photo/SHARK
Wing Pointe, Berks County, Pennsylvania, has been the epicenter for live pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania. The club held live pigeon shoots on November 9th and 11th where men shoot, maim, and kill pigeons for fun and money. While some people look at live pigeons as “rats with wings,” many of us, including hunters, view these shoots as pure animal cruelty. There is no doubt in this writer’s mind, live pigeon shoots are a “legal” way in which to inflict harm, pain, and death onto live birds whose purpose is to be shot by shooters. Pigeon shoots are legal in the state of Pennsylvania.
The animal rights group, SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness,) videotaping both recent pigeon shoots. Their drone captured images of birds being shot out of the air, maimed, and killed. What’s even more disturbing is the footage of the “trapper boys” torturing and brutalizing live/injured pigeons.
“One of the boys appeared to be scared of the birds. His indecision and incompetence resulted in additional torture for the animals,” states SHARK President Steve Hindi. “The other boy had no problem tearing the heads off of live birds, which causes additional pain and suffering. After the shoot ended, two different boys tortured wounded birds by throwing them around, including shoving an injured pigeon into a hole in a tree where she would slowly die.”
photo/SHARK
Berks County District Attorney, John Adams, was contacted by a Berks County humane investigator to press animal cruelty charges against Wing Pointe in connection with the November shoots. Stu Chaifetz, SHARK’s East Coast Director, stated this on my latest television show. Adams told the investigator he will not press charges against anyone associated with Wing Pointe’s l pigeon shoots. Adams has always refused to charge the club or any of its members for animal abuse.
PA’s newly updated anti-cruelty law (Title 18, § 5532-5534) defines when offenses are committed. Offenses are now defined so that “A person commits an offense if the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly illtreats, overloads, beats, abandons or abuses an animal,” and “A person commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly does any of the following: Tortures an animal.” A violation of that section is a felony. What the men and “trapper boys” did to the birds is unquestionably cruelty.
Prior to PA’s updated anti-cruelty law in 2017, Adams said his hands were tied as live pigeon shoots are permitted under state law. With the wording of PA’s law, there is no reason for Mr. Adams not to press charges and prosecute those who inflict animal abuse upon the pigeons. SHARK gives a more extensive sense of what the “trapper boys” do at the shoots:
“Then, the trapper boys retrieve the wounded pigeons from the circled area and kill them by a variety of methods. These include tearing the birds’ heads from their bodies, throwing or smashing them against objects on the ground, crushing the birds by falling on them, and suffocating the birds by tossing them into a barrel filled with other dead and dying pigeons. All of these methods are contrary to accepted veterinary methods of euthanasia and cause the birds additional pain and suffering.”
How can one not see this is unequivocally animal cruelty? How does DA Adams not see this? What does it take for him to press charges?
Live pigeon shoots are legal but the actions engaged by the shooters and the “trapper boys” are undeniably against the law.
Doing nothing shows these young boys that hurting/abusing an animal is fine. Research has shown the link between violence toward animals is a predictor that the abuser may become violent to people. Here is an excerpt from the National District Attorneys Association:
The Link between violence to people and violence to animals is well documented by research, both nationally and internationally. In its simplest form: violence to animals is a predictor that the abuser may become violent to people, and vice versa. Abuse is abuse no matter what the form or whom the victim.
Several decades of research documents the co-occurrence between crimes against people, such as child abuse co-occurring with domestic violence; but when we talk about the Link, these co-occurrence crimes are often inextricably tied to animal abuse. When someone harms an animal, the important question to ask is, “Who will be next?” Crimes against people are tied to a myriad of crimes against animals and three specific types of animal abuse that are linked to crimes against people are featured in this guidebook: sexual assaults against animals (bestiality), animal hoarding, and animal fighting.
The inhumane and brutalization of live pigeon shoots has also been well documented. It’s time for these legal complaints to be acted upon. The infamous and now defunct Hegins, PA live pigeon shoots ended when humane society police officers could enforce the anti-cruelty laws which applied to these shoots. However, while the largest pigeon shoot in the nation was shut down, other live pigeon shoots in PA continue.
Please contact Governor Tom Wolf and ask politely that DA John Adams file charges and prosecute those who abuse pigeons at the shoots.
By Phone 717-787-2500 By Fax 717-772-8284
By Mail
Office of the Governor
508 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein is a television talk show host, speaker, writer and is an unabashed animal advocate. Her love for animals and quest for the hard truth is what drives her passion for all things animals. She hosts the show, ” A Close-Up Look at Animal Welfare Issues.” She adores her once-abused tripawd, Brody. If you’d like Tina to talk to your group or have a story, please email her at tevangelistaepp@yahoo.com. Like https://www.facebook.com/ACloseUpLookAtAnimalWelfareIssues and check out AnimalWelfareIssues.com for all the tv shows, articles, and podcasts you may have missed!
This makes me sick. It seems like it’s blatantly disregarding the law. How can he get away with it?
The law is being disregarded as you stated. Those who commit animal cruelty should be charged.
Thanks.
Guess the law only applies to certain people. If that was you or Me would be charged. Sucks.
The shooters gave to his campaign. He’s not going to charge people who give him money. This isn’t uncommon.
Charges haven’t ever been pressed and will never be pressed against the abusers or the people who supply the pigeons. Seems everyone is exempt and allowed to abuse animals. Where’s the justice?
“Then, the trapper boys retrieve the wounded pigeons from the circled area and kill them by a variety of methods. These include tearing the birds’ heads from their bodies, throwing or smashing them against objects on the ground, crushing the birds by falling on them, and suffocating the birds by tossing them into a barrel filled with other dead and dying pigeons. All of these methods are contrary to accepted veterinary methods of euthanasia and cause the birds additional pain and suffering.” Can’t the DA obstructing justice by not charging them with animal cruelty when it’s so painfully obvious they partake in it?