From BBC: Family face home loss over birds

[chriss80]

My husband just came across this article on line and sent it to me, we are shocked about how these people have been treated.

Also in the article they say something about “unauthorised use of a shed for keeping pigeons“ , do I need an authorisation or something? This is new to me

This is the article, take from BBC:
Link here : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8260745.stm


A Portrush family face losing their home after an eight year battle with planners over a pigeon loft in their back garden.

Michael and Annette Wiggins and their lodger John Edgar have defied a court order to remove the pigeons.

Now a judge has given them six months to either get rid of the birds or sell their Girona Crescent home.

Annette Wiggins said it had been a "stressful" time for the family and they had put their home on the market.

She said they had reduced the asking price on the property by £100,000 in an attempt to get a sale.

"It has been very stressful for me and all my family," she said.

"We all love the pigeons, we all work with the pigeons and we travel to shows, we raise money for charity.

"I think it is a terrible situation we are put in to have to sell our home, just because of our love of our pets.

"We just absolutely love the birds."

John Edgar said there were about 80 racing and show pigeons at the property in Girona Crescent, with their individual value ranging from £30 to £500.

He said he had been keeping pigeons for 34 years and had never had "any bother before".

"I have been fined £250 for breach of planning and £250 for unauthorised use of a shed for keeping pigeons," he added.

"We can't move until we get the house sold, but it is a disgrace, I don't think it is right at all.

"I have kept pigeons all my life, I wouldn't get rid of them.

"They are my life."