Pigeon Shoots No Better than Cockfighting or Dogfighting

March 15
Times Leader.com
Pigeon shoots no better than cockfighting or dogfighting

It is a rare occurrence to open the paper and see a letter defending animal cruelty, yet a recent letter to the editor did just that and attempted to defend the indefensible game of launching live pigeons from box traps to be shot from 30 yards away.

Like dogfighting and cockfighting, pigeon shoots are largely underground practices that are not only associated with wanton animal cruelty, but also trafficking of animals and gambling. Prizes and money are awarded to shooters who shoot and drop the largest number of animals within a scoring ring.

Although the number of participants is dropping, several dozen shooters can still kill and wound at least 1,000 birds at each event. Birds are trafficked from states such as New York to meet the demand, despite efforts of law enforcement in New York to shut down the illegal netters.

Legislators have addressed dogfighting and cockfighting in Pennsylvania by making them felony crimes. It is time to also send this seedy practice to the history books.

For more information on live pigeon shoots visit www.humanesociety.org.


Heidi Prescott Senior vice president, campaigns The Humane Society of the United States Washington, D.C.