Guest 722- Registered: 23 Aug 2011
- Posts: 97
Whilst waiting for the late Deal train at Dover Priory last night I was suprised to hear a couple of loud bangs and see a pigeon fall to the ground on the opposite platform.
I asked a worker if there was maybe an electrical fault. He said that he would have a look. When I saw that he just wandered off and didn't investigate, I went to have a look. I found that the pigeon had been shot and was lying in a pool of blood. A young man then appeared who when asked said that yes he was shooting all of the pigeons.
I am not anti hunting, or very fond of pigeons but i was alarmed to find that the pest control company were using some sort of rifle and shooting while passengers were waiting on the platforms !
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
Surely the cull should have taken place when the Station was closed on safety grounds alone let alone the fact that customers could be upset by the shooting of birds.
Audere est facere.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
Maybe the this event was not an official sanctioned cull. As Martin said this would surely there should have been safety notices everywhere and would not be done when passengers were around.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
I am a member of a pigeon and dove rescue group. I am absolutely horrified by what has occurred but alas it's not the first time I have come across this. If there are any more reports of this happening or further problems or information please drop me an email (address on profile) or add a comment here and I will get one of the local team members to check it out.
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
If there was a couple of loud bangs it was probably a shotgun being used, which in no way should happen in that situation. Best answer is to inform the police.
Too right! Not good.
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
I should have added to that - and stand back and watch the fun start!
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Someone will hopefully be checking this out tomorrow and if the cull was illegal then we can try and take legal action.
Can JHG help? Doesn't he work there?
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
I think he has the flu so may not be around.
Apparently there was a cull due to take place in Maidstone a couple of days ago which was stopped and I believe they allowed rescuers in to take nesting birds.
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
The cull is legal under a general licence if there is a public health issue -
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/wml-gl05_tcm6-24150.pdf
- and I think when I was taking a sabbatical from posting there was a thread on the state of fouling on the bridge though I don't know what it came under, perhaps those who posted can recall it.
However, it is more a question of was the shooting breaching firearms regulations, there are laws on where shooting can take place place depending on what is used, and permissions needed.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Yes I am on the sick so cant answer what happened,but I do know there is a problem with pigeons highlighted by Penny a while ago.But it does seem strange that this is happening while the station is open.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Hi JHG - hope you feel better soon.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Death warmed up at the moment.still back tomorrow night at 22.00 until 6am.First day for 14 years and that was when I found my ex wife playing away,had 1 day off then .
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Hope you feel better soon John. Yes it is a concern that this has happened whist the station was open. I haven't had any more updates. Normally there would be notice of such an occurrence and it would give us time to try to arrange for any squabs (baby pigeons) to be removed from nests.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Update: We have confirmed that a cull did take place. No more culls will be carried out by Southern Eastern Railways. We are now trying to establish if the cull was carried out legally given the fact that it appeared Rambo was on the loose with a shotgun! Hopefully there may be CCTV footage which can be retrieved.
Guest 706- Registered: 25 Oct 2010
- Posts: 285
Get well soon,John. I waved at you in the booking hall yesterday but it wasn't you!
Must put my specs on!
Well done Jeanne.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
Thanks I'm just a small cog in the wheel Bern. I know not everyone is a pigeon lover but I've rescued birds for years and when I worked in London actually confronted a guy on an office roof brandishing a shotgun killing birds - I think I nearly scared him to death! I appreciate bird poop can be an issue but all we ask is that we can at least try and rescue some birds particularly the babies. In Maidstone 5 babies were saved, 2 around a week old, 2 a couple of days old, 1 a few hours old and a fresh egg which is now in an incubator.
