Merritt City Council to vote on pigeon issue at tonight’s (June 23) meeting

If councilor Yvette Baxter has her way, pigeon racing will no longer permitted within the City of Merritt.

At tonight’s (June 23) meeting of Merritt City Council, officials will discuss and vote on Baxter’s motion to eliminate the activity from happening in the city and  impose fines on those who do not comply.

According to Baxter’s motion,  city staff have received complaints from residents concerning  pigeons roosting in yards, an increase  in droppings on outdoor furniture, and instances of individuals trespassing onto private property to retrieve birds.

” I encountered a person collecting their pigeons in my neighborhood who was very aggressive and disrespectful towards me. Many of my neighbors have expressed the same situations happened to them.” said Baxter. “People in the community should be able to enjoy their neighborhood without having people disturbing, disrespecting their privacy or property.”

There are two primary types of pigeon related sporting activities: racing and high flying. Racing pigeons are trained to return to their home roost, often after flying over long distances. High flying pigeons, which are often marked with bright colors, are  bred to fly to great heights for an extended period of time and return to the designated area that they were released from.

Another abandoned pigeon left behind after racing this spring. (Photo from Yvette Baxter)

Reports indicate an increase in the activity of high flying in Merritt in recent years with participants traveling from other communities to Merritt for these unsanctioned and unregulated events.

Several communities, such as Delta, North Vancouver, Surrey, and Vernon, have adopted bylaws which regulate the keeping and flying of pigeons and provide relevant precedent for Council’s consideration.

Concerns have been raised that not all pigeons are successfully recaptured following these events, with many birds reportedly succumbing to environmental exposure or predation shortly after release.

In addition to the nuisance impacts on residents, these activities raise animal welfare and public health concerns such as the potential transmission of avian influenza and other diseases to wild bird populations and local agricultural operations if they are transported during a period of outbreak.

The regularly scheduled city council meeting takes place tonight (June 23) at 6:00 p.m. at Merritt City Hall on Voght Street, beginning at 6:00 p.m.