Culling of pigeons should be done humanely

The recent case of a pigeon culling video at Aljunied Hougang Town council, which ACRES described as "an outright case of cruelty" - is the common practice used by pest control companies engaged by all Town Councils in S'pore.  Culling is normally done regularly every 3 months.

AVS (formally AVA) is well aware of the method employed as they are the one who approved this inhumane and cruel method of culling pigeons. SPCA is aware of it too but they believe AVS is working towards a more humane way of culling.  Unfortunately - their 'belief' never materialised as AVS sticks to this low cost quick fixes which they claimed is 'effective'. I thought ACRES is aware too - after all this bad practice has being going on for more than a decade with little result in controlling the pigeon population. This itself is evident that the method is NOT effective.

We understand the need to control the pigeon population in housing estate, but a more humane method should be used. It is very cruel to have them suffered so much pain first by poisoning then suffocation while being culled. It is extremely disturbing to see poisoned pigeons falling off ledges. Most of birds though unable to fly are still alive when they are thrown into bags. 

Those pigeons that did not ingest sufficient poison food, flew off and we often see dead birds the next two days at various blocks. If the cleaners do not spot them, the carcass will pose a hygiene problem.

AVS has tested out contraceptive feed method to reduce pigeon population at a mosque and a temple as I recalled for around 3 to 5 years. However AVS seems hesitant to implement it as it is more costly. This method has been found to be effective in other countries.

Sterilization of stray cats has been very effective, thus contraceptive method on pigeons would likely see fruitful results, which years of ruthless poison plus suffocation culling has not.

We are a developed nation, we should stop such cruel culling.  Besides the current method contradicts the spirit of the law of cruelty against animals. It also goes against our national kindness movement and compassion teaching in various religions.

Marine Parade TC committed an offence under cruelty to animal

Pet abandonment is considered as cruelty.  Thus, if a owner who abandon and release his/her pet at a food center - he/she is deemed to have committed an offence under the law and could be fined up to 15,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 18 months.

The recent case where Marine Parade Town Council (MPTC) gave instruction to abduct/steal 2 cats from a resident, Mdm Tan and later abandoned them by releasing them at Harbour Front food center is an OFFENCE. It is pet abandonment - only the offence is committed not by the owner but by MPTC.  One of the cat has been found dead. The other still missing, the likelihood of it being also dead is high.

MPTC has committed a very cruel act to both the pet cats and their owner. The cats are dependent on their owner for food and shelter, they must have suffered unimaginable distress to be abandoned  at an unfamiliar place and left to fend for themselves. Mdm Tan suffers mental agony of not knowing what happen to her pets. She has been searching high and low for her cats for more than 3 weeks.  MPTC has made matter worst for Mdm Tan by being evasive and not telling her initially what they have done to her cats.

Animal cruelty is an offence - thus MPTC should be answerable to the law. The Town Council has abused their power by removing the 2 cats without informing the owner or obtaining her consent.  They even took Mdm Tan's cage for their abduction.  This is stealing both cage and cats while the owner is not at home !!