Pigeon Feeding Ban in Other Areas

CHICAGO, Dec. 14 (UPI) --

Two Chicago aldermen are calling for fines of up to $1,000 and jail sentences of up to six months for people who feed the city's pigeons.

"No person shall purposely provide food -- including, but not limited to grain, seeds, greens, bread crumbs and miscellaneous food scraps -- intended for pigeon ingestion on public property or property subject to the city right-of-way," the proposed ordinance says.

Aldermen Danny Solis and Helen Shiller introduced it at a City Council meeting Wednesday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Violating the ordinance would result in fines of "not less than $100 or more than $1,000" and up to six months in jail.

Solis said well-fed pigeons in the city each drop 25 pounds of fecal matter every year."It doesn't look good to have all of this fecal matter around a very beautiful monument" at 18th and Blue Island, Solis said. The droppings "causing damage -- not only to property, but to health .... Whenever they overfeed them, rats gather around the statue. That's another health problem," Solis said.
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Pigeon feeding ban goes to council Monday
Doug Williamson
The Windsor Star (ONTARIO, CANADA)
Saturday, December 15, 2007

Despite an apparent negative public response and possible enforcement problems, city council will consider a bylaw Monday forbidding the feeding of pigeons and stray animals in Windsor.

A fine of up to $5,000 will be the penalty for breaking the bylaw, if it's passed. The bylaw forbids such feeding on public and private property.

Of 37 people who formally commented on the proposed bylaw to city hall, 15 supported it while 22 were opposed, according to a report to council.

According to the staff report to be considered by council, those opposed to the bylaw made points such as:

- They were concerned over the well-being of strays.
- The bylaw should apply only to pigeons.
- Bird feeding is a legitimate hobby.
- Feeding bans should only be imposed in designated areas.
- The bylaw would be unenforceable.

Those in favour of the bylaw: cited the mess made by birds; supported a ban on feeding of cats; cited problems when pigeons congregate near apartment balconies; and raised concerns over building structures damaged by pigeon excrement.

The report also notes that "resources will be required" to enforce such a bylaw.
"If additional resources are not available for the enforcement of the bylaw, existing enforcement resources will be stretched and it is likely that enforcement officers will be unable to pursue enforcement of other bylaws."

Public Nuisance
It also says that "if existing resources are diverted to the enforcement of this bylaw, revenue from other bylaw offences may be reduced."

In Ontario, only Hamilton and Ajax have similar bylaws.

The report to council says that those in favour of the bylaw feel that feeding pigeons and strays is a public nuisance that attracts rodents and other animals to a regular food source and results in property damage and interferes with enjoyment of property.

Those opposed say that the bylaw intrudes on their regular activities of feeding animals, and could result in inhumane treatment of the feral cat population.

"Once the person exercising the right to feed pigeons or stray animals impacts another's enjoyment of their property due to the creation of a nuisance, it is reasonable to attempt to eliminate the feeding activity that results in the nuisance to others," the report says.
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Pigeon feeding targeted by City Council
By John Rudolf
Friday, January 4, 2008
News-Herald
ARIZONA
see article

Pigeon feeders beware.

Those caught feeding the city's feathered residents will face a maximum of 30 days in jail and a $500 fine, if the City Council approves a proposed ordinance at Tuesday's council meeting.

Identical penalties would be levied on those caught feeding coyotes within the city limits, according to a similar ordinance also up for a vote."I think it's the right thing to do. Pigeons continue to be a problem," said vice-mayor Dennis Schilling. "We should make it clear that this is an unacceptable practice."

The maximum 30-day jail sentence, however, might be a little severe, Schilling thought. "Thirty days I thought was a little excessive, and we'll probably have some discussion on that," he said. "Repeat offenders might come down to serving jail time."According to the city attorney's office, an existing ordinance already bans the feeding of pigeons within Mohave County. If the city's ordinance is found to conflict with the county law, it would be removed from the council's agenda. Yet as the sight of people feeding pigeons in the parks and the English Village clearly shows, that ordinance is not being enforced."It doesn't help that some of our businesses sell those blocks of food that feed the birds," Schilling said.

A state law exists banning the feeding of all wildlife, including pigeons and coyotes, but only within counties with a high enough population density. Largely rural Mohave County does not meet that threshold.

According to Curtis Herbert, wildlife manager with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the feeding of coyotes can result in more aggressive and less fearful coyote populations. "That's the biggest problem," he said. "When they feed them, they teach the coyotes to think of humans as providers of food."
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The LOS ANGELES Municipal Code (that pesky LAMC that is most notable on parking restriction signs on private property and on parking tickets).

According to Section 53.43 as of 1985,
"No person shall feed any pigeons upon any public street or sidewalk or in any public park in that portion of this City bounded and described as follows:" That which follows is a legalize written map (could not copy map......)

As you can see, Pershing Square is part of this area; but other than that, the area does not seem to have any rationale for existing in the area it does. It was designed as addressing the "Central Business District" of Los Angeles. Since the passage of this ordinance over 20 years ago, things have changed and the ordinance may need to be re-examined. (Also, it doesn't prohibit anyone from feeding birds on their private property.)

From LAMC Section 53.43:
Beginning at the intersection of the center line of First Street with the center line of Los Angeles Street; thence southwesterly along the center line of Los Angeles Street to the center line of Eighth Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Eighth Street to the center line of Main Street; thence southwesterly along the center line of Main Street to the center line of Ninth Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Ninth Street to the center line of Olive Street; thence northeasterly along the center line of Olive Street to the center line of Eighth Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Eighth Street to the center line of Flower Street; thence southwesterly along the center line of Flower Street to the center line of Ninth Street; thence northwesterly along the center line of Ninth Street to the center line of Figueroa Street; thence northeasterly along the center line of Figueroa Street to the center line of Sixth Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of Sixth Street to the center line of Olive Street; thence northeasterly along the center line of Olive Street to the center line of First Street; thence southeasterly along the center line of First Street to the point of beginning.


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Vittorio Hernandez - AHN News Writer


VENICE, ITALY (AHN) - Venice has banned the feeding of pigeons on its famous San Marco Square because of the damage caused by bird droppings on the city's landmarks. The city council intends to implement the prohibition by cutting off the pigeon's food supply, principally bird seeds vended on the square.

Beppe Caccia, Venice City councilor, said the city recognizes it may take away the livelihood of birdseed vendors. He added Venice is prepared to provide compensation to affected vendors by taking into account the number of years the sellers have been engaged in bird seed retail, how large is their family and the capital involved in the enterprise.

Licensed vendors naturally oppose the plan. They insisted on being compensated or provided souvenirs to vend elsewhere in Venice, which draw millions of tourists because of its water canals.

There are about 120,000 pigeons hovering Venice, twice the number of the city's human population. Since 1997, feeding the pigeons was made a crime punishable by a fine of $726 (500 euro), except in San Marco Square.

Aside from destroying the city's landmarks with their droppings, the birds also bring with them parasites and bacteria that cause allergies and other ailments.

Meanwhile, another pro-environment measure has caught fire in the city. A Lenten resolution initiated by Fr. Gianni Fazzini, head of Venice Patriarchate's Lifestyle Center, encouraged Venetians to drink tap water instead of bottled mineral water. Plastic bottles are a major source of pollution.

The campaign has caught on as City Mayor Massimo Cacciari and Italian stage actor Marco Paolini supported it by showing up with traditional water flasks filled with tap water. Venice, like Rome, has numerous water taps that provide free, potable, cold drinking water to residents and tourists alike.

The money saved from buying bottled water will be given to a community in Thailand to build a water supply system for the village.
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Dear friend,

SAVE THE PIGEONS OF VENICE!

I am writing to ask you to help prevent a plan to starve to death many thousands of pigeons in and around Venice's St Mark's Square.

For generations, locals and tourists alike have bought food from eighteen licensed corn sellers on the Square and fed the semi-domesticated flock.

Over the years, just as in Trafalgar Square, the birds have come to depend on this food source for their survival. And, just as in Trafalgar Square, Venice's Mayor, Massimo Cacciari, is planning to outlaw the feed sellers from 1st May. Even the traditional throwing of rice at weddings at Palazzo Cavalli, the nearby registry office, will be criminalised.

With the feeding of pigeons in the areas surrounding St Mark's Square already illegal, mass starvation amongst the birds is inevitable.

Mayor Cacciari is going further. Already his officials are trapping large numbers of these trusting, semi-tame birds and breaking their necks. Incredibly, the barbarism even has the support of the Chief of Police, Marco Agostini, who described the birds as "unbearable".

Please email or write to Mayor Cacciari urgently, urging him to halt the culling and to abandon his plans to ban the sale of pigeon food.

Email: sindaco@comune.venezia.it
Postal Address:
Comune di Venezia
Ca Farsetti
San Marco 4136
Venezia
Italy

Thanks for caring.
Yours for the birds,
SAVE THE TRAFALGAR SQUARE PIGEONS