FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, September 4, 1996
CONTACT: Mike Markarian, (301) 585-2591, MikeM@fund.org
Today, The Fund for Animals released results of its pigeon shoot monitoring program at the 1996 Hegins Labor Day pigeon shoot, and reported that approximately 77 percent of the birds released at the event were not immediately killed, but rather were wounded. This analysis is the fourth coordinated effort to document the fate of released birds. The wounding rates at previous shoots were 58, 70, and 77.5 percent for the 1993, 1994, and 1995 shoots, respectively.
Investigators monitored 4,124 pigeons released on all seven shooting fields. This total represents all of the pigeons released at the 1996 shoot, and is down by nearly 1,000 from the 5,106 birds released last year. Only 170 shooters participated, down from 250 for each of the last 62 years.
Of the 4,124 pigeons released from traps, 566 (14 percent) were killed immediately by shooters; 2,642 (64 percent) were wounded and then collected by "trapper boys"; 532 (13 percent) were wounded and either not routinely collected by "trapper boys" or not collected at all; 384 (9 percent) were not wounded; 3 were already dead when the traps opened. The 1995 data collectors documented 5,106 released; 680 (13 percent) killed immediately; 3,202 (63 percent) wounded and collected; 736 (14.5 percent) wounded and not collected; and 491 (10 percent) not wounded.
"Trapper boys" dumped an undetermined number of injured birds into barrels. Fund activists retrieved at least three live but wounded birds from the barrels at the end of the shoot. At least one of these birds remains alive and is receiving treatment by a veterinarian.
"This monitoring work indicates that the Hegins pigeon shoot may be the nation's most extreme example of organized animal cruelty," says Heidi Prescott, National Director of The Fund. "These birds may not die a quick death, but the pigeon shoot will soon die because of its lack of support -- fewer shooters, fewer spectators, and fewer people willing to tolerate animal abuse."
Throughout the day, Fund volunteers rescued 145 wounded birds and provided veterinary treatment. The birds who survived were transported to rehabilitation facilities for further care.
One pigeon shoot spectator has been charged with cruelty to animals for stomping a bird to death in the park. The Fund is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the identity of another spectator who bit the head off a live pigeon and mounted the bird's head on his glasses.