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Infelction control at hospital being probed over pigeon droppings is good enough, says health secretary

Scotland’s health secretary has said she believes infection control is good enough at a hospital where two patients died after contracting an infection linked to pigeon droppings.

Jeane Freeman has ordered a review of the design, build, handover and maintenance of the flagship £842 million Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow as investigations continue.

The Cryptococcus bacteria, a fungal infection linked to pigeon droppings and soil, was found to be a contributory factor in the death of a child, while a second patient was also found to have an infection caused by inhaling the fungus Cryptococcus, although the health secretary has said it did not contribute to their death.

Pigeon droppings found in a plant room on the hospital’s roof are believed to be the source of the problem and investigations are continuing to establish how the bacteria entered a closed ventilation system.

The issue comes after problems with bacteria in the water supply at the adjoining Royal Hospital for Children last year which led to child cancer patients being moved.

In an interview on BBC Good Morning Scotland, Ms Freeman was asked: ‘Do you believe infection control is good enough at this hospital?’

She replied: ‘Yes I do. Yes I do and I think the statistics show that. The overall infection rate in the Queen Elizabeth is 4 per cent, the average across Scotland is 4.9 per cent. It is at least on par with all the other hospitals across Scotland and in fact doing a bit better.

‘But infection happens in hospitals. That’s why we have the Scottish Patient Safety Programme that has significantly reduced infection rates across our hospitals and healthcare settings over the last 10 years or so.

‘What you need to be able to do though is have those additional infection control measures to put in place as they have done at the Queen Elizabeth, with the HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters, with the anti-fungal protection for particularly vulnerable patients in the area where the Crypotoccocus infection was discovered.’

Ms Freeman said she hopes to announce the remit of the review by the end of the week.

She could not give a timescale for how long the review will take and said that while she wants it to reach its conclusions and recommendations as quickly as possible, it needs to take long enough to ensure it is ‘robust’.

She said: ‘There have been a number of instances where parts of the building, the fabric of the building, have been less than we would want it to be.

‘Some of those don’t directly affect patients but obviously our primary concern is that this building is, in its fabric, in its internal infrastructure, is absolutely fit for purpose, so that is why I’ve ordered the review and made sure that we will have independent expert advice to that review.

‘It will look at everything from the design, the construction, the commissioning and the continuing maintenance to try and identify what more might need to be done to ensure that the building is fit for purpose, but also whether there are any particular lessons for us as we go on to instigate other builds of healthcare facilities across Scotland.

‘The review of the Queen Elizabeth will have significant importance for all the new build that we’re undertaking.’

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said: ‘The Health Secretary says infection rates are on a par with other hospitals in Scotland but this is supposed to be a world-leading hospital.

‘The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital was an £842 million investment by the Government – the fact we are now having a review into its infrastructure suggests something has gone very wrong.

‘The review must answer honest questions about what has gone wrong here.’

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeon Patrol's Services Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

TRANSLINK PLANS ON USING A FALCON TO SCARE OFF POOPING PIGEONS

What do you do when birds poop all over your property?

If you’re TransLink, you send in a falcon.

In an effort to deal with pigeons nesting at the Commercial-Broadway skytrain station, TransLink is using a bird, to flip off other birds.

A Bird Poop Problem

A new platform for the station, set to open February 2nd, will allow commuters to enter westbound from both sides.

The company was hoping the amount of noise made by the skytrain and commuters would shake off the birds, but hasn’t so far.

With the threat of bird poop being a real concern for TransLink, the company decided to bring in a falcon.

Jill Drews, Senior Issues Management Advisor for TransLink says, “the falcon kind of goes in from time to time and scares them away. Hopefully, they remember this is not a safe place to be.”

But there’s more.

In addition to the falcon, Drews says electric strips, that cause a “very,very minor” shock will also be brought in. “It won’t harm the birds. But it’s just irritating so it will hopefully deter them from nesting,” she says.

Spikes and netting will also by installed in an effort to stop the birds from landing.

The pigeons in question could not be reached for a comment.

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeon Patrol's Services Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Hospitals across Central Belt checked for pigeon threat

NHS Lanarkshire confirmed that additional checks will be carried out at Hairmyres, Monklands and Wishaw General with “remedial actions” taken if necessary.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran said all hospital plant rooms were regularly checked for “potential threats.”

John Paterson, NHS Lanarkshire director of property and support services, said: “Planned preventative maintenance programmes are being reviewed and refreshed in light of emerging details from the recent incident at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

“We are currently carrying out additional checks for the presence of pigeons and taking any necessary remedial actions if found or reported.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, which runs hospitals including Crosshouse in Kilmarnock, said: “NHS Ayrshire & Arran Estates Department regularly monitors the safety of the plant rooms at all of our major sites against all potential threats or defects, including access by vermin.

“ Should any infection control issues occur, we work closely with our Infection Control department to deal with them immediately.”

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeons in the News Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Pigeon droppings can STILL be seen at scandal-hit hospital where deaths of child and elderly patient were linked to bird mess infection – as officials order review into £842m design

Pigeon droppings could today still be seen on the ground outside a scandal-hit hospital where two patients died after contracting a fungal infection.

A child, said to be a cancer patient, and a pensioner both died at the hospital in Glasgow after becoming ill with cryptococcus, which is linked to pigeon droppings.

The 14-floor Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, one of the largest in Europe, is under scrutiny after claims the pigeon infestation was known about two years ago.

Separately, a third patient at the same hospital was last night seriously ill with the life-threatening disease of mucoraceous, which is another type of fungus.

Pigeon droppings on the grounds of The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow today

The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board said two patients had tested positive for the condition, with one in a stable and the other in a serious condition.

Today, pigeon droppings could be seen on the ground outside the ultra-modern building, which opened in April 2015, costing £842million.

Meanwhile it also emerged that pest control had been called in this week to another hospital in the city, the New Victoria Hospital in Southside.

Healthcare workers reported concerns about pigeon droppings in an underground car park.

One worker, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said: ‘In the underground car park there is significant pigeon droppings which have remained for the last year.

Pigeons roost on top of the neurology building at the £842million hospital in Glasgow today

‘Every person who uses this stairwell steps in the droppings and tramples it through the whole hospital. No effort has been made to remove the pigeons from the car park.’

What is cryptococcus and who is at risk?

Cryptococcus is a yeast-like fungal infection found in soil and bird faeces that can infect humans who breathe it in.

The infection causes symptoms similar to those faced by people with pneumonia, including coughing, fever and headaches.

Cryptococcus, which normally affects people with weak immune systems, can even impact their mental wellbeing.

But most people who become infected to do not get sick – and it cannot be spread between people.

Pigeons can also transmit the fungal infection of histoplasmosis to humans, as well as bacteria such as E.coli and salmonella – and even a form of encephalitis which can cause the brain to inflame.

But most people who are exposed to pigeons have no problems because they do not come in contact with large quantities of infected droppings.

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: ‘Our pest control contractor has been called to respond to a complaint received (on Tuesday) about pigeon droppings in the car park at the New Victoria hospital.’

The child who died from the infection was reported to be a cancer patient from the Grampian area, while the other person who was infected was an elderly woman, according to the Glasgow Evening Times.

The young patient was among those receiving treatment in the main adult building as a result of contamination in the water supply in the children’s hospital – which led to six paediatric patients developing infections last year, according to a source.

Children being treated in wards 2A, 2B and the adjoining bone marrow transplant unit were transferred to wards in the adult hospital while work is ongoing to upgrade the ventilation and water system.

A hospital source claimed the room the child was transferred to should have included a Hepa air filter.

The health board said portable Hepa filters are now being installed in ‘all the rooms identified as requiring them’ as part of additional infection control measures following the deaths.

The source said: ‘The child that died had been moved from the children’s hospital to a room in the adult hospital. The Hepa filter should already have been fitted.

‘I have been told that there are other rooms in the hospital, where HEPA filters should have been fitted but weren’t.’

Pigeons fly over The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow today after the incidents

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said a ‘small crack’ was identified in the wall of the hospital’s plant room – identified as the source of the infection – and spores from the droppings ‘may have entered the air supply via the ventilation system.

Snags, blunders and deaths at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital

March 2016 Operations cancelled because of sewage leak.

April 2016 Problems found at specialist children’s mental health ward. Its rooftop garden was deemed a health and safety risk; locks not fit for purpose and no staff alarm system to call for back-up.

September 2016 Patients and visitors complain of getting stuck in lifts.

March 2017 ‘Significant concerns’ raised by Healthcare Environment Inspectorate during unannounced visit – including dust and body fluids on patient trolleys and mattresses.

October 2017 Contractors carrying out routine maintenance smash a section of glass on the building’s roof. Emergency helicopters diverted.

November 2017 Automatic entrance doors opening too frequently because of sensor problems. Reception staff given heaters to keep them warm.

December 2017 Cladding similar to Grenfell Tower also found at the QEUH and removed.

March 2018 Bacteria found in the water supply at the Royal Hospital for Children, which is part of the site. Children with cancer, who have low immunity, infected and treated with antibiotics. Taps and ventilation system in the area now being upgraded.

August 2018 Pane of glass fell ten floors and shattered near front entrance, said to be the third time this had happened. Safety netting installed.

October 2018 Blocked waste-pipe damaged ceiling at the entrance of the building.

December 2018 Two patients contract Cryptococcus, linked to pigeons nesting in walls, but this is not made public until weeks later, when Jeane Freeman confirms infection contributed to the death of a child.

January 2019 Health bosses confirm that two other patients have been infected with an unspecified fungal organism caused by a ‘water leak’.

However, the source said they had seen pictures taken by a bacteriologist employed by the health board which showed the plant room – which contains air conditioning and ventilation equipment – in a ‘filthy’ state.

He said the room was ‘infested’ with droppings and pigeon feathers, suggesting several birds had been in the room.

The source said: ‘The room had a serious infestation of pigeon droppings. It was filthy.

‘The Health Board knew about the problem on December 23 but they didn’t take appropriate action. The pigeons were in that room.’

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been approached for comment.

Today, Nicola Sturgeon was pressed on whether the ‘tragic’ death of a child at Scotland’s flagship hospital was linked to the NHS’s £900million repairs and maintenance backlog.

Ms Sturgeon said the situation was ‘a very serious incident that must be and is being treated seriously’.

The First Minister expressed her ‘deepest condolences to the families of the two patients who contracted the infection and who have subsequently died’.

Scottish Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw said the ‘alarming’ situation at the flagship hospital ‘raised wider questions about the Government’s record on the NHS, because there is a £900 million maintenance backlog on NHS buildings, including hospitals in Scotland’.

Pressing the SNP leader at First Minister’s Questions, he said: ‘Is it any wonder then that we do see problems emerging, not just at the Queen Elizabeth but at other hospitals across Scotland?’

The Tory stressed while tens of thousands of Scots had been successfully treated at the hospital the ‘tragic events’ had ‘shaken confidence’.

He also noted public spending watchdogs at Audit Scotland had reported there were currently ‘no coherent proposals to bring our NHS estate up to standard’.

Ms Sturgeon said: ‘At any given time there will be maintenance requirements in the health service estate.

Pigeon droppings could be seen on the ground outside the modern hospital, pictured today

‘The Scottish Government works closely with health boards through our capital allocations to health boards to make sure we’re providing, as far as we can within the resources available to us, capital provision to do that.’

Mucormycosis, a fungal infection suffered by two further patients at the Glasgow hospital

Two patients are currently suffering from mucormycosis at the hospital, which is a rare and severe fungus. infection from the fungi mucorales

The condition has a very high mortality rate of at least 50 per cent, with severe infection of the facial sinuses potentially extending into the brain.

Those at risk are people with impaired immunity from various causes, including serioid use, iron overload, burns or malnutrition.

The condition can be treated through the reversal of underlying disease or surgical management.

She added: ‘I’m not going to go into party political exchanges on this issue, it is too serious for that.

‘But obviously we work within a financial envelope and I think everybody knows that that has been under pressure in recent years and everybody knows the reasons for that.

‘But within that we have prioritised spending on the health service and we will continue to do so.’

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard also challenged her on the outbreak, saying: ‘The awful news that two patients, including a child, died after contracting an infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow has shocked us all.

‘Our sympathies, our thoughts, are with the families who have lost loved ones. This simply should not have happened.’

He also listed a number of incidents at the hospital since it opened four years ago, including a premature baby dying from an infection and 22 children becoming infected from bacteria in the water supply. He challenged Ms Sturgeon over whether this was ‘good enough’.

This chair covered in pigeon droppings was left in the open for three months at the hospital

The First Minister responded: ‘The evidence suggests there is no general problem with infection control.’

She added: ‘Nobody thinks it is good enough for any patient to get an infection in hospital.

‘Infections do happen in hospitals. There is probably not a hospital anywhere that hasn’t had some kind of infection outbreak and the implications for very ill patients can be severe.

‘That is why it is so important that everything possible is done to reduce infection and everything possible will be done in this case to ensure there is repetition.’

Across Scotland she said there had been a fall in hospital infections since a major outbreak of Clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital in West Dunbartonshire more than a decade ago due to improvements in infection control.

Nightingale Associates, which was bought by Canadian firm IBI Group for £13million in June 2010, was the architect behind the hospital.

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeon Patrol's Services Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

HORROR ILLNESS Pigeon poo outbreak – Glasgow superhospital worker claims she was left so ill by pigeons she feared she was dying 2 YEARS before bird filth was linked to child’s death

Jennifer McLoughlin, 43, is suing health chiefs over the problems she suffered while working at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Jennifer told how she feared she was dying after being struck down by an illness she blames on pigeons.

She claims birds nesting in the ceiling above her desk sparked weeks of severe breathing problems.

The mum of two was an admin worker in the neurological unit at the hospital in Glasgow when she started to feel ill.

Tests later blamed her issues on her “environment” — and the flagship health complex is now at the centre of an infection scandal linked to pigeon droppings.

Jennifer was horrified when a bug connected to the birds’ mess was this week confirmed as a factor in the death of a child patient — two years after she raised concerns about the £842million site.

She said: “I knew it was those birds making me ill. I could hear them over my head every day in our office.

“It started with a cough and then it just got worse and worse.

“After a few weeks I was in a horrendous state — I thought I was dying. I couldn’t breathe, I was in and out of hospital and calling ambulances to the house.

“I visited my GP at first then found myself having to go to the out of hours team.

“I would suffer violent coughing fits so bad that I fractured my rib during one of them.

“I was put on eight different types of steroids and inhalers. They ran loads of tests on me — I had X-rays, CT scans and a scope put down my throat.”

Jennifer, of Clydebank, added: “I told them about the pigeons at my workplace and they put it down to environmental issues.

“The birds managed to get in through the air vents and were above us.

“I’d complained loads of time but nothing was done.

“To think something could have been done to save that child — it’s just absolutely disgusting.”

Jennifer needed a month off work as she recovered and on her return demanded to be moved to another office.

Her bosses agreed, but she claims the superhospital didn’t do enough after she raised the alarm in April 2017.

5 QUESTIONS THAT NEED ANSWERED

1 Why didn’t health bosses or the Government alert the public earlier?

2 Would they have made the deaths and infection public had the media not pressed them?

3 Why does an £842m ‘superhospital’ not have adequate preventative measures against invading pigeons?

4 How did pigeon filth enter a closed ventilation system?

5 Are other hospitals being checked for pigeon problems?

She said: “I told them that I wasn’t working in that office again so they moved us. My health got better but I started looking for other jobs straight away, I couldn’t work there anymore.

“I think they knew deep down they were at fault because I was off ill for a month and those days weren’t even subtracted from my sick leave.”

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announced a probe into the superhospital on Tuesday.

It came as she confirmed the cryptococcus infection — which can be breathed in from bird droppings — had been a factor in the death of the child in December.

Another elderly patient at the hospital who also had the infection died from an unrelated cause.

The likely source of the bug has been traced to a plant room. As details of two more infection cases emerged this week, Ms Freeman admitted the hospital “may not be fit for purpose”.

Jennifer, who lives with partner John Fenner, 46, and her children Georgia, nine, and seven-year-old Keenan, now works at the Golden Jubilee in Clydebank.

She went to her union for support after leaving the QEU then contacted Thompsons Solicitors.

They are helping take legal action against NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, claiming her working environment was to blame for her health problems.

She said: “I’m suing them for how ill I was — my rib problem, all of the medication I had to take and how ill I was.

“Up until now they have been denying it — now they can’t hide any more. A child has died and who knows how many others have been affected.

“They should hang their heads in shame.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it was “unable to comment on this ongoing legal case”.

A spokesman for Thompsons Solicitors added: “We are very keen that the health board engage with us to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.”

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeon Patrol's Services Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

TransLink trying to ward off pigeon problem ahead of new SkyTrain platform opening

TransLink is trying to deal with a bird poop problem around the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station.

Pigeons have been nesting at a new platform that’s set to open early next month.

The noise of the SkyTrain — and the hustle and bustle of the commuters — isn’t enough to scare off the birds. So, Jill Drews with TransLink tells us a falcon has been brought in.

“The falcon kind of goes in from time to time and scares them away. Hopefully, they remember this is not a safe place to be.”

Drews says they’ll also be setting up electric strips, “The shock is very, very minor, it won’t harm the birds. But it’s just irritating so it will hopefully deter them from nesting.”

TransLink will also be installing spikes and netting to stop the birds from landing.

The new platform at the Commercial-Broadway station is set to open on Feb. 2. It will allow commuters to enter the westbound SkyTrains from both sides.

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeons in the News Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Florida Man Hunting Pigeons With A Net

mesh bird nettingThere are some weird things that happen in Florida – after all, that is the foundation of the entire Florida Man subReddit, so is it really that shocking that a video has surfaced of a man catching pigeons in a net? Probably not for most.

The majority of questions surrounding the video is about what the man plans on doing with the birds. Although the video posted on World Star HipHop is pretty low quality and only just over 30 seconds in length, you can clearly see a man standing near a group of pigeons with something in his hand. It is soon revealed that “something” is a net that he throws over the birds – successfully catching several.

The video cuts off with the man putting the birds in the back of a vehicle. It is not clear if it is his vehicle or someone else’s – but we would put money on it being his. There is no further information on who the mystery bird man is, so that is also up to speculation. Knowing the internet his identity will not remain a secret for very long.

As for the legality of this man’s actions – well, according to the Chicago Tribune, it is not illegal to catch and eat a city pigeon unless it happens to be someone’s trained homing pigeon.

With that being said, a lot of people are assuming he was catching his dinner.

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeon Patrol's Services Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Ballooning pigeon population: citizens go for a quick fix

pigeon nestStrategic retreat is sometimes the best offense. Citizens of Hyderabad are doing just that as ballooning pigeon population has taken over the city. “We are shelling out ₹2,000 per apartment to get the netting done. As we have 90 apartments, we have bargained the price down to ₹ 9 per sq ft,” says G. Ravi Kiran, a resident of an apartment complex in Hyderguda. “We have been forced to go for the netting as almost all the surrounding apartments have fixed the mesh which has lead to a rise in the number of pigeons frequenting our apartment,” he says. While feeding places have multiplied throughout the city over the past few years, more and more pigeons are taking over unlikely roosting places. “We found a pair and a small chick on the V-junction of a drainage pipe. There was almost no nest except a few sticks,” says Nirmala K., who lives in an apartment complex in Rama Krishna Nagar.

This panic is turning out to be a money-spinner for a clutch of entrepreneurs who have created a business opportunity by covering balconies, ventilator shafts and common areas with pigeon netting. “We are using nets with 40 mm holes to keep out pigeons. The demand is high. We have already covered about 1,000 apartment blocks over the past two years,” says Maitresety Madhav, who took up netting business three years ago.

“If netting is with 1.5 mm thread, the guarantee is for three years and if it is 2.5 mm thread, we guarantee it for seven years,” informs Mr. Madhav.

“I worked in Bengaluru for two years and have set up my own operations in Hyderabad now. We have even covered a temple with pigeon netting,” says Salman Raju, who says the cost varies according to the thickness of the thread.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is caught out of the game, as the feeding spots have sprouted all over the city. From a traffic island at Ameerpet to a parking spot at Masab Tank to the disused Mussalam Jung Bridge in the old city, pigeon feeding spots have multiplied.

“We have put signages in bigger parks, but people still feed pigeons in smaller parks. We are trying to tell people not to stop feeding pigeons,” said an official from Urban Biodiversity wing of the GHMC.

 

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)

Filed Under: Bird Deterrent Products Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Pigeon poo on windshield gets driver $200 fine

A driver has been hit with a £158 ($200) parking fine after his valid permit was covered by pigeon poo.

Southend, U.K., man, Scott Coltart, was slapped with the fine outside his house as parking officers allegedly couldn’t see the permit.

Despite immediately showing the parking inspector the mistake, he was told it was too late and would be forced to appeal the ticket with Southend Council.

Mr Coltart told Southend Standard: “If you just moved your head slightly, you could clearly see the permit was in date.

“Regardless, I immediately wiped the poo away but the man said it was too late and gave us the ticket.

“He was very rude as he slapped it on the windscreen and just said to take it up on appeal.”

But even after lodging their appeal, the 30-year-old and his wife Lisa were told by the council that, although the incident was “unfortunate”, they would still have to pay the fine.

The couple then challenged the ticket a second time and assumed the charge had been dropped, but later received an enforcement letter saying bailiffs would visit their home if it wasn’t paid in full.

Lisa said: “The only thing I can see we can do is pay it but we shouldn’t have to. We have two young children and we’re both self-employed.

“We work so hard for our kids – we can’t have bailiffs coming to our home. Bird poo is not something we can control.

“The fine says we had an invalid permit but that just isn’t true and our street is checked several times a day.”

A Southend Council spokesman said: “We are currently discussing this claim with our contractor and will be in touch with the residents directly.”

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeons in the News Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Death of child at Glasgow hospital linked to pigeon droppings infection

pigeon toxicityPigeon droppings were a contributing factor to an infection which led to a child’s death at Scotland’s flagship hospital.

The child died at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and a post-mortem found that they had inhaled fungus which is primarily found in pigeon droppings.

Another patient was also infected but it is thought the infection did not contribute to their death.

Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said a review would be carried out in the design, build, handover and maintenance of the flagship hospital.

She told MSPs that traces of pigeon excrement had been found in a top floor room where there was a small crack in the wall which was “invisible to the naked eye”.

The hospital was built for the Scottish Government at a cost of £842 million and opened at the end of April 2015.

Despite the hospital having only recently been constructed, Ms Freeman said there appeared to be a “number of instances” where the fabric of building was “less than satisfactory”.

After visiting the hospital, the Scottish health secretary said: “I have agreed a review, with external expert advice, that will look at the design of the building, the commissioning of the work, the construction of the building, the handover of the building and the maintenance of the building, in order to ensure we identify where issues were raised that should have been addressed and where maintenance programmes now should be perhaps more robust or more frequent.”

Ms Freeman announced the review after setting out “clear factual points” on the two patient deaths to MSPs at Holyrood.

She said the Cryptococcus bacteria had initially been identified in one patient in November 2018 but was not linked to that person’s death the following month.

Ms Freeman added: “In December a post-mortem of a child who has passed away conformed that Cryptococcus was both present and a contributory factor in their death.”

She explained the second case triggered the introduction of additional infection control measures by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, including prescribing anti-fungal medication to “vulnerable patients” and the provision of additional air filters.

“I am confident the board have taken all the steps they should to ensure and maintain patient safety,” she said.

Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said the public would be “shocked” to learn one of those who had died was a child as she claimed there had been a “complete lack of clarity” from the health board about the infection.

Ms Lennon said: “I think the people of Scotland will feel it is absolutely extraordinary that in a modern hospital, Scotland’s flagship and apparently super hospital no less, we have a situation where pigeons and infections can kill patients.

“If this unthinkable and deadly infection can happen at the flagship Queen Elizabeth, what is to stop it happening at other hospitals?”

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeon Patrol's Services Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Bird bond: The story of an Alberta rancher and his favourite pigeon

In just a few weeks, an Alberta man and a pigeon that showed up at his ranch have become inseparable.

Greg and Maureen Germscheid say the pigeon, which Greg calls Pidge, first flew onto their property last September.

This pigeon seems to have taken a shine to Greg Germscheid, a rancher from the Entwistle, Alta., area.

“He looked so terrible when he came here,” Maureen Germscheid told CTV Edmonton.

Their concern grew through the fall, as Pidge continued to show up at the ranch near Entwistle, Alta. A few weeks ago, Greg decided to pick up the pigeon. When the bird didn’t resist or struggle, he says, a bond was formed.

The Germscheids soon found themselves amazed by Pidge’s quirks and seeming intelligence. The bird responds to mentions of its new name and seems eager to accompany Greg on his tractor and the occasional sleigh ride.

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeon Patrol's Services Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Driver fined £158 when pigeon poo covered his parking permit

pigeon droppingsScott Coltart, 30, and his wife Lisa received a £158 fine despite Scott running out into the street in his boxers to show him the valid permit. He said: ‘If you just moved your head slightly, you could clearly see the permit was in date.  ‘Regardless, I immediately wiped the poo away but the man said it was too late and gave us the ticket. ‘He was very rude as he slapped it on the windscreen and just said to take it up on appeal.’ The couple, who have two young children, immediately appealed the ticket with the appropriate evidence – showing their permit was valid. Blind veteran, 97, begs to be allowed to die at home They claimed they received a response which acknowledged the ‘unfortunate’ situation but the fine was upheld by Southend Council, Essex. Scott added: ‘Again, we thought this was ludicrous and vowed to fight it all the way to court. We appealed a second time even though we knew if we lost, the fine would increase.’ The couple, from Southend, claim they heard nothing and assumed they had won until an enforcement notice arrived demanding they pay £158. The letter warned that bailiffs would visit their home if the amount was not paid in full. Lisa added: ‘I immediately got in touch with a solicitor to sort it out but there’s no way that can be done before the sum has to be paid on January 22. ‘The only thing I can see we can do is pay it but we shouldn’t have to. We have two young children and we’re both self-employed. ‘We work so hard for our kids – we can’t have bailiffs coming to our home. Bird poo is not something we can control. ‘The fine says we had an invalid permit but that just isn’t true and our street is checked several times a day.’ A spokesman for Southend Council said: ‘We are currently discussing this claim with our contractor and will be in touch with the residents directly.’

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeons in the News Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

When pigeons pitched in for the cause

A chronic problem for spies operating in enemy territory is transmitting their findings to their home base. The problem was especially acute in World War II Europe, where German signal-detection technology, based on triangulation skills, took a deadly toll on agents.

The British spy services delved into history for their solution: The use of carrier pigeons to speed information from agent to headquarters. The story is told in a splendidly readable account by Gordon Corera, veteran national security correspondent for the BBC.

For reasons mysterious to us Yanks, the harboring of vast flocks of carrier pigeons is a national pastime for uncountable Brits, whose flocks number into the hundreds.

During the first months of the war, Britain’s chief intelligence arm, MI6, frantically sought information of whether — or when — German forces would sweep out of Europe and invade. Spymasters delved into antiquity for the answer. Noah had pigeons on his famed ark to send reports on flood waters; Julius Caesar used birds during his conquest of Gaul. Pigeons were widely used in World War I. Why not give birds a try?

Britain had two societies of pigeon fanciers that happily supplied the needed birds. For reasons that baffle botanists, homing pigeons have the knack of flying back to their home roosts, whatever the distance.

But could they manage the 100+ miles from Europe back to England? Test flights were successful.

Thus the procedure. Six birds were gently packed into a crate that was tied to a three-and-a-half-foot parachute. Attached to each crate was an envelope with a questionnaire about German installations (and, thoughtfully, a pencil and half-a-pound of pigeon food, to be doled out a cup daily). Return messages were inserted into a small cylinder attached to each bird’s leg.

Thus was hatched Operation Columba (“columba” being the Latin scientific term for pigeon), which despite occasional glitches proved valuable for British intelligence.

The immediate concern was a possible cross-channel invasion. So the first queries dealt with concentrations of German troops and equipment depots in Belgium that could be targeted for bombing.

Two days after the initial drop in April 1940, the first pigeon returned to its roost in Kent with exactly the information sought: The location of a munitions dump, a report on a German artillery movement and a note that enemy morale “is not too good.”

The swift return, followed by many others, answered a key question: Would persons in occupied areas risk their lives to answer the pigeon-borne queries? The response was overwhelming: Many citizens of both Belgium and France were disgusted with their leaders’ swift capitulation to the Germans, and wished to demonstrate their personal bravery.

In many instances, the pigeon messages were dispatched by a single individual — for instance, a farmer who found a parachute while making his morning rounds and scrawled what he knew before tossing the bird into the air.

There were notable examples of how Operation Columba inspired the formation of ad hoc resistance groups. Mr. Corera tells of a farmer who found a pigeon and decided to take it (hidden in a sack of potatoes) to a family he knew were patriots.

The three brothers and two sisters of the Debaillies family, although they hated the Germans, were divided. Two men felt the “risk was too great.” But they decided to contact a priest, Father Joseph Raskin, who had worked underground against the Germans in World War I, (being jailed twice) and was ready to resist again.

Raskin and friends went to work surveying German military activities in their area. A key item of information was that coastal defenses were being strengthened — a signal to British intelligence that the Germans were now preparing to defend against an invasion, rather than launch one of their own.

Raskin used a magnifying glass to ensure he crammed as much detail as possible onto two thin sheets of rice paper. His product is reproduced in the book. Once can only speculate the excitement with which intel analysts pored over the pages.

One page bore a symbol, a circle with a curley L sitting on a V, with “Our Shield!” scrawled alongside, a signal to watch for subsequent messages. The cell took the name “Leopold Vindictive” and send back uncountable messages.

The Germans, unsurprisingly, found enough pigeons to deduce what was going on and launched counter-measures: Falcons, a pigeon’s worst enemy. They also scattered their own pigeons, hoping to entrap resistance fighters.

Nonetheless, Operation Columba continued through D-Day and beyond, with pigeon-borne serving as messengers. There was a deadly price, of course: Of the 16,000 pigeons sent out, only 1 of 10 made it back alive. Perhaps a memorial statue is in order?

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeons in the News Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

‘Pidge’ the pet pigeon finds home on Alberta ranch

pigeons passenger pigeonWhen a scruffy pigeon first flew onto the Germscheid family ranch near Entwistle, Greg didn’t know what to think.

“He looked so terrible when he came here,” the rancher recalled of Sept. 19, when he first noticed the bird.

But three weeks ago, Greg extended a hand to the pigeon in friendship.

“I actually picked him up in both hands and he didn’t struggle,” Greg recalled.

It turns out—as pigeons go—the nicknamed ‘Pidge’ is somewhat remarkable.

“He just seems to have taken on a personality, you know?”

Now, Pidge comes when called, perches on Greg’s shoulder and goes for sleigh rides.

The two are nearly inseparable.

“Every morning, Greg gets up and says, ‘I better go see my Pidge, see how he’s doing,’” Maureen, Greg’s wife, told CTV News.

The Germscheids don’t know what makes Pidge so friendly or smart. They’ve wondered if pigeon sees them as parents, or if he came from a breeder.

Or—they’ve considered—Pidge is just an exceptional animal.

“There’s a little magic in everything, you know?” Greg asked.

The couple doesn’t cage Pidge, so he could leave as suddenly as he showed up. However, no matter what he chooses, Pidge will have friends among the Germscheids.

 

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)

Filed Under: Bird Deterrent Products Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Pigeon problems at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital first reported more than two years ago

pigeon showOn Saturday, two patients died after contracting a fungal infection linked to pigeon droppings.

While one death was reportedly not a result of contracting Cryptococcus, health chiefs are now looking into the passing of another patient, believed to be a child, as the factors leading to the death are currently unclear.

It was reported on Sunday that the Scottish Government had been aware of the issue since December.

However, a freedom of information request which has been shared with the Evening Times shows complaints relating to pigeons in the ceiling of the super hospital were made as early as January 2017.

Throughout 2017 a total of 12 issues were flagged up relating to the birds in just one department of the building.

In August and September 2017 the problem of pigeon dropping being in close-proximity to patients was shared with environmental staff at NHSGreater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), with one reporting pigeons roosting and fouling at an ambulance entrance.

NHSGGC declined to comment on the series of 2017 complaints relating to the birds. A spokesman for the health board said: “Like many very large buildings the hospital can at times attract birds.

“We have a number of control measures in place to prevent them gathering and are exploring further options to add to the existing measures.”

According to the freedom of information document, written in 2018, pigeon excrement is “periodically brushed away” and areas are power washed as required.

Netting and spikes were also installed at the hospital to prevent pigeons roosting.

However, this is limited in periods when temperatures are low to avoid ice forming.

The document adds: “NHSGGC endeavours always to provide the best experience possible for patients, their relatives, our staff, and other members of the public, in premises which are pleasant, and conducive to good health and recovery.

“The situation with the pigeons is continually monitored by NHSGGC and we are proactive in our efforts to reduce the problem.

“However, we have sought comments from our consultant in public health with special responsibility for environmental concerns who advised us that, in general, the risk for health posed by exposure to these pests is considered to be relatively minor.

“We are aware that this particular issue concerns a hospital and a population of potentially vulnerable patients rather than a residential or commercial premises, but an infestation of this kind would normally be considered as an environmental nuisance rather than a major risk for human health.”

In a statement following the deaths an NHSGGC spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with the families at this distressing time.

“These two cases of infection were identified in December and an Incident Management Team was formed. A likely source was identified and dealt with immediately.

“We are unable to comment further on the two cases due to patient confidentiality.”

On Friday some patients with compromised immunity, both children and adults, were transferred to other areas of the hospital away from the source of the infection.

The health board have since confirmed that the affected area is “non-public” and the droppings had been removed.

Alongside this, air quality tests have been carried, with filters being installed to monitor this and are said to be working effectively. No other cases have yet been detected.

The infection is caused by inhaling spores of the fungus Cryptococcus, carried in the air, found in the bird’s ­droppings. Most infections are mild and produce either no symptoms or a minor influenza – like illness.

However the disease can cause meningitis, high fever, blood abnormalities, pneumonia and even death.

Those experiencing issues with their immune system are the most susceptible to complications, with the infection remaining rare amongst healthy individuals.

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeons in the News Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Ex-minister calls for inquiry into deaths linked to pigeon droppings at flagship hospital

A former health secretary has called for an inquiry into the deaths of two hospital patients who contracted a rare infection linked to pigeon droppings. Alex Neil said the cause of the deaths and the handling of the cases by Scotland’s biggest health had to be looked into. The Cryptococcus infections have been linked to the excrement of birds that got into a non-public area at the flagship Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGCC) has launched a probe into the death of one patient, with the cause still to be determined. The health board said the second patient affected – who was elderly – died of an unrelated matter. The Scottish government confirmed the infection was reported in December. Mr Neil told BBC Scotland: “I think there has to be an outside inquiry by experts to find why this happened in the first place, secondly how it has been handled by the health board and, thirdly, what precautions need to be taken for the future.” The SNP MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, who was health secretary between 2012 and 2014, questioned why it took three weeks for the news to be made public. He added: “There are confusing messages coming out of the health board so they need to clarify the situation and do so as a matter of urgency.” “There are confusing messages coming out of the health board so they need to clarify the situation and do so as a matter of urgency” Alex Neil A non-public room, thought to contain machinery, has been identified as a likely source. Measures have been taken to keep pigeons out of the area while portable units that filter the air continuously have been installed. A Scottish government spokesman: “Our primary concern, and that of the Health Board, remains the safety and wellbeing of the patients and their families at the hospital. “There is an on-going review of two isolated cases of an unusual fungal infection within the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital site, which were detected in December 2018.” A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board said an investigation remains ongoing. “These two cases of infection were identified in December and an incident management team was formed. “A likely source was identified and dealt with immediately. “The small number of paediatric and adult patients who are vulnerable to this infection are receiving medication to prevent potential infection and this has proved effective. “Air sampling was carried out and HEPA filters were brought in on 10 January to specific areas before conclusive results were available. “Results identifying the organism were obtained on 16 January. “Early indications suggest the filters are having a positive effect. “The organism is harmless to the vast majority of people and rarely causes disease in humans. “We are unable to comment further on the two cases due to patient confidentiality.”

 

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)

Filed Under: Bird Deterrent Products Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Britain’s pigeon fanciers flock to show of the year

In January, thousands of pigeon fanciers flock to the seaside resort of Blackpool where the fastest and most beautiful pigeons are cooed over by some of the most expert keepers in the game.

The British Homing World Show of the Year is the UK’s biggest gathering of pigeon fanciers, attracting up to 15,000 people to the northwest coast of England.

“Whether you are a new member, curious about pigeons, or a veteran pigeon fancier, there is something for everyone at the show,” the event promises.

It is held in Blackpool’s historic Winter Gardens venue.

The Beatles, Queen and Oasis have played in the ballroom and every post-World War II British prime minister has spoken there during party conferences.

But on the third weekend in January, the ballroom is filled with more than 2,000 pigeons, divided into those bred for showing and for racing.

“The atmosphere is very good. It’s basically a reunion for pigeon fanciers. There are people from all over the country meeting up once a year,” said David Trippett, chairman of the show’s organising committee.

“It’s all good competition. Win or lose, people still have a smile on their face,” he told AFP.

– Year-round commitment –

The stereotypical portrayal of a pigeon fancier — working class and from the industrial cities of northern England — no longer rings true.

Queen Elizabeth II keeps pigeons, and the royal loft manager was at the show.

Trippett said it took a special kind of person to keep pigeons.

“It’s commitment. You have to have a commitment to pigeons to be a good pigeon racer,” he said.

“It’s a 365-days-a-year occupation. You can’t go off for a couple of days and leave them. They need cleaning out, feeding, training.

“It’s a lifestyle. You just do it and enjoy it. There’s no finer experience than seeing your pigeons coming home, pigeons that you have fed, bred and nurtured, coming back to your loft from a 500-mile race.

You think: ‘I did that’.”

The show dates back to 1972 and has been held in Blackpool since 1977. Profits go to charity.

Besides the ballroom, trade stalls sell every conceivable pigeon accessory, and birds themselves are up for sale.

– Pigeon v tech –

Trippett said the sport was struggling to compete in a world of video games and digital entertainment.

“It’s fighting with a technological age and it is declining because of that but we are coming up with new incentives to bring more people into the sport,” he said.

There’s a young fanciers programme and lofts are being installed in schools. They are particularly successful with children with special educational needs, said Trippett.

Technology is also creeping into the sport, with live streams of lofts.

Pigeon fancier John Bell won the supreme champion show pigeon title for the seventh time — and the fourth time in a row.

This year’s winner, who is unnamed, was a one-year-old chequer cock pigeon, who won a competition in Scotland to qualify for Blackpool.

“It’s a fantastic achievement. It’s the pinnacle. It’s like winning the lottery for everyone else,” Bell told AFP.

“You’ve got to keep them in the best condition you can; bug free, lice free. The preparation for next year starts now.

“On the judging day, you’re prepping them up to keep them spotless.

“We pride ourselves on this.”

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeon Patrol's Services Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Two Dead Following Infection Linked to Pigeon Droppings at Hospital

pigeon patrolTwo people died this month after contracting a fungal infection linked to pigeon droppings.

According to The Guardian, investigators believe the individuals contracted the disease at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, Scotland. The patients—a child and an elderly man—were being treated for Cryptococcus, an airborne fungus that’s typically linked to wild bird feces. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the board that runs the hospital, confirmed that the senior man died from unrelated the causes, while the factors contributing to the child’s death are still under investigation.

NHS officials announced the hospital has taken “control measures” to ensure other patients aren’t infected. Though Cryptococcus is considered harmless to the majority of humans, the hospital has installed portable air filters to prevent further infections. A small group of child and adult patients who may be vulnerable to the infection been given preventative medication. Officials also said the likely source was found in a non-public hospital room that has since been cleaned.

“[…] Most people who are exposed to it never get sick from it,” Teresa Inkster of NHSGGC told The Guardian. “We are continuing to monitor the air quality and these results are being analyzed. It remains our priority to ensure a safe environment for patients and staff.”

The hospital has not identified any other Cryptococcus cases since the control measures were implemented.

The NHS said it could not provide any more details about the aforementioned deaths due to patient confidentiality.

 

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)

Filed Under: Pigeon Patrol's Services Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Inter-state burglar held, items worth Rs 8L seized

Bengaluru: Mahalakshmi Layout police have arrested a 39-year-old inter-state thief who used to burgle houses during daytime on the pretext of searching for pigeons. Stolen valuables worth Rs 8 lakh have been recovered from him. The arrested is Manjunath alias Parivala Manja, a resident of Kurubarahalli and native of Vellore. Police sources said Manja has been operating in Bengaluru and other cities for the past 15 years and has been arrested several times in the past. On getting released from jail, he would continue to burgle houses. Police said Manja was into pigeon rearing and racing. He would go around different localities on the pretext of flying or racing birds and would identify locked houses. When questioned by neighbours or passersby, he would claim that he was searching for pigeons. Police said he would shift houses frequently to avoid the police dragnet. Duo held for stealing bikes Two men have been arrested for allegedly stealing high-end bikes. The arrested are Mohammed Umrez Pasha, a resident of Shivajinagar and Zaheer Alam, 35, a resident of RT Nagar. According to police, Pasha recently quit his job as a software professional in a multinational firm. He befriended Zaheer Alam and decided to steal bikes. The duo stole three KTM Duke bikes in 15 days. However, their luck ran out when cops swooped down on them in the guise of potential customers.

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)

Filed Under: Pigeon Spikes Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

Boomer the homing pigeon finds home

pigeon lifeBoomer has a new home and a flock to fly with.

The banded pigeon who had taken up temporary residence at the Silver Creek home of Debbie Marzoni in June is roosting and flying in Kamloops.

Arriving in Marzoni’s backyard in early summer, Boomer happily accepted food, settled into her greenhouse and followed her around as she worked in the garden, while keeping a wary eye out for her cats.

While the greenhouse was a suitable summer abode, in September Marzoni began worrying about how the pigeon would fare in winter. The band Boomer was wearing was outdated and untraceable.

As cooler weather approached, Marzoni acted on expert advice, including taking Boomer as far away as Vernon in the hopes the bird would file a new flight plan.

But Boomer found her way back to the Silver Creek greenhouse within a couple of days.

In late September, Marzoni began seeking more suitable accommodation and, following a story in the Observer, received offers of a new home.

The one Marzoni chose for Boomer, who turns out to be female, is Greg Wagner and his Doves Above Kamloops, located at his home near Thompson Rivers University.

Wagner and his pure white “doves” are released for special celebrations in the Kamloops area. Following their release, the birds fly back to their comfortable home.

“There are two types of doves; true doves don’t have a homing instinct,” he says, pointing out why he can’t actually use doves for his business. “These are pure white homing pigeons.”

Rather than feeling duped, Wagner says most people attending the celebrations are usually keenly interested in the birds.

Wagner, whose family lives in Salmon Arm, was made aware of Boomer’s need for a home in an email from his sister.

“Are you missing a bird? Do you want a bird?”

He met Boomer when he came home for Thanksgiving and has since introduced her to the flock.

“She’s doing fine; I kept her inside for almost two months,” he says, noting when he first let her out with another group of birds, Boomer flew up and looked around. “She stayed out for the first night, which is common; it has happened with other birds I’ve re-homed.”

Wagner says he thinks the reason the birds stay out for a night or so has to do with their homing instinct.

“Maybe they go away to reactivate the homing instinct,” he says. “but after a night out, I think she realized there was food and water here so she came back.”

Although she’s getting better at keeping up with the other birds, Wagner says he’s not sure Boomer has the greatest homing instinct.

“She’s a little bit off,” he says, noting homing pigeons can return home from 200 miles away or more. “A bird from Lethbridge was sold to a Vancouver owner but two or three days later turned up back in Lethbridge.”

While she may not become part of the flying business, Wagner has other plans for Boomer and a darker male pigeon in the flock.

He had no intentions of breeding the male – who had other ideas and has since bred with Boomer, so he plans to use them as surrogate parents.

He removed Boomer’s eggs, which she produced at the end of last week, and says, not only does he not plan to breed the amorous pair, this is not a good time to incubate eggs.

Laughingly Wagner notes, he removed Boomer’s eggs and replaced them with wooden ones he purchased on Amazon.

“After 10 or 12 days, they’ll abandon the wooden eggs.”

Next up for Wagner and Doves Above Kamloops is a bridal show at the end of January. He has previously been called upon to release birds at weddings, funerals and a special cross removal ceremony at a local church.

 

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)

Filed Under: Bird Deterrent Products Tagged With: 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-SGEL, Bird Control, bird repellant, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellant, stainless steel bird spikes, stainless steel bird spikes vancouver, UltraSonic Bird Control

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