by Pigeon Patrol | Jun 10, 2015 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
PHILADELPHIA (CN) -An animal rights groups stalked, harassed and defamed members of the Philadelphia Gun Club – who occasionally use live pigeons as targets – and went so far as to glue dildoes outside the club, members claim in court.
The gun club and eight members sued Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, and Illinois-based animal rights group, and five of its members, Federal Court.
The shooters claim the defendants engaged in a “pattern of harassment, hounding, intimidation, trespass, invasion of privacy and intrusion” against members of the club, which has operated in Bucks County, Pa., since 1877.
The gun club says it uses live pigeons supplied by “pest control companies” 10 to 12 times a year for members to shoot with shotguns loaded with bird shot.
At least 20 times in the past two years, SHARK has set up camp at the club’s driveway and blocked the road, filmed members coming and going, and got access to the property’s security gate code and posted it on the Internet to “incite others to commit physical crimes against the PGC property,” according to the lawsuit.
SHARK members also glued “rubber facsimiles of male genitalia” outside the property, then filmed it and posted the movie on the Internet, according to the complaint.
At least three times in 2013 and 2014, gun club members say, the animal rights group surrounded the property with loudspeakers and played recorded vulgar and profane messages for hours at high volume. They claims that SHARK members jotted down their license plates to try to learn their identities, followed them, created Internet posts identifying them, and posted inflammatory videos of them on the Internet.
SHARK did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. But on its website, SHARK claims that its campaign has reduced the club’s membership.
“I am pleased to inform you that our relentless efforts against the notorious Philadelphia Gun Club have dramatically reduced the number of shooters attending their live pigeon shoots,” an unsigned letter on the website states.
Plaintiffs – who are described in the lawsuit as businessmen or physicians — say they’ve lost business because SHARK posts false “reviews” about them on social networking applications such as Facebook and Yelp.
“The plaintiffs are each well-respected members of their communities, and the contents of defendants’ false and defamatory statements – which include allegations of criminal conduct, of deviant sexual misconduct, of mental illness and cruelty, and of multiple instances of ‘corruption’ and dishonesty – are such that the reputation of each plaintiff has been lowered in the estimation of his community and has deterred third parties from associating or dealing with him,” the lawsuit states.
Gun club members seek $150,000 each for violations of the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, trespass, defamation, libel, invasion of privacy, tortious interference with existing and prospective contractual relations and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
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 | Jun 2, 2015 | Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
Despite measures in place at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport to keep birds away, bird strikes have gone up over the years, shows data. In 2014, around 67 suspected bird strikes at the Mumbai airport were reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), up from 49 suspected bird strikes in 2013.
The growing number forced the Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) to purchase an avian-deterrent variety of grass recently to plant near the runway on a trial basis.
Pariah kites, pigeons, common myna, egrets and crows are some of the birds involved in bird strikes at the airport, according to MIAL.
When an aircraft makes the final approach towards the airport, these birds are likely to hit the aircraft.
Avian-deterent Ryegrass, purchased by MIAL, has natural fungus in the form of endophyte, which produces chemicals that deter insect growth. According to the Association of Private Airport Operators, while bird strikes lead to losses of over Rs 20 crore annually to the Indian aviation industry, they are also a serious threat to passenger safety.
“A 30-lbs goose striking the windscreen of a plane flying at 200 knots (in circuit speed) creates a relative impact of 20 tonne, which could cause serious damage to aircraft and pose a risk to the lives of passengers. The civic authorities never pay attention to environmental issues when it comes to airline operations,” said Captain Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation safety expert.
There are approximately 250 slaughterhouses near the airport, which attract birds in the area, besides the garbage ‘hill’ at the Deonar dumping ground that lies in the approach funnel of the Mumbai airport.
“Besides the Deonar garbage hill attracting birds, flowing near the airport is the filthy Mithi river. Further, within the airport, there are open drains, making it a haven for birds,” said Dr Satish Pande, director of Ela Foundation, an NGO. MIAL has asked the NGO to conduct a survey to understand the behaviour of birds in the 10-km radius of the airport (risk zone), and suggest solutions to avoid bird strikes.
“There is also a small bat colony in front of terminal 1-B and these bats leave their roost at night. We have proposed trimming of trees to dissuade such colonies after taking all necessary permission,” said Pande, whose report will be submitted to MIAL this month.
Besides bursting crackers, MIAL uses launchers and cartridges that cause an exploding and whistling sound, and vehicle mounted scarecrow during the day. At night, laser bird repellent torches are used to scare birds during poor visibility.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 31, 2015 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
Three oil sands companies say scores of birds were killed after landing at their waste facilities in east-central Alberta, Canada, even though their avian deterrents were operational at the time.
All three companies – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNRL), Syncrude and Suncor – said the birds began landing the morning of Nov. 4 and that their wildlife deterrents were working properly at the time. However, a dense fog was reported at the time, which may have disoriented the birds, contributing to their deaths.
All told, 122 waterfowl died on the companies’ tailing ponds, where waste from oil extraction is dumped, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) reported on Nov. 5. CNRL reported finding 60 dead birds at its Horizon site, and Syncrude said it had to euthanize 30 birds that landed on a similar facility at its Mildred Lake site.
Suncor said that about 120 birds closed in on one of its waste ponds at about the same time, but its deterrents frightened most of them away. Six, though, managed to land.
Investigators sent in by the AER are trying to determine whether the companies’ deterrents were, in fact, working that day. The deterrents include ordinary scarecrows as well as more high-tech devices as radar units and acoustic devices such as propane cannons, which shoot nothing more dangerous than noise, to scare wildlife from toxic areas.
The oil companies expressed concern about the birds’ deaths. CNRL spokeswoman Julie Woo said in an e-mail to Canadian Broadcasting Corp. News, “We are saddened that approximately 60 waterfowl were not deterred and we are currently in the process of confirming the final affected number.”
Will Gibson of Syncrude offered a similar sentiment. He said his company noted increased bird activity in the region that morning. “As a result of these observations,” he told Global News, “our bird deterrent system went into heightened alert.”
“We don’t want our operations to harm wildlife,” Gibson said, “so we’re going to be reviewing our systems to see if there’s additional areas to improve on what we’ve already implemented.”
Syncrude, a major oil sands operator in the region, was hit with a $3 million fine for the deaths of more than 1,600 ducks that had landed on its tailings pond in 2008.
Mike Hudema of Greenpeace Canada says wildlife deterrent systems aren’t enough, and that the oil sands operations need to get rid of tailings ponds, period. “The systems that they put in place to try to keep birds off are not working,” he said. “The only way to keep birds and animals safe in, really, what is a toxic brew of chemicals is to get these tailings ponds off the Alberta landscape.”
AER spokesman Ryan Bartlett said his agency is investigating the incident, but the results may not be known for months. Meanwhile, neither Alberta’s Environment or Energy ministry would comment, leaving the matter to AER. Provincial Premier Jim Prentice said he’d have nothing to say until the AER issues a report on its investigation.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 19, 2015 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Pigeons have been steady residents of Copenhagen City Hall’s tower for over 100 years, but that has now come to a sad end.
Pigeons have made their home in Copenhagen City Hall’s tower since 1905, but on Tuesday the current flock of around 120 pigeons living in the seat of local government were euthanized after contracting psittacosis, an infection spread through bird droppings.
“There have been pigeons since the City Hall was completed and we have always been proud of that. This is absolutely not something we are happy about,” Kåre Jørgensen, a City Hall spokesman, told DR.
Psittacosis, also known as parrot fever, can also spread to humans and two workers who helped take care of the birds came down with flu-like symptoms but have since been cleared to return to work.
Jørgensen said that although the infection could have been treated, it would have been too hard on the pigeons.
“If we were to [treat them, ed.] it would require that the pigeons be shut up in our tower for four months. The veterinarian determined that that would be a gross violation of the animal’s welfare, so we couldn’t subject them to that,” he told DR.
Jørgensen said officials haven’t yet decided whether they will attempt to repopulate the City Hall tower with a new flock of pigeons. To do so, the dead birds would first have to be removed and the entire tower would have to be disinfected.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 19, 2015 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
When it comes to reducing collisions with the glass of the new Minnesota Vikings stadium, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, environmental advocates told stadium officials Friday.
There’s already a proven solution — “fritted” or patterned glass — which would cost only about $1 million and is being used successfully at places such as the Javits Center in New York City, they say. That’s better than waiting for a potential fix from 3M that might never come to fruition.
Michele Kelm-Helgen, chair of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, which is overseeing construction of the new $1 billion facility, said at a Friday morning meeting that she was open to a fuller discussion of the issue next month but that “the glass decision on the building has been made.”
The transparent design was approved after vetting by several stakeholder groups and is part of what will make the stadium “an iconic building that people are going to want to be part of,” Kelm-Helgen said. Fritted glass would clash with that look, officials have said.
If there is a solution from 3M that would be transparent to humans but detectable by birds and is possibly more energy efficient to boot, “that would be a very win-win situation for all of us, and so that’s why we’re working on that and pursuing that,” Kelm-Helgen said.
She confirmed earlier this month that the authority was in talks with 3M, the Vikings and the Audubon Society about testing possible “bird-safe window film solutions.”
The status of any such product was unclear Friday.
Kelm-Helgen said that 3M has said it has some existing products it wants to test for bird-deterrent qualities, as well as some new products under development that might work. She stressed that it’s early in the process and details aren’t finalized.
“There is no product yet,” said 3M spokeswoman Fanna Haile-Selassie. Company scientists believe they may be able to find a solution, hopefully by this spring, Haile-Selassie said.
All of which makes some bird advocates suspect the 3M possibility is a red herring being floated by the authority to distract from the fritted glass solution.
“It’s absurd, absolutely absurd, that you’re now pointing to a possible future solution and taking refuge in that as some kind of action that you’re taking to deal with this massacre of birds that’s going to occur unless you change course and change the glass,” Constance Pepin of Minneapolis told authority members.
Brad Bourn, a member of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, said a $1 million fix on a billion-dollar project would be “the equivalent on the park board of painting a swing-set blue instead of green in the final design.”
But Kelm-Helgen said the $1 million is only the cost for the fritted glass. Changing direction at this point also would mean wasting the glass already fabricated for the project, the value of which she said she couldn’t estimate. Plus it would necessitate a redesign and cause a delay, the duration of which she said she was not sure of.
And authority board member John Griffith assured bird advocates they were being heard. “I think that they’ve shown that there’s a large constituency that cares very much about this issue,” he said.
Griffith said he’s personally affected when he sees birds that have died after colliding with buildings. “Every once in a while, whether it’s downtown Minneapolis or wherever, you see one of those little fellows on the sidewalk. It bums me out, there’s no question about that.”
Testing of a bird-safe solution this spring would begin on other existing buildings, Kelm-Helgen said, with the stadium being added to the test after the building is finished in 2016.
The new stadium will have about 190,000 square feet of glass. It sits in downtown Minneapolis in what’s called the “Mississippi flyway” for migrating 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)
PHILADELPHIA (CN) -An animal rights groups stalked, harassed and defamed members of the Philadelphia Gun Club – who occasionally use live pigeons as targets – and went so far as to glue dildoes outside the club, members claim in court.
