June 13, 2024, 2:26 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Pigeon lovers have fought and appealed against it for a long time: In a referendum, the majority of Limburg residents have voted in favor of killing the city’s pigeon population. Animal rights activists are appalled.
It is a decision that leaves many animal rights activists and animal-loving people speechless and shocked. In a referendum on June 9, 2024, the Hessian town of Limburg decided to permit the culling of pigeons by falconers using their bare hands. Despite fervent appeals from pigeon enthusiasts and notable animal rights activists, their efforts were ultimately in vain.
No majority for Limburg pigeons
On November 13, 2023, the city council in Limburg, Hesse, decided that pigeons should be deliberately killed within the city. The plan involves employing a falconer to manually break the necks of the pigeons within a pigeon loft. PETBOOK last reported on the project on February 20, 2024.
The German Animal Welfare Association is contemplating legal measures in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act to challenge the decision. With the help of prominent animal rights activists, such as influencer Malte Zierden, they have also appealed to everyone in the city to stop the killing.
But in the end, an animal-friendly approach to urban pigeons in Limburg was not enough. The results of the referendum on the city pigeon problem were announced. There were 6559 votes in favor of overturning the decision, but 7530 votes were not in favor. With a majority of 53.45 percent, the decision is now to be implemented exactly as passed by the city council in November.
Limburg city pigeon project ‘shocked by citizens’ lack of empathy’
The Limburg city pigeon project expressed its shock at the citizens’ choice on Instagram. “We are at a loss for words at this moment. We are shocked by the lack of empathy shown by the citizens of Limburg. A very bad day for animal rights”.
There has also been feedback from other cities expressing shock at the result of the Limburg vote. The Stadttaubenprojekt Berlin e. V. also wrote on Instagram about the “terrible news”. The most drastic words were probably shared by Taubenrettung from Munich on their channel: “In the recent European elections, 53.5 percent of the citizens cast votes that have been described as catastrophic, effectively choosing death for the animals.”
“The reprehensible act of killing pigeons, which contravenes animal welfare principles” is being continued instead of constructive alternative solutions being considered. The traps also meant the death of other songbirds and were a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Animal welfare alternatives to killing pigeons
The German Animal Welfare Association and the animal rights organization PETA had already repeatedly emphasized that it was not ethically justifiable to kill the pigeons in Limburg. “There are other, animal-friendly ways to get a city pigeon population under control,” said Katrin Pichl, specialist for city pigeons at the German Animal Welfare Association. President Thomas Schröder even commented: “As soon as the first pigeon is killed in Limburg, we will press criminal charges against those responsible.”
According to Pichl, municipal urban pigeon management with supervised pigeon lofts in which laid eggs are exchanged for dummies is the only sustainable alternative to keep the population at a healthy, low level in the long term. Monic Moll and Lisa Kainz from PETA Deutschland e. V. are of the same opinion: “The sole humane solution proposed is the establishment of managed pigeon lofts, where pigeons can find refuge and be provided with food appropriate to their species,” says Monic Moll. This is the only way to reduce the pigeon population sustainably and without suffering.
According to the German Animal Welfare Association, killing the animals by bluntly stunning them and then breaking their necks is neither ethically justifiable nor does it comply with the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act. There can also be no talk of a “sustainable solution”. Any “gaps” in the population are quickly filled by young birds or pigeons flying in due to the pigeons’ “breeding compulsion”.
Animal Welfare Association ‘dismayed and disappointed’
“We would like to thank all animal lovers in Limburg who voted ‘yes'”, commented Ute Heberer, Chairwoman of the State Animal Welfare Association of Hesse. “In the end, however, these votes were not enough to overturn the anti-animal welfare killing decision. We are dismayed and disappointed.”
Lisa Kainz from PETA says: “We are shocked by the result of the referendum in Limburg. It is unlikely that such a harsh decision would have garnered support if it involved any other bird species. And this despite the fact that there are animal welfare-friendly and proven solutions to tackle the man-made problem of urban pigeon populations in cities.”
“Unfortunately, animal welfare doesn’t seem to play a role for most politicians in Limburg,” says Pichl. Instead of showing compassion and respect for the feral pets, existing prejudices were propagated in the run-up to the referendum […] in order to promote the killing, says Animal Welfare Association President Schröder.
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Lisa Kainz from PETA adds that diseases in birds can hardly be transmitted to humans. “This decision shows the lack of empathy of many people, as urban pigeons have the same problems as homeless dogs or cats: Given that urban pigeons are not wild birds and humans play a role in their breeding and presence in urban environments, it is our responsibility to offer these animals a home, along with access to food, water, and medical care when possible.”
“There is plenty of evidence from science and practice that shows that pigeons do not pose an increased health risk and that pigeon droppings cause no or only minor damage to building structures,” says Pichl from the Animal Welfare Association.
In addition, projects in other cities have shown that managed pigeon lofts can contribute effectively to population control and, at the same time, ensure clean cities, according to the German Animal Welfare Association. Because urban pigeons spend more time in the lofts, pigeon droppings tend to collect there and can be easily removed.