Huge outcry from industry as pigeon racing is declared illegal

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 The future of the multi-million rand pigeon racing industry in South Africa has been brought into question following the publication of new national legislation in the government gazette.

According to Alwyn Marais of the NSPCA's special projects unit, activities including the importing, breeding, trading in and translocation of pigeons are now listed as prohibited activities by the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs.

He says one of the NSPCA's major concerns is the high attrition rate during races, which are predominantly held in winter.

He says up to R5 000 pigeons die or simply disappear every year in the annual Million Dollar Pigeon Race alone - first held at Sun City and now staged in Pretoria.

"It is a gambling activity with extreme welfare and implications for thousands of animals. If there was a horse race, made up of 5 000 horses and only a thousand lived after the race, there would be an international uproar, but because it is a pigeon , the general idea is that nobody really cares, however in our eyes, all animals matter" he said


SA National Pigeon Organistion President Saunty Gilmer says as far as they're concerned the NSPCA is mis-interpreting the law.
He says they've approached the relevant ministers - including the minister of Sport - to state their case.

"We spoke to Sascoc already and they advised us to discuss it with these people, because the Act that they are talking about and the real racing pigeon is not the same species" he said