You think you've got it bad in the UK

[Guest]

So you think you've got it bad in the UK with the channel Racing.

 

This weekend a truck from one of The Carolinas crossed the State line into Alabama.  The truck was seized and impounded by the state Department of Health and Health Certificates were demanded, What health Certificates ????  The state Vet managed to get the truck released on the warning that if any truck carrying racing pigeons was brought over the State line for release in Alabama without Health certificates the penalties would be severe.

 

The State have also decreed that pigeons can now only be released at two designated places in the State, supervised by Dept. of Agriculture representatives.

 

I don't think we will be racing pigeons in the States within the next 10 years.  

[Jack Barkel]

Hello Hyacinth,

 

I am so sad to hear it has got as bad as that in the USA, I thought with its advanced thinking in the AU, that America would be one of the future leading nations in the world, on the racing pigeon scene.

 

What a great pity, its either pigeon politics or government red tape killing our sport.

 

My Comiserations,

 

Jack

[peterpau]

I am so sorry to hear that Hyacinth. Can't help but wonder, if this sort of thing may be the future here. We have to fight this ban on channel racing, but we are lucky we can go north. I do hope you can get this dreadful imposition lifted.

[Guest]

While I think the initial action by the State was wrong Hyacinth, clouds & silver linings spring to mind.

 

In previous posts you've mentioned three enemies: States, public health phobia, animal rights.

 

If the State wants to legislate pigeon racing, putting in place a pigeon health regime and designated race sites, then AU compliance automatically makes pigeon racing a 'clean' , 'acceptable' and 'lawful' activity and at the same time vanquishes the other two enemies.....

 

[Guest]

All this will have to come with a price Bruno.  

 

I have no idea what the cost of obtaining the Health Certificates will be to the flyers. The North Road club in British Columbia Canada had this problem about three years ago, when they crossed into America to race from Washington State, not to mention the time factor involved with the American Vet on the Border.  The driver had to present the trailer at the time given by the Vet for him to inspect the birds crate by crate, in some cases this meant basketing the birds one day early so that they could be presented for the appointment. In once instance the trailer was refused entry because the vet saw one pigeon that apparently was limping slighly. They now race from the East in Canada so they don't have to put up with the Beauracratic crap on the Border.

 

So in essence we are looking at far greater costs to the Fanciers, as I see it, the pigeons will have to be inspected every week before the certificate is issued and who ever will be inspecting the birds will have to be paid.  As for releasing under controlled conditions at given release points, there will be charges of course and these again will have to come out of the flyers pockets and maybe an extra day's pay for the driver.

 

I have heard from a friend in North Carolina this morning who told me the fine for not having a health certificate would be $5,000 and criminal charges could be made against the combine.

 

The controlled liberations sites are just what the animal rights activists want, they could cause all sorts of mayhem.

 

Not a happy situation Bruno, this could have a domino effect and other states could follow Alabama's actions