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Call them what they are: racing pigeons separated from their mates as a way to coerce them into flying ridiculous distances. If you find one around your home,

Call them what they are: racing pigeons separated from their mates as a way to coerce them into flying ridiculous distances. If you find one around your home, call the RSPCA or a rescue group. PETA info on pigeon racing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SG_QHuhzXE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SG_QHuhzXE

sweetheart 5y ago
Yeah, this is so weird. In the article they talk about honoring the birds for having helped thousands of lives (no idea what this is referring to), so they decide to do that through… making them race for our enjoyment? I don’t get why people have a hard time leaving animals alone. Or in cases where some intervention is needed to preserve the animal, they expect something in return. Weird and shameful, imho.
- angrais 5y ago
  I've no idea what it refers to either, but pigeon owners take great pleasure and enjoyment breeding and training them. Perhaps that's what they refer to regarding how they have impacted the lives of humans? I cannot speak for pigeons as I am a human, but if I was fed, watered, had a comfortable home, often with radio or TV, high quality medical care, and in return I fly a few times a week? Sign me up! They are breed for the purpose of flight (or sometimes looks). They cannot be "left alone" as they're not quite the same as feral pigeons. There is absolutely no shame in keeping pigeons, caring for them, and racing them.
  - angrais 5y ago
    I should comment that I have now watched the PETA video. The intro frame is a standard mechanism for releasing pigeons during a race. It is true that some pigeons do not make it home. That's not to say that they have died, but perhaps got lost or "mysteriously" disappeared as in the article of this thread. I agree that it large portions of pigeons were dying with each race that it would be terrible, but in practice this is often not the case. Likewise, if pigeons fly home wounded their owners often stitch them up and care for them. If the wound is too much, then they can be unfortunately killed to remove the pain. Compare this with feral pigeons ... The difference in "lifestyle" between them is stark.
  - robotmay 5y ago
    The reference to helping thousands of lives will likely be in relation to their use as carrier-pigeons during war time - we certainly used them a lot in WW1, as far as I know, so wouldn't surprise me if it was a reference to that.
angrais 5y ago
Pigeons fly home for food and water, not for their "mates". As I commented above, if you find a racing pigeon there are websites where you can input the ID and get the club name that the owner belongs to.
- aphexairlines 5y ago
  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21938429 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21938429 > The pigeon’s fidelity can be exploited in a process known as widowing, or widowhood, in which the pairs are split up and one bird is taken away to race back to the loft. > As Stewart Wardrop explains it, in a sprint race the stronger male birds will surge back to their hen and particularly their territory. But if the male birds are taken farther afield, they’re often tempted by pastures new. > Now consider the attitude of the female birds: separate them from their cocks and they will fly determinedly back to their love over hill and high water. So it’s typically the females that are entered into the prestigious race back to the UK from Barcelona. > After struggling to cross the Pyrenees, many of them appear to have their fidelity rewarded with an exhausted watery end in the Channel.
  - angrais 5y ago
    Thanks for the link and a good read. While this is possible, this is not something I would say most pigeon racers would do in practice. In this way, perhaps a small portion are giving a bad name to the rest?
    - aphexairlines 5y ago
      Thanks for engaging with an open mind. I agree that there's an incentive for owners to keep racing pigeons healthy, that owners can be caring, and that it can be a more comfortable life than in the wild. I just disagree with the racing part -- there's no need to make birds fly over half of europe then the english channel purely for entertainment.
      - lovemenot 5y ago
robotmay 5y ago
Sadly I don't think PETA can be used as a reliable reference for anything any more, due to the extremist nature of their communication/actions. Not everything is as black and white as they like to claim. However I do agree that, in the UK, the RSPCA are a fine organisation and would be my first port of call if I suspected mistreatment of animals.

sweetheart 5y ago

Yeah, this is so weird. In the article they talk about honoring the birds for having helped thousands of lives (no idea what this is referring to), so they decide to do that through… making them race for our enjoyment? I don’t get why people have a hard time leaving animals alone. Or in cases where some intervention is needed to preserve the animal, they expect something in return. Weird and shameful, imho.

angrais 5y ago
I've no idea what it refers to either, but pigeon owners take great pleasure and enjoyment breeding and training them. Perhaps that's what they refer to regarding how they have impacted the lives of humans? I cannot speak for pigeons as I am a human, but if I was fed, watered, had a comfortable home, often with radio or TV, high quality medical care, and in return I fly a few times a week? Sign me up! They are breed for the purpose of flight (or sometimes looks). They cannot be "left alone" as they're not quite the same as feral pigeons. There is absolutely no shame in keeping pigeons, caring for them, and racing them.
- angrais 5y ago
  I should comment that I have now watched the PETA video. The intro frame is a standard mechanism for releasing pigeons during a race. It is true that some pigeons do not make it home. That's not to say that they have died, but perhaps got lost or "mysteriously" disappeared as in the article of this thread. I agree that it large portions of pigeons were dying with each race that it would be terrible, but in practice this is often not the case. Likewise, if pigeons fly home wounded their owners often stitch them up and care for them. If the wound is too much, then they can be unfortunately killed to remove the pain. Compare this with feral pigeons ... The difference in "lifestyle" between them is stark.
- robotmay 5y ago
  The reference to helping thousands of lives will likely be in relation to their use as carrier-pigeons during war time - we certainly used them a lot in WW1, as far as I know, so wouldn't surprise me if it was a reference to that.

angrais 5y ago

Pigeons fly home for food and water, not for their "mates". As I commented above, if you find a racing pigeon there are websites where you can input the ID and get the club name that the owner belongs to.

aphexairlines 5y ago
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21938429 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21938429 > The pigeon’s fidelity can be exploited in a process known as widowing, or widowhood, in which the pairs are split up and one bird is taken away to race back to the loft. > As Stewart Wardrop explains it, in a sprint race the stronger male birds will surge back to their hen and particularly their territory. But if the male birds are taken farther afield, they’re often tempted by pastures new. > Now consider the attitude of the female birds: separate them from their cocks and they will fly determinedly back to their love over hill and high water. So it’s typically the females that are entered into the prestigious race back to the UK from Barcelona. > After struggling to cross the Pyrenees, many of them appear to have their fidelity rewarded with an exhausted watery end in the Channel.
- angrais 5y ago
  Thanks for the link and a good read. While this is possible, this is not something I would say most pigeon racers would do in practice. In this way, perhaps a small portion are giving a bad name to the rest?
  - aphexairlines 5y ago
    Thanks for engaging with an open mind. I agree that there's an incentive for owners to keep racing pigeons healthy, that owners can be caring, and that it can be a more comfortable life than in the wild. I just disagree with the racing part -- there's no need to make birds fly over half of europe then the english channel purely for entertainment.
    - lovemenot 5y ago

robotmay 5y ago

Sadly I don't think PETA can be used as a reliable reference for anything any more, due to the extremist nature of their communication/actions. Not everything is as black and white as they like to claim. However I do agree that, in the UK, the RSPCA are a fine organisation and would be my first port of call if I suspected mistreatment of animals.