The animalist association Paz leads a fight in Toulouse, Nîmes or even Valras (Hérault) so that these animals are not killed in CO2 boxes or sterilized.
Did you know ? Faced with the proliferation of rock pigeons (those found in cities), some municipalities have recourse to specialized companies that capture birds before placing them in CO2 boxes. To eliminate them. Which is not prohibited by law.
“They are gassed and cities that want to take the animal condition seriously must start by stopping gassing pigeons because they are using public money to cause suffering and killing animals”, warns the Toulousian Amandine Sanvisens, co-founder of the animal association PAZ (Paris Animals Zoopolis). The activists are carrying out a series of verification actions with the cities of Occitania.
Read also :
Prevention to limit the number of pigeons
Starting with Valras (Hérault) where residents have reported capture campaigns to them. PAZ, who contacted the town hall on Wednesday March 29, is waiting for an explanation. “The method of killing is not indicated, but we conclude that it is by gassing because the company employed proceeds in this way” launches the spokesperson of the association. An online petition has already collected 15,000 signatures to oppose it.
But the nuisances of these birds are very real: between droppings and other wild nests on window sills, the exasperation of local residents is numerous.
Dovecotes and corn contraceptives as alternatives
The activist, however, recalls that two alternatives exist. First, the contraceptive dovecotes, as there are in Montpellier, cited as a good example. “The pigeons lay and people shake the eggs which do not hatch, if they are removed, they will lay again, but that means feeding them to retain them” explains Amandine Sanvisens.
Capture cages are set up by the municipalities.
Then, cities like Quimper, Barcelona or municipalities in Belgium use “corn coated with contraceptives and the eggs will not hatch”.
The administrative court seized
To find out, PAZ requests the documents from the municipalities to find out what method is used. Perpignan (PO) did not respond: “We have seized the administrative court to obtain these papers” announces the defender of the animal cause.
Nîmes poses another problem since the City practices surgical sterilization campaigns. “We are against it because the death rate is very high.” A meeting with the town hall of the Gard capital is also scheduled for the end of April to discuss this issue.
“The real problem is reproduction”
Finally, in Toulouse, the mobilization was not used. On March 10, the elected opposition ecologists, in the municipal council, expressed the wish to stop the captures and the CO2, without success.
“In fact, these methods of elimination are cruel and ineffective, because the real problem is reproduction. And the mayors must assume and say it, that people know” asserts Amandine Sanvisens.
