Stir caused in pigeon racing world
The regulations will not be enforced against pigeon racing and associated activities until the regulations have been amended
THE National SPCA caused chaos in the pigeon racing fraternity last week when it issued a statement saying this sport had been banned.
Following this statement on Wednesday last week, the department of environmental affairs responded the following day, saying the opposite.
According to the NSPCA statement all activities, including importing, breeding, trading and racing of pigeons were listed as prohibited activities in terms of a notice published in the Government Gazette on August 1.
The department of environmental affairs said the feral pigeon, commonly used for racing, was included on the invasive species list.
The NSPCA said the prohibition concluded that the releasing of any specimen of a listed invasive species, which meant releasing pigeons to race or as homing pigeons, was now illegal.
Since then the department engaged with specialists and had reached an agreement that the activities of the pigeon racing fraternity would have no significant impact on the invasion by the feral pigeon.
They said the numbers were low in relation to the existing invasions, and it was possible to provide exemption for the racing pigeons activities. These will be discussed with the relevant associations.
The department had engaged with the NSPCA which had raised concerns about possible cruelty relating to pigeon racing.
The regulations will not be enforced against pigeon racing and associated activities until the regulations have been amended, following engagements with the industry associations.
