Medalion Of Torture

All medallions are a prize of honour or distinction. In the case of those worn by pigeons back in 2009 in Barcelona, they were more like tortures. For the birds and for animal lovers. 300 pigeons had started wearing a metal disc with an assigned number, as a new system of control, substituting the previous method with a ring on the foot of the bird, or clipped on the wing. But, just a few days into this practice, the Agency of Public Health had to re-capture the pigeons to free them from these newly put on medallions.

These pigeons had apparently showed great distress or pain, and had changed their habitual behaviour since this new collar had been put on them. Many people in the neighbourhood had reported that these birds now walk everywhere slowing, even when encountered obstacles or traffic, instead of flying or hurrying away, and showing pain or stress.

Many had been injured through their struggle to free themselves with the metal collar, or weak of exhaustion with the fruitless attempt. Quite a few had died and in one particular case, a pigeon was found near death with his beak caught and firmly stuck on the hook of the medal attached to the collar, so it couldn't close it nor breathe properly.

This experiment had caused great distress also to the people witnessing the torture suffered by the birds, and vehemently protested by all the pro animal groups and organisations. The authorities of the control explained that the old system meant that they had to capture the birds twice: once to put the identity rings on and another time to be able to see each bird's identity, to keep check of their population, habits and migration patterns. Had the new method worked, each number is easily seen even when they are up in the air. That would have saved a lot of time, effort and manpower.

According to the censor last year, the population of pigeons in Barcelona were 256,000 which caused sanity and health problems to the city. 25,000 are humanely sacrificed each year to keep the numbers under control, and the authority had also tried to let free some eagles to chase them away or eat them. They had even employed birth control on virile males with a substance called Nicarbicina, causing them temporary sterilization; but all to little effect.

Now years later, no new and effective step had yet been found; the authority is inviting the public to suggest any likely or helpful solutions. I wish I had one!

Tags:pigeons,medals

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