# Action needed: Trapped pigeons, netting & TfL, UK



## clawsywp (Apr 12, 2008)

Hi
I posted a while back about the pigeons trapped behind some mesh. 

As of last count 2 were inside. A bunch of them first got sealed in on the 15th April, then again on the 25th April. its been a long saga trying to get the pigeons out and TfL not doing a very good job.

14th May TfL put a trap inside the mesh, to trap and release them, thu the pigeons seem to be trap shy now and haven't been going inside it recently.

Peta has done a tonne of work trying to get TfL to treat the pigeons humanely.

Please support the pigeons and the efforts Peta has done to get these birds treated humanely.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I think you have done a wonderful job, your perseverance in this matter has been exemplary.

Are the Wildlife Police still involved?

I e-mailed TfL on the 24th of April and didn't receive a reply until 29th of May. This is what they said (my e-mail is below the reply).


_Thank you for your e-mail dated 24 April 2008 regarding the pigeon nets at Druid Street and Tower Bridge. 

I can assure you that Transport for London is concerned about pigeons and other birds that may be trapped in nets on the underside of structures.

Although Tower Bridge Road is part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN), Tower Bridge itself is the responsibility of the City of London. However, we took the decision to help remove the pigeons and installed escape boxes to rescue the birds and hatchlings and helped remove eggs for transport to a rehabilitation centre. Further to this, we recently undertook a review of our pigeon control measures. Our regular structural inspection programme includes the inspection of pigeon netting or caging, if attached to the structure, to ensure that any defects are identified and rectified in a timely manner. This helps to ensure the pigeons are unable to gain access to the underside of the structure and prevent them from becoming stuck. All future pigeon restriction work on our structures will take the form of wire spacing. The wire spacing prevents pigeons getting access to the structure, is robust and also allows for inspection of the structure. Please see the attached picture which shows this method in practice.


Feral pigeons are among the species listed under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 permitting action to be taken for purposes of preventing spread of disease and preserving public health and safety. The action we have taken in accordance with this Act is to install netting or caging under our structures. Pigeons are not listed in Schedule 1 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as regards section 1(5), as wild protected birds but our actions at Tower Bridge confirm we are committed to taking the necessary steps so as not to cause undue harm or distress to any of these birds. 

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us with your concerns. If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely 

Sophie Achillini 
Customer Service Advisor-London Streets 
Transport for London 
Surface Transport Communications _======================================================================================== 
Case: [SM031416/1] 
EMail Received : 24/04/2008 12:08:43 
From : /o=TFL/ou=First Administrative Group/cn=Recipients/cn=Enquire 

To : EX:/O=TFL/OU=FIRST ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=ENQUIRIES1 
Subject : FW: Nestlings sealed behind netting to die 


-----Original Message----- 

Sent: 23 April 2008 12:28 
To: Enquire (TfL) 
Subject: Nestlings sealed behind netting to die 



Transport for London had nets in disrepair at this location: 


The corner of Druid Street and Tower Bridge . 
Its in SE1 London, in Southwark. 

Several of us alerted them to the disrepair and the effect it was having. People volunteered to take any nestlings to a pigeon sanctuary.

In response, TFL sent someone to repair the netting, sealing many pigeons in. They said there were escape cones for pigeons to get out through. This may have allowed adults to escape, but leaves the babies to starve.

This is a video of a trapped nestling: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssUjIYnmjSQ 

I would appreciate it if you could do something to pressurise TFL into releasing the trapped nestlings and giving them to volunteers who will take them to safety.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.


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## clawsywp (Apr 12, 2008)

i beleive Peta is trying to get tfl to get advice from PiCAS for humane pigeon control methods all over London


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

Have just taken action on this.

Netting under bridges and on shops and flats etc is a particular bug bear with me and I too in the past have spent many an hour phoning, writing, e-mailing and in one case hanging out of a 4 storey building literally on a wing and a prayer untangling a pigeon from netting so I totally support and admire all you have done.

I must admit that some of the pigeon proofing now is sturdy mesh and so much better than the netting.....

Tania x


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

cyro51 said:


> I think you have done a wonderful job, your perseverance in this matter has been exemplary.


I totally agree.
I don't know exactly what has been going on lately behind the scenes, but the action you have instigated has really brought about a great awareness of the problem and hopefully good results in the longterm.

I will contact them via the link you've put on.

Janet


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

*Petition for Transport for London's trapped birds*

A friend sent me this link to a petition to halt this netting practice. Information is below.

Margaret



From: STTSP <[email protected]>
Subject: Fw: Urge Transport for London to Stop Killing Pigeons
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2008, 1:00 PM


Urge Transport for London to Stop Killing Pigeons
Dear Friend,

Pigeons' lives are in danger because TfL's contractors incorrectly install nets - which are supposed to prevent pigeons from roosting - underneath bridges and fail to repair holes in the nets properly and promptly. Pigeons find their way in through the nets and become trapped when they can't find their way out again. Many birds become tangled in the nets and are strangled to death, and others die of starvation or dehydration after days of horrible suffering.

Pigeons are much maligned animals - unfairly so. Pigeons were domesticated early in our history and were taken into our cities. Pigeons served in both world wars, carrying messages which saved thousands of lives. Pigeons have been trained to help save lives at sea, too, and they are still used in some parts of the world to carry blood samples from hospitals to laboratories in emergencies. Despite all this, pigeons are often cruelly overlooked and neglected.

Please follow the link below to help save pigeons' lives.Please sign the petition at:

<http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/tfl_pigeons?qp_source=pukbtflp>http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/tfl_pigeons?qp_source=pukbtflp

STTSP


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## clawsywp (Apr 12, 2008)

yeh thats the same link. Its a letter that gets sent to tfl.

A petition is great idea. 


the rspca inspector i had spoken to at the start, she said she really loved pigeons and had wanted the rspca to do a campaign against the netting as they get thousands of calls each year. she had compiled a lot of data for such a campaign but the HO didn't want to take it up.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

There is also this government e-petition to stop using netting, I tried signing it a few weeks ago but didn't get my confirmation, I think others might have experienced this problem as there are very few signatires.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/PigeonRoosting/

Cynthia


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## clawsywp (Apr 12, 2008)

I just signed it and got a confirmation


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

I have met the creators of this petition and they are lovely people who love wildlife and have a small recsue place in Kent.

I ahev signed and got confirmation too.

It only has 16 signatures so all you UK people need to sign!!

Tania xx


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## pigifan (Nov 2, 2005)

I think netting is a huge problem. Whenever I have seen it, it is a tragic accident waiting to happen (or the accident has already happened). Hopefully for me in the two cases when I saw live trapped pigeons it wasn't too high so I went back home, took a pair of scissors and came back a quiet time to cut holes (illegally) in it. The pigeons escaped and after a week the netting was fixed. I really don't know what I would have done if I couldn't reach it and I had the usual response 'It's not our fault, the netting in this building somebody else's responsibility'. 
In fact, a porter gave me the answer 'It should go out the way it went in - it wasn't in when they put the netting'.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

I have sent a letter and I had this answer back, I thought people might like to reed it. It is from 5 days ago, I have been so busy I that I almost forgot about it


Cristina

Thank you for your email.

I can assure you that we are concerned about pigeons and other birds
that may be trapped in nets on the underside of structures. We have
recently undertaken a review of our pigeon control measures. Our regular
structural inspection programme includes the inspection of pigeon
netting or caging, if attached to the structure, to ensure that any
defects are identified and rectified in a timely manner. This helps to
ensure the pigeons are unable to gain access to the underside of the
structure and prevent them from becoming stuck. Please also note that
all future pigeon restriction work on structures owned or managed by us
will take the form of wire spacing. The wire spacing prevents pigeons
getting access to the structure, is robust and also allows for
inspection of the structure. Please see the attached picture which shows
this method in practice.

Feral pigeons are among the species listed under the Animal Welfare Act
2006 permitting action to be taken for purposes of preventing spread of
disease and preserving public health and safety. The action we have
taken in accordance with this Act is to install netting or caging under
our structures. Pigeons are not listed in Schedule 1 to the Wildlife and
Countryside Act 1981, as regards section 1(5), as wild protected birds
but, as we have recently shown by our actions at Tower Bridge (where we
have installed escape traps and continue to check these on a daily
basis), we are committed to taking the necessary steps so as not to
cause undue harm or distress to any of these birds. Every time we are
made aware of an issue regarding pigeons we install escape hatches and
inspect them on a regular basis so we can remove any pigeons that may
become trapped.

I hope this is of some interest.

Regards

Matthew Bland
Transport for London
Central Customer Services


http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg182/krissxxx80/aaaaaaaaaaapigeon_wire1.jpg


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## Pisciottano (Aug 20, 2005)

Yes I got the same letter today in reply to the one I had sent. How do you folks feel about it? Do you think they are sincere?Gladys


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

LOL, pigifan. You always solve problems quietly and effectively. 



> How do you folks feel about it? Do you think they are sincere?


The impression that is that they are saying what we want to hear and get away with as much as they can. Before this blew up they had a Code of Practice which they said they followed, but the facts belied this.

Cynthia


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## clawsywp (Apr 12, 2008)

I dont think they are sincere at all. I got a slightly different version of this email the other day. It doesnt answer my questions, it totally ignores them.
Also I saw a freshly broken egg there the other day, it mustve come from inside the bridge, it got broken and fell down when they were up inside the bridge releasing a pigeon. I saw the liquid still inside a bit of it. I am worried the pigeons have laid more eggs and that some might've hatched. The nests were cleared out and they were sealed in on the 25th April.

Even putting a trap in, they only put one in because their zippers are so old they cant open them on the other corners of the bridge. 

Since the 14th May, when they first placed the trap, they left holes in the netting and pigeons are still getting back in but dont seem to be able to find their way out. ...Care enough to properly fix the nets?
Over this last weekend they actually fixed some holes up. Yeh.. They care, so much its only taken them almost a month.

it IS cruelty to animals and they really take their time about doing anything. They make me sick that is it tax payers money goes towards them doing this. I think people on this forum could've done a much better job and a lot cheaper.


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## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Horrible people. They are just pretending to do something so it doesn’t appear that they don’t care.


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## clawsywp (Apr 12, 2008)

currently there are no pigeons inside the net/mesh now at Druid street. TfL maybe putting up the steel thick mesh that can't be torn here. Still have to make sure if it does get placed it doesnt hurt any possible nests.
Iknow there msut be other places currently with trapped birds though.


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## Sandie (Jun 13, 2008)

*Government Petition*

Hi everyone, I have just added my name to the petition, and as Cynthia said there are very few signatures. Perhaps the link to the petition could be added as a 'Sticky' on the homepage to draw attention to it. I have started to badger all my friends to sign ! 

Sandie.


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