In the beginning of this month (April 7th), PA State Representative (R) Mike Keller (86th District) announced that he is going to amend SB 510.
SB 510: This Bill would prohibit the use of live animals or fowl for target trap shoots and block shoots. It means live pigeon shoots would be illegal.
Keller’s amendment would explicitly allow live pigeon shoots in the Keystone state.
Pennsylvania is the only state that openly holds live pigeon shoots but not the only state which participates in them.
Currently, District Attorneys in Berks and Bucks Counties have declined to prosecute those who hurt or kill pigeons at the shoots. The cruelty inflicted upon the birds has been clearly documented by SHARK– Showing Animals Respect and Kindness. SHARK has protested the Philadelphia Club (Bucks) and Winge Pointe Hunting Resort (Berks County).
Police, for the most part, don’t side with those who protest against the shoots. I attended a live pigeon shoot in Berks County. I was sitting in my car but parked to the side of the country road when two police cruisers greeted me.
While they were cordial, they made it clear that I needed to leave. I had done nothing wrong. It certainly appeared they were watching out for the resort where hundreds of pigeons were catapulted into the air and shot.
Berks and Bucks County’s DA’s maintain pigeon shoots are excluded from the state’s animal cruelty laws.
SB 510, without the amendment, would finally ban these cruel and barbaric shoots. The law on animal cruelty has been used on both sides for this issue with each claiming the law is on their side.
It has been over 20 years since animal advocates started the campaign to unsuccessfully make pigeon shoots unlawful.
So far, SB 510 to ban live pigeon shoots has 24 bipartisan sponsors in the State Senate.
Call or contact your State Senator and let them know if you disagree with State Rep. Mike Keller’s amendment.
It’s whoever gets paid off, wins!
Are you freaking kidding me? Why now? After all of these yrs to try and get pigeon shoots banned, now a state rep wants to make them legal. They’ll continue anyway unless the law says they’re against the law. there’s more to the story.
This is one of the most absurd things I’ve heard.
This site was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something which helped me.
Appreciate it! That’s horrible if this would pass. I like how you write. Keep up the good work.
This is a joke, isn’t it? Who is this Keller? Must be friends with either the PGC or Wnge Pointe or a shooter himself? To legalize pigeon shooting in PA will make us the laughing red neck state we already live in! Whoeve lives in his district, call his office to let him know how stupid this is!
If Keller’s amendment passes after twenty yrs to end pigeon shooting, you know how crooked politicians are. This is an outrage to legalize pigeon shooting in the LAST state to openly have them. We are a disgrace and now we want to make it legal. We are the majority. Let the majority rule!
Keller, are you serious? Pigeon shoots are cruel. How can you even suggest to legalize these shoots?