Pigeon hunt may be illegal - NSPCA

**shooter** · 10-05-2011, 19:23

This is one of the most retarded things I have read in a long time. At one point you can't believe.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...NSPCA-20110510

Cape Town - A planned pigeon shooting competition in the North West might be against the law, the NSPCA said on Tuesday.

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Rustenberg manager Gerrit Naude said: "Complaints and concerns from the public alerted the NSPCA to an advertisement in the April 2011 edition of SA Hunter magazine."

The advertisement was for the Koster School's annual "Duifskiet Kompetisie" (pigeon shooting competition) on May 13 and 14.

The ad was in Afrikaans and stated that entries cost R400 a person in teams of four with huge prizes to be won.

Investigations by the NSPCA led to confirmation that an organised bird hunt would be held, with the Koster School benefiting financially from income generated, he said.

The NSPCA condemned this activity in the strongest possible terms, as it was unethical and linking a school with flagrant slaughter - turning killing into sport and competition - reflected badly on the country as a whole.

In addition, the involvement of children carried grave implications.

The NSPCA appreciated that animals and birds could damage or ruin crops, but there were humane ways of dealing with such issues and these needed to be explored first.

"Levels of violence in our communities and in our schools remain in the spotlight. We ask what kind of message this activity sends out."

The NSPCA was still attempting to put a stop to the bird hunt, which "we understand will be held on private property.

"Organisers have stated their intention and determination to go ahead. The NSPCA believes this hunt has the potential to violate the Animals Protection Act No 71 of 1962.

"North West province's nature conservation has confirmed that permits will be issued for participants.

"The NSPCA expresses consternation that the issuing of these permits does not involve or include any assessment of shooting skill," Naude said.

- SAPA

**KevinF** · 10-05-2011, 19:27

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...NSPCA-20110510

Cape Town - A planned pigeon shooting competition in the North West might be against the law, the NSPCA said on Tuesday.

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Rustenberg manager Gerrit Naude said: "Complaints and concerns from the public alerted the NSPCA to an advertisement in the April 2011 edition of SA Hunter magazine."

The advertisement was for the Koster School's annual "Duifskiet Kompetisie" (pigeon shooting competition) on May 13 and 14.
The ad was in Afrikaans and stated that entries cost R400 a person in teams of four with huge prizes to be won.
Investigations by the NSPCA led to confirmation that an organised bird hunt would be held, with the Koster School benefiting financially from income generated, he said.
The NSPCA condemned this activity in the strongest possible terms, as it was unethical and linking a school with flagrant slaughter - turning killing into sport and competition - reflected badly on the country as a whole.
In addition, the involvement of children carried grave implications.
The NSPCA appreciated that animals and birds could damage or ruin crops, but there were humane ways of dealing with such issues and these needed to be explored first.
"Levels of violence in our communities and in our schools remain in the spotlight. We ask what kind of message this activity sends out."
The NSPCA was still attempting to put a stop to the bird hunt, which "we understand will be held on private property.
"Organisers have stated their intention and determination to go ahead. The NSPCA believes this hunt has the potential to violate the Animals Protection Act No 71 of 1962.
"North West province's nature conservation has confirmed that permits will be issued for participants.

"The NSPCA expresses consternation that the issuing of these permits does not involve or include any assessment of shooting skill," Naude said.

---------- Post added at 19:27 ---------- Previous post was at 19:25 ----------

Bugger, beat me to it Shooter!

**FrankH** · 10-05-2011, 19:33

I wonder just how much money the SPCA collects from hunters every year?

**Wanderin' Zero** · 10-05-2011, 19:39

Originally Posted by shooter

This is one of the most retarded things I have read in a long time. At one point you can't believe.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...NSPCA-20110510

It's a bunny hugger outlook. Next thing you know they will want you to dart that buff before you send it to the abbatoir.

**shooter** · 10-05-2011, 19:46

Originally Posted by KevinF

Bugger, beat me to it Shooter!

Hehe, I got in first, you got the right sub-forum.

Originally Posted by FrankH

I wonder just how much money the SPCA collects from hunters every year?

+1. I would like to support them, but this is just way too deranged. I will just continue to not be cruel to animals on my own.

**30.06** · 10-05-2011, 20:24

When the nspca arrives, shoot some clays.

**Lian** · 10-05-2011, 20:28

paint the doves bright orange?
just say the new clays got a new A.I. upgrade.

**driepootx** · 10-05-2011, 20:50

The view of SAHGCA has always been that a pigeon shoot with prizes should not be awarded according to the biggest bag. That is why they have been avoiding the support of such competions. The adverstisement in the magazine (now printed and owned by Media 24) is surely to state that anybody can place such an advertisement and it is not necesserily endorsed by the organisation.

**Sean Murphy** · 10-05-2011, 23:13

The NSPCA has been taken over by animal rights activists who would like to see all hunting banned. I will never support them.

Sean

**Willie Barnard** · 10-05-2011, 23:14

SAHGCA is stepping neatly into the SPCA's "Divide and rule" snare here.
How can we try to appease an organisation that is against all hunting, and has stated it publicly numerous times.
If they can succeed in actually outlawing any hunting acivity by means of the Animal protection act of 1962, then we hunters, and sustainable utilisation as a whole dont have a chance in this country.

SAHGCA's point of view is that this competition doesnt promote sustainable utilisation. How come?
The pigeon shoot consist of three components: 1 Pigeons 2 Shooters and 3 Farmers.
1 The pigeons must continue breeding on the artificial "cliffs" of the cities, so that they can flock to the sunflower fields in their thousands, and provide some exciting and challenging wing shooting. At the moment there is no sign that their proliferation will stop or even slow down. In Europe the "humane" approach dictate that pigeons' eggs in the nests be replaced with hard boiled eggs, by brave mountaineers abseiling from the buildings. This of course do not reduce numbers, but it slows down the iincrease. AFAIK this is not being done in SA.
2The shooters must of course pitch up for the shoot, because without shooters, by definition there will be no shooting. The shooters as we all know are under threat from the FCA, and organisations like SAHGCA that condemns the shooting. I wonder how many potential shooters are waiting for their shotgun licences.
3 The farmers, who plant the fields of sunflower and wheat, are necessary to provide the pigeons with food, and to provide a place where the pigeons will flock to be hunted. Should the farmers stop planting these crops, not only will the shooters lack a practical place to ambush the pigeons, the pigeon population will also crash. The large pigeon numbers are supported by artificial breeding places, and artificial food supplies. Of the three components, the farmers are the most endangered at the moment. They are endangered by the pigeons eating into their profit, land claims, high production costs, farm attacks, and many more.

One small contribution that hunters can make, would be to enter for shoots like these, taking off some pigeons, to relieve the burden on the farmers' shoulders.
If SAHGCA was really concerned about sustainable utilisation, they would be supporting, not condemning Saturday's shoot.

Willie Barnard