Posted on 08/08/2008 3:47:23 AM PDT by Daffynition
[snip]
The curious incident happened in Columbus Park...
The park itself is one of the more intriguing gathering spots in Manhattan.
All day, elderly Chinese men play a Chinese version of chess as crowds gather to watch. There are other clusters of Chinese women playing card games. Little English is spoken.
[snip]
It was among this crowd that a burly white man in a blue shirt sat down.
He threw some crumbs on the ground in front of him and almost immediately, a flock of pigeons was at his feet.
Then, with a quick thrust of his right arm, he seized one of the birds.
As the other pigeons scattered, he stuffed his captured prey into a large white box.
We made brief eye contact. Then he bolted, thrusting his box with the rustling bird on his shoulder and disappearing into the crowded alley ways of Chinatown.
I was mystified.
Was he capturing dinner? Taking the bird to his own flock to be raced or trained? Getting food for some voracious pet?
[snip]
In New York City, it seems, there is no need to fear the law when it comes to pigeon hunting.
My estimable colleague Al Baker, who covers the Police Department, made a quick inquiry about the incident and was told there was no indication a crime had been committed.
Asked if a man grabbing a pigeon, stuffing it in a box and running was a crime of some sort, a straight-faced police spokesman said, “No, not really.”
“There’s no real crime,” the spokesman said, adding that more facts would be needed. “Maybe he’s trying to save the pigeon’s life. You cannot say it is a crime, because there is nothing to conclude it is a crime.”
(Excerpt) Read more at cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com ...
“Would you like that with duck sauce or soy sauce?”
A “Squabble” ??
Spring is here, a-suh-puh-ring is here.
Life is skittles and life is beer.
I think the loveliest time of the year is the spring.
I do, dont you? course you do.
But theres one thing that makes spring complete for me,
And makes evry sunday a treat for me.
All the world seems in tune
On a spring afternoon,
When were poisoning pigeons in the park.
Evry sunday youll see
My sweetheart and me,
As we poison the pigeons in the park.
When they see us coming, the birdies all try an hide,
But they still go for peanuts when coated with cyanide.
The suns shining bright,
Evrything seems all right,
When were poisoning pigeons in the park.
Lalaalaalalaladoodiedieedoodoodoo
Weve gained notoriety,
And caused much anxiety
In the audubon society
With our games.
They call it impiety,
And lack of propriety,
And quite a variety Of unpleasant names.
But its not against any religion
To want to dispose of a pigeon.
So if sunday youre free,
Why dont you come with me,
And well poison the pigeons in the park.
And maybe well do
In a squirrel or two,
While were poisoning pigeons in the park.
Well murder them all amid laughter and merriment.
Except for the few we take home to experiment.
My pulse will be quickenin
With each drop of strychnine
We feed to a pigeon.
It just takes a smidgin!
To poison a pigeon in the park.
“My, my, is that pigeon pie?”
The following statutes may apply.
21 NYCRR § 9003.12 (2007)§ 9003.12 Park animals.No person shall within any park molest, chase, wound, trap, hunt, shoot, throw missiles at, kill, remove or have in his possession any undomesticated animal, or any significant portion of the remains of any domesticated or undomesticated animal, or any nest, or the young of any undomesticated animal or the egg(s) of any undomesticated animal; or knowingly buy, receive, have in his possession, sell or give away any such undomesticated animal or egg taken from or killed within any park.
There are multiple statutes that protect pigeons.
New York Agricultural and Markets Law (”Ag & Mkts Law”) section 353-a protects pigeons from aggravated cruelty. Ag & Mkts Law section 353 provides that anyone who beats a pigeon (or other animal) or causes it to be deprived of necessary food or drink, among other acts, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Ag & Mkts Law section 362 provides that throwing a substance at a pigeon (or other animal) to willfully injure it is punishable by imprisonment of up to a year, a fine of up to $1,000 or both.
NYS Environmental law § 11-0513. Pigeons.
1. No person shall at any time, by any means or in any manner capture, kill or attempt to capture or kill any Antwerp or homing pigeon, wearing a ring or seamless leg band with its registered number stamped thereon; nor shall any person remove such mark. No person except the lawful owner shall detain, possess, or transport Antwerp or homing pigeons wearing a ring or seamless leg band with the registered number thereon.
2. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the local legislative body of any city, town or village, or in the city of New York the Department of Health may take or issue a permit to any person to take pigeons at any time and in any humane manner in such municipality, whenever such body or administration finds that pigeons within such municipality are or may become a menace to public health or a public nuisance; provided, however, that no pigeon may be taken in a manner which will endanger other animal life, persons or property.
New York State Department of Environmental and Conservation Law states that all birds are entitled to protection afforded by §11-1101(1), and that this protection is also afforded to pigeons. This was conceded by the Division of Legal Affairs at NYS-DEC Albany, in a Petition For Declaratory Ruling settlement in June 2005.
Is this only considered news because it involved a white male (and a burly one at that)?
The politicians have figured out how to game the system -- keep their crap out of the limelight for about three months before an election. Then they can do pretty much whatever they want the rest of the time, and we can't touch them.
NO cheers, unfortunately.
Carolyn
Pigeon- the other dark meat.
Meanwhile...
Andrew Zimmern foraging for lunch?
He is song satirist.
You can check him out on youtube; his "New Math" is particularly funny. Clicky for "Poisoning"
Carolyn
Maybe if every city would declare open season on pigeons, these nasty pest could be gotten under control.
I know just how that kid feels. That is how many pigeons roosted on the roof of our bay house. I HATE PIGEONS!
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