Cast a ballot for eliminating pigeons. - Activists for animal rights dismayed over decision to eliminate pigeons.
Despite the majority vote approving the culling of pigeons in Limburg, animal activists are not ready to throw in the towel yet. Members of the pigeon project were stunned after the recent referendum on Sunday, in which a majority of voters endorsed the city council's decision to limit the city's pigeon population. "We're speechless. We're devastated," they wrote on their Facebook page. The day was described as "a tragic day for animal rights."
In November of last year, the Limburg City Council held a majority vote to hire a falconer to reduce the pigeon population within the city. The plan involved killing the birds through neck snaps. This decision faced strong resistance from animal right groups, eventually culminating in a petition for a citizens' initiative, leading to the referendum.
The president of the German Animal Welfare Federation, Thomas Schröder, stated that the majority of voters in Limburg had "signed a death warrant for the pigeons" with their votes. He promised to file a criminal complaint if the birds were actually killed. Other organizations, such as the Association of People for Animal Rights - Federal Association of Animal Experiment Opponents and the Erna-Graff Foundation for Animal Protection, also threatened legal action due to the perceived illegality of the pigeon killing. A lawful opinion supported their argument. These organizations are also exploring ways to prevent the birds' slaughter.
Limburg's mayor, Marius Hahn (SPD), mentioned that the citizens had opted to "reduce the pigeon population in the city on the Lahn using a falconer who stuns and kills the birds" over the following two years. There's currently a review underway, Hahn stressed. The Hessian Administrative Court, to which the city is appealing, had linked the pigeon cull to specific criteria in a 2011 judgment, including a particular population size, health risks, or damage to structures. The county also sees the licenses issued to the two falconers as part of this context.
As part of this review of legality, particularly proportionality, it's also necessary to confirm if the conditions for the implementation are met. An estimation by a city representative suggests that this process will require several months. "We're probably in late autumn," he informed the German Press Agency.
The main source of the Limburg pigeon controversy was primarily complaints from residents, restaurateurs, and market vendors around the Limburg New Market about droppings and inconveniences. A count indicated that there were around 700 pigeons in the city at that time.
Representatives of the Limburg City Pigeon Project are prepared to wait for the review before taking any further action. They take care of injured urban and wild pigeons, assist with letter pigeons that can no longer find their way back to their dovecotes, and assist with raising pigeon chicks. Animal rights advocates argue strongly for the implementation of monitored dovecotes, where pigeon eggs are replaced with decoys. Over a dozen individuals have expressed a willingness to contribute to the care of such dovecotes on a voluntary basis, said a spokesperson for the Pigeon Project.
