sad state of affairs

[Guest]

Earlier this afternoon I received a phone call from a lady reporting one of my youngsters. I did no more than drop what I was doing and drove the 18 miles to collect. The lady was so pleased that I came immediately. The bird was in a small cage on the back lawn with her 4 white garden Fantails looking on with interest. She was very interested in how the bird became lost and I spent some time talking to her about pigeons before I took my leave.

I have now just come off the phone after receiving a call from the ladies husband (Mr A), (NO you are wrong, I'm a good boy ) complimenting me on my attitude and thanking me for collecting the bird, He said it renewed some of his faith in pigeon people. He then went on to tell me that he had reported 13 pigeons this year alone, and NOT ONE FANCIER HAD BOTHERED TO COLLECT THEIR REPORTED BIRDS. Some of the stories he told me were horrendous, and one was, being told by one fancier that he didn't want the bird back as it had flown of course and was no good to him. Mr A told the fancier that he didn't want it either and this 'scumbag' said to Mr A "Don't be smart with me mate, I know the rules too, shoot it," and slammed the phone down.

I said to Mr A you should have reported him to the RPRA, and he said I was so shocked, I just took the bird in my car and drove 30 miles away, and let it go, and I don't have the details now.

This in my eyes sums up why we "pigeon fanciers" have such a bad reputation with 'Joe Public' and makes me wonder why any of us spend our time trying to gain public favour, when ass holes like this scum bag are allowed to be in the hobby.

As he and his wife seemed so interested in pigeons, I took the opportunity of invited them to my home for a chat and they have accepted.

[Guest bakes]

well done bob  your a credit to the sport mate

[BLACK W F]

yes its a sad state of affairs when we are trying to promote our sport but there is an element

that just wants to drag the desent fanciers into the gutter with them these are the ones the sport would well be rid of

[Guest MIKE1957]

well done bob  your a credit to the sport mate

 

ill second that......well done

[Guest numpty01]

well done bob   ;)

[grizzal]

well done bob know they no what atrue pigeonman is,Honest and Caring and wanting his birds back

[W.D.]

Afraid you are completely correct with that statement lenwadebob,there should be a way to stop some fanciers behaving like this with the public,maybe,like in rugby games 10 mins in the sin bin or a weeks suspension from racing might make them think before treating other people only trying to do them a good turn in this manner.Had it happen to myself a few times in the past and should have written their names in the pigeon papers to let others see what they are like.Sorry but I just might be doing this in future.

[Guest shadow]

tried reporting an abusive fancier wrote to the BHW letters page but they wrote back and said they could not print on the advice of their lawyers

[Guest mick bowler]

Well done Bob.

 

I once drove from Oxford to the other side of Slough (about 40-45 miles). A non-fancier had a pigeon in, he reported via the wing stamp to its owner and the bloke told him to chuck it out. The NF asked could he not come and pick it up and he replied if he had too but he would just neck it! A mate of mine was working on the NF house and told him i was a fancier, so he rang me distraught that this poor little bird was doomed. So i jumped in my car and drove and collected it, while also spending an hour so trying to convince the man that not all fanciers were like that. Need less to say i had a very "hot" debate with its owner when i got home. Some people just don't like the truth!!!

[Guest]

Lads & Lasses, I appreciate your kind words, but can assure you I never posted this for any credit, BUT to highlight one example of how the public are treated by hopefully is only a small minority of the pigeon fraternity.

[Guest slugmonkey]

No it happens a lot here I am listed on a lot of local rescue boards as well as with the local animal shelters I get 10-20 birds a year from people that are outside the sport and I can tell you some real horror stories !!!

[gooner]

well done dad, all you gotta do now is get um to come back on there own and it will save you the petriol ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Guest]

That is easier said than done Son as you well know, especially when you have a "sentry of guards" on duty 24/7

[boxer]

well done dad, all you gotta do now is get um to come back on there own and it will save you the petriol ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

lmao sorry bob i found that funny. your a true gentleman bob keep up the good work hows those verheyes  ;D ;D ;D

[Guest bristolkev]

top man bob...

[pjc]

this happens more often than people realise.

Over the years we have picked up loads of birds from non fanciers etc and most have the same impression of fanciers.

The prob is the RPRA won't/don't do anything with the culprits.

[Hogni]

There is a simple solution to this problem, one year ban from racing to those who fail to make arrangements for thier lost/found birds, no nonsense policy!

[pjc]

There is a simple solution to this problem, one year ban from racing to those who fail to make arrangements for thier lost/found birds, no nonsense policy!

 

As I said the RPRA don't implement the rules, they can suspend members now but don't!

[Guest Owen]

I am sick to death of the attitude of some Fanciers. And to be honest, I have gone a bit over the top a few times. A lot of them expect me to kill the bird of keep it. When I say that I'll do neither I have had all sorts of nasty answers. That is when I get angry and I've promised a couple of them that, I will personally bring the bird back to them and instead of shaking hands it will be their neck I'll shake.

This year more than before, I see that a lot of strays have no wing stamp. And I know that with the number of rubbish birds that are getting bred these days the Owners could not afford to have them back if they loose them.

The ones that really do my head in, are the ones who tell me that they are on the sick, or that they are pensioners. I've had yards of it. And to be honest, whereas I used to be sympathetic, I am not any more. Regardless of the story I am pitched, I will always insist that they arrange to have the bird back. I'm afraid that my attitude is, that if they can't afford to send for the birds when they get lost, then they should not send them to races.

And where the General Public is concerned, Fanciers who bring the sport into disrepute should have a bann imposed. If we allow this sort of thing to carry on, how do we expect to gain suport of the Public when we want to deal with difficult issues like the BOP issue. It seems to me that, our public image is vitally important. Definately too important to allow a small minority of idiots to ruin it.

Well done Bob for bringing this problem to light and for the way you handled the situation. Perhaps you have restored the Gentleman's faith in us.  

[just ask me]

please keep on topic

[ch pied]

 

As I said the RPRA don't implement the rules, they can suspend members now but don't!

agreed , its down to the region sec , to swing the hachet , if a few get the chop its wake up time

 

 

[Guest numpty01]

trouble is the rpra do not bother to inforce its own rules its al verywell with fanciers to fancier saying do this or that but its not clever telling non fanciers that when after all they have gone out of there way to help

[Guest spin cycle]

agreed , its down to the region sec , to swing the hachet , if a few get the chop its wake up time

 

 

i also agree in my view, if a member behaves in a bad way they should recieve a 2 week racing ban all the rpra has to do is ring up club sec. and inform them. it would be a good detterent JMO    

[Guest IB]

Well at the mo the ball is in pigeonpeople's court, another totally different court may become involved - and act - if a disillusioned non-pigeon fancier phones the RSPCA to report that the owner did not want the bird nor make arrangements to collect it. Another pigeonbasics member posted a warning on the Animal Welfare Act - abandonment is covered by the Act, might be more than one pigeon, or a couple of races the wrongdoer misses, the Court can remove the right to keep animals...

 

Well done Bob, I think when dealing with Joe Public, we must be ambassadors for the sport, as you proved to be in this case.

[Guest]

Well at the mo the ball is in pigeonpeople's court, another totally different court may become involved - and act - if a disillusioned non-pigeon fancier phones the RSPCA to report that the owner did not want the bird nor make arrangements to collect it. Another pigeonbasics member posted a warning on the Animal Welfare Act - abandonment is covered by the Act, might be more than one pigeon, or a couple of races the wrongdoer misses, the Court can remove the right to keep animals...

 

Well done Bob, I think when dealing with Joe Public, we must be ambassadors for the sport, as you proved to be in this case.

Haven't got a clue what your talking about regarding Pete as it seems irrelevant to the other posts unless there are some that have been deleted?   Are pigeons even covered by the Animal Welfare Act?