Why Write a Letter to the Editor?
Writing a letter to the editor (LTE) is one of the most effective ways to raise awareness, shift public opinion, and press lawmakers to end live pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania. A well-placed LTE shows lawmakers that their constituents care and helps inspire others to take action too.
Quick LTE Tips
• Keep it brief—aim for 200–250 words and 1–2 key points.
* Make it local—mention your town/county and why it matters to you.
* Use plain language—most readers aren’t policy experts.
* End with a clear ask—urge lawmakers to end live pigeon shoots.
* Include contact info—papers verify before printing (they’ll only publish your name & town).
Click here for full LTE tips and the list of Pennsylvania newspapers
Sample Letters to the Editor (Copy, personalize, and submit)
1) A Bipartisan Issue of Decency
Dear Editor,
Pennsylvanians of every political background agree: animal cruelty has no place in our Commonwealth. Yet live pigeon shoots—where birds are trapped, launched from boxes, and shot at close range—still happen here. This is not hunting, and it’s not a tradition worth keeping. It’s cruelty, plain and simple. Clay targets are readily available; skill and sportsmanship don’t require suffering. Most Pennsylvanians support a ban, including many hunters who recognize these shoots as a stain on fair-chase values. Our legislature should come together—Democrats and Republicans—and end live pigeon shoots once and for all. Compassion isn’t partisan.
Sincerely, Your Name, Your Town
2) Our Reputation Is at Stake
Dear Editor,
Pennsylvania has become known as one of the last places where live pigeon shoots persist. While other states modernize and move away from cruelty, we’re stuck with contests that launch dazed birds from boxes to be gunned down for points.
Is this really what we want our Commonwealth to be known for? We should be leading on humane values, not lagging behind. There’s nothing “sporting” about wounding animals and leaving them to suffer.
Lawmakers should vote to end live pigeon shoots and show the country that Pennsylvania stands for decency, not needless cruelty.
Sincerely, Your Name, Your Town
3) Violence Begets Violence
Dear Editor,
We teach our kids that kindness matters. Allowing live pigeon shoots—events where birds are launched and shot at close range—sends the opposite message. These spectacles normalize cruelty and treat living beings as disposable targets.
Families deserve better than to see animal suffering passed off as “sport.” Ending live pigeon shoots is a simple step our leaders can take to reflect the values we want to model for the next generation: empathy, fairness, and respect for life.
I urge our legislature to act.
Sincerely, Your Name, Your Town
4) Humane Alternative Exists
Dear Editor,
Defenders of live pigeon shoots often invoke “tradition.” But many traditions were replaced once we recognized the harm they caused. We have a straightforward alternative: clay target shooting. It’s competitive, challenging, and cruelty-free.
If the goal is sport, use clay. If the goal is spectacle, it doesn’t belong in a civilized Commonwealth. It is time to pass a bill to end live pigeon shoots and promote ethical alternatives that don’t rely on suffering.
Sincerely, Your Name, Your Town
5) Pennsylvania’s Failure to End Barbaric Contests
Dear Editor,
It is indefensible that Pennsylvania still allows live pigeon shoots—events where birds are stuffed into boxes, launched into the air, and blasted at close range for sport. Many are not killed outright, left to suffer broken and bleeding until they die or are finished off by hand. This is not hunting. It is barbarism. For decades, bills to end this cruelty have been introduced, yet the legislature has repeatedly caved to special interests and failed to act. Meanwhile, our state remains an outlier of shame, known nationwide as one of the last places where this spectacle is tolerated.
6) Bucks County Should Lead, Not Be the Last Holdout
Dear Editor,
Bucks County is known for its history, natural beauty, and strong communities. But today, it is also known as the last place in Pennsylvania still hosting live pigeon shoots. These contests launch birds from boxes to be gunned down at close range—many left to suffer slow deaths from their wounds. This is not sport, and it is not the legacy we want for our county. Bucks County should not be remembered as the final refuge for cruelty, but as the community that finally put an end to it. If target practice is the goal, clay pigeons are readily available. I urge our local Bucks County legislators to show leadership and bring this needless cruelty to an end once and for all.
Sincerely,
Your Name, Your Town (Bucks County)
7) Bucks County’s Cruel Legacy Must End
Dear Editor,
Bucks County holds the grim distinction of being the only place in Pennsylvania where live pigeon shoots still occur. These are not “sportsmen’s events.” They are mass killings of trapped birds—launched from boxes, shot at point-blank range, many left to suffer or die slowly on the ground. It is cruelty dressed up as competition. For decades, the legislature has looked the other way while a handful of clubs carry out this barbaric spectacle. Most Pennsylvanians—including hunters—want it banned. Yet special-interest pressure has blocked every attempt to end it. This is a stain on our county and on our Commonwealth. Bucks County should not be the last refuge for such cruelty but the place where it finally stops. Our lawmakers must find the courage to act and end live pigeon shoots once and for all.
Sincerely,
Your Name, Your Town (Bucks County)
8) Clay, Not Cruelty
To the Editor,
There’s nothing wrong with competitive target shooting—when the targets are clay. Using live birds as disposable props is indefensible. Even many hunters say pigeon shoots violate the idea of fair-chase and respect for wildlife.
If we can enjoy the challenge without causing suffering, why wouldn’t we? Please support legislation to end live pigeon shoots and promote ethical, clay target competitions instead.
Sincerely, Your Name, Your Town
9) Ending the Supply Chain of Cruelty
Dear Editor,
Live pigeon shoots don’t exist in a vacuum. They depend on birds being trapped and transported—sometimes illegally across city and county lines—to supply these contests. That pipeline fuels suffering from start to finish. Pennsylvania shouldn’t be the destination for cruelty. Ending live pigeon shoots will help cut off demand and stop this cycle at its source. It’s time to close the door on this outdated practice.
Sincerely, Your Name, Your Town
10) No Tradition Excuses Cruelty
Dear Editor,
Some say live pigeon shoots are “tradition.” But cruelty isn’t sport, and tradition isn’t a free pass to cause suffering. Pennsylvania has rightly rejected other violent traditions over time; this should be no different. Most Pennsylvanians agree: end live pigeon shoots, and choose humane alternatives that reflect who we are today. Let’s put compassion and common sense into law.
Sincerely, Your Name, Your Town