsanitary and not really nice,” said Yarbrough.
The city also says people can still feed native birds and set up birdhouses just not for pigeons.
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 | Jul 8, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
The latest animal concerns have targeted skunks, which are far more populous in our area’s only city, especially in summer, than one would think.
The city had a $25,000 contract with a local man to provide animal control, including trapping and removing skunks. But as councilors prepared a tough 2016 budget, that funding was cut.
Resident Patti Hackett pointed out to councilors that about 70 skunks were captured in the city last year. She noted that skunks pose a rabies threat on top of the obvious irritation: the stink that prompts people to hold their breath and slam shut their windows. And dog owners can attest to the tenacity of that odor once it attaches to fur.
Improper garbage disposal is contributing to the problem of nuisance animals, and the city should clamp down on residents who don’t have trash secured in garbage cans with lids.
We aren’t suggesting fines; a city-sponsored education campaign, such as leaflets sent in the utility bills detailing the problems caused by exposed trash, could mitigate the problem.
The city is looking into a skunk-trapping campaign this spring. Some “lucky” crew could be paid around $10,000 to seek out known skunk dens and snag the creatures before they start breeding.
The Press-Republican believes that every community that has a fairly large population concentration should offer some kind of animal control.
Many towns contract with local animal shelters or have part-time officers or pay by the job to remove nuisance animals. A few wildlife rehabilitators help out with certain types of creatures.
Certainly a city the size of Plattsburgh can afford $25,000 for animal control in a $53.1 million budget. That amount is justified when measured against the service rendered — ask anyone who has watched a smelly skunk waddle through the back yard.
Maybe the city can share this service with the Town of Plattsburgh, whose residents are also in the line of spray.
But the most acute animal problem in larger communities is not the distinctively marked black and white invaders — it is feral cats.
Overrunning neighborhoods, getting into garbage and, most sadly, suffering starvation, exposure and sickness, wild cats present an overwhelming concern that few municipal governments are properly addressing.
Because shelters and a smattering of other aid programs exist, public officials act as though they are off the hook as cats continue to breed, live and die in corners of our neighborhoods.
It is inhumane to the cats and frustrating and heartbreaking for humans.
Every municipality with a population center, especially the City of Plattsburgh, should be investing in trap, neuter and release programs to reduce the feral-cat population.
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 | Jul 6, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
A pigeon club member has spoken of his devastation after 100 of his birds were killed in a suspected arson attack.
After seeing the flames from his Washington home, Bill Scott rushed to Barmston Allotments to try and save the birds he has been racing since 2009, but all perished in the fire.
Crews from Washington and Marley Park spent three hours tackling the blaze on Saturday night which saw the lofts razed to the ground.
Bill, 62, has been told that the incident, which happened at around 9pm, is being treated as suspected arson.
“It’s devastating to get there and see those birds on the ground, knowing I couldn’t get to them,” he said. “There were seventy adult birds and thirty young ones who had only just hatched.
“I live at the other side of the railway track from the allotments. I saw the smoke and could smell it, but didn’t realise it was the allotments until I looked out of the window.”
Though Bill’s birds could not be saved, his son Hayden, 22, managed to save some birds from a neighbouring loft.
The dad added: “Since I’ve left work I’m down here every day. I’m in a racing club and they are good pigeons. It’s devastating because they won’t fly at night, so even if they could get out of the loft, they wouldn’t fly, they just sit there and burn.”
He added: “I’ve been told that it was multiple fires so someone has set out to destroy the loft deliberately. I can’t bring my birds back, but I hope something can be done to stop this happening again.”
In 2012, thousands of pounds in damage was caused when fire tore through the same allotments.
The fierce blaze destroyed years of hard work by proud owners and left the ground scorched and covered in ash. On that occasion, fanciers had been able to save some of the birds.
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)
