HELP END BARBARIC LIVE PIGEON SHOOTS:
Breaking: HB 1750 has been amended with bill language to also end live pigeon shoots. Check out this important update here: Support HB 1750 – to End 2 Shockingly Cruel Forms of Animal Abuse
Enough is enough. It is time to vote on a bill to end live pigeon shoots. Please contact your state senator to ask them to not only support, HB 1750 to end these pitiless contests, but ask them to also push their leadership to schedule it for a vote. Click here for a sample letter. Also, help apply public pressure by submitting a letter to the editor. Thank you for your help.
WHAT IS A LIVE PIGEON SHOOT? Live pigeon shoots are inhumane contests where live birds who have been captured, brought into Pennsylvania, often illegally from neighboring states, are shot at close range by shooters who earn points for every bird they shoot down within a certain range. Observers estimate that 70% of the birds are wounded but not killed outright. Pennsylvania remains the one of the last states where these notoriously cruel events are openly and regularly held.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH PIGEON SHOOTS? They are extremely cruel. Each live pigeon shoot results in untold animal suffering; neighbors around the shoots have watched wounded birds slowly bleed to death over hours and days. Additionally, children are used to retrieve the shot birds and pets pick up the dead and dying birds left in the shooting area.
In preparation for the shoot, pigeons are kept in boxes and then launched one-by-one into the air by a spring loaded bottom when the box is opened. The shooter must react to which box opens and receives points according to where the birds land. The birds are disoriented and confused as the shooter opens fire. At the end of the events, shooters receive prizes for their performance.
After each round of shooting, birds within the shooting circle are collected – often by youth with no training in proper euthanasia methods – and killed or immobilized by slamming, snapping, or snipping the head off or breaking of the neck. The birds are then tossed into a barrel or pile of dead and dying pigeons and discarded as garbage. It is common to find live birds mixed with the dead in the garbage heap hours, or even days, after the shoot.
Pigeon shoots are similar to dog fights and cockfights in that participants gamble on the outcome of these events where winners kill the most birds.
TRUE SPORTSMEN OPPOSE LIVE PIGEON SHOOTS: Most hunters recognize there is a big difference between stalking a wild animal in the woods and shooting a disoriented, captive bird just released from a box in a competition. The Pennsylvania Game Commission has opined that a narrowly tailored ban, as provided for in this legislation, on live pigeon shoots will not affect any legal hunting activities in Pennsylvania. Pigeon shoots are not genuine “sportsmen” events and there is nothing sporting about close range shooting of mechanically launched dazed, weakened and disoriented birds.
WHAT ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT AN END TO LIVE PIGEON SHOOTS? Humane PA; The Pennsylvania Bar Association; The Humane Society of the United States; Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association; ASPCA; Pennsylvania Council of Churches; Pennsylvania Federation of Humane Societies; Humane Society of Berks County (where most shoots are held) as well as shelters, humane societies and animal organizations in the state.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF LEGISLATION? SB 510 has been introduced by Senator Browne and cosponsored by senators Pileggi, Costa, Williams, Greenleaf, Leach, Erickson, Dinniman, Alloway, Ferlo, Solobay, Fontana, Blake, Boscola, Washington, Kitchen, Tartaglione, Smith, Wiley, Teplitz, Farnese, Hughes and Stack.
For 25 years, this bill has not received a vote as a free-standing bill. It is long past time for the Pennsylvania legislature to end this backwards and cruel practice that has more in common with cockfighting and dogfighting than with hunting. This bill deserves a vote.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THESE BARBARIC CONTESTS:
Send a letter to the editor of your local paper about live pigeon shoots. Find sample letters here as well as a list of Pennsylvania Newspapers.
Please contact your state legislators to ask them to not only support, SB 510 to end these pitiless contests, but ask them to push their leadership to run this bill for a vote. Please ALSO contact Senator Pileggi to ask him to run the bill for a vote.
Recent media:
2014 Editorials in support of ending live pigeon shoots
NPR: Fair Or Foul? Pigeon Shoots Ruffle Feathers In Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Inquirer: Game show icon Bob Barker releases video plea to stop pigeon shoots
Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial: Caged birds aren’t singing to be targets
Times-Tribune Opinion: End cruelty
Humane PA 
I have been calling and pleading for years for this to stop.There is somthing seriously wrong with this governement if something like this exist in our world.Stop this Pigeon Shoot Now
This is disgusting. There is certainly nothing sporting about this. There is a special place in hell for those involved. This includes the politicians allowing this to happen.
Thanks Adam – I will never, ever understand the reluctance of the legislature and some legislators do address this. If you are in PA – please contact your state legislators to let them know that you want live pigeon shoots stopped.
Please stop this , no living thing should ever be subjected to this so called sport .
I live in Chester, VA. Can I sign a petition showing my feelings about this inhumane act that the PA government seems to accept ….if they didn’t they would have already voted to outlaw it……
Pigeon Shooters Poem: http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/pigeons/PijShootrsPoem.html
Thanks for sharing this Urban Wildlife Society. Heartbreaking, It is unfathomable that the PA legislature has refused to deal with this.
Never thought I’d see something worse than in my State, Alabama, but this pretty well takes the cake.
I am a gun enthusiast and love target shooting. But this is nothing but cruelty to animals
By sick individuals. These people make all gun owners appear to be heartless idiots.
Anyone who would find pleasure in the pain and torture of defenseless animals for so called sport will Answer someday for their actions. I have no problem with someone hunting to feed their family
But I have a real problem with this live pigeon shooting for fun.
Thanks Matt! We need more gun enthusiasts like you to speak out! There are still many PA legislators who are so afraid of the gun vote, that they avoid voting on this bill. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most gun owners and hunters would never participate in these backwards and cruel contests.
I have been a member of the NRA for many years. When I found out about this I emailed the
NRA and asked them if they support live pigeon shooting for fun. I let them know I would no longer
Support them if they do. Haven’t heard back yet but I will stay on this and pass the word to others.
You are right, to defeat a small group of gun owners doing the wrong thing you need a large group
Of gun owners to STAND UP! I know lots of gun owners but none who would think this practice
Is ethical or acceptable.
Thanks so much for staying on this Matt! The NRA does actively fight legislation to end live pigeon shoots it and has sent many action alerts out. If you Google nra-ila and pigeon shoot you can see the alerts. You are right – most hunters would oppose this.
I think China has showen you yanks how to do it. If your officials miss behave deal with them.
“THE GREATNESS OF A NATION AND ITS MORAL PROGRESS CAN BE JUDGED BY THE WAY ITS ANIMALS ARE TREATED.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Please stop live pigeon shoots . It’s totally inhumane.
We certainly are trying! Have you called your legislators?
Senseless, inhumane acts like this need to stop. We need to respect and preserve all life and teach our children the value of all creatures!
We sure do! Please contact your state senator to ask for their help ending live pigeon shoots! Support HB 1750!
CLAY “pigeons” don’t become confused and disoriented. To the shooters: At least give yourself something to brag about – a competitive target.
Nuts
I thought this was outlawed….why is it still going on when the majority in the state are against this awful practice!! Pa government should be ashamed!!
What is the current status of live pigeon shoots in PA?
Thank you for asking about the pigeon shoot bill. No animal bills are currently moving because of the budget impasse, but please check the link below for updates, and it is very important to still contact your state legislators: https://humane-pa.org/current-legislation-2/fact-sheets-about-pending-bills-2015/end-barbaric-live-pigeon-shoots/
This is animal cruelty and barberic entertainment for shame Pa
It is wrong for humans to enflict pain and suffering for enjoyment to animals this is not a sport! It is cruel entertainment ! Animals feel pain just like humans!
269 Life Végans
This has to STOP!!!!
It sure does! Please make sure to contact your state representative!