Prince Edward Cruel @#$%&#$

[LondonPigeon]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...965221,00.html

what a cruel man he doesn't care for those poor defenless pigeons

[TAWhatley]

Ok folks .. this is not a pleasant story, so read at your own risk.

Terry

[Trees Gray]

I am glad this is in the paper because it means that animal rights activists and other people are complaining and making a big deal of his cruel act, which hopefully will embarrass and make him feel uncomfortable to the point where he won't do this cruel act again!

Didn't he see Valiant?

[LondonPigeon]

some months before Queen Elizabeth II was critized for her way of finishing of a pheasant, by knocking it on the head repeatdly not in one strike

this is exactly why i am opposed to bird hunting

[kittypaws]

Not being one to slag off the Royal Family ( don't worry we have freedom of speech!!) I detest the Royals for shooting game birds. When Diana was alive she had a compassion for most animals and did not like the shooting and the hunting that the Royals enjoy. But at the end of the day it is a tradition handed down through the Royals through centuries such as Henry VIII killing wild boar, deer and swans.

However in this day and age it is shame that shooting for fun is not outlawed all over the world.

Organisations such as the RSPCA ( Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals and LACS ( League Against Cruel Sports) are two very respected animal rights bodies and the fact that they were allowed to add editorial to this sorry spectacle is progress ( especially in the Times which is a Royalist paper).

London Pigeon is right about the Queen. there was a big hoo ha when she clubbed a pheasant to death after it was only maimed from a shot.

Members of Pigeon.com please know that the majority of British people abhor cruelty to animals especially in the forms of shooting and hunting. Prince Edward has just made his already shaky reputation even worse!!

Tania

[cyro51]

Thanks for the warning, Terry. I decided not to read it and even so am already agitated and tearful.

We fight so hard to save injured pigeons' lives, it makes me sick to think that other people get pleasure from killing them. The royal family have so much, why do they need to rob animals of the only thing of value that they have?

It is a sick world.

Cynthia

[LondonPigeon]

Originally Posted by cyro51

Thanks for the warning, Terry. I decided not to read it and even so am already agitated and tearful.

We fight so hard to save injured pigeons' lives, it makes me sick to think that other people get pleasure from killing them. The royal family have so much, why do they need to rob animals of the only thing of value that they have?

It is a sick world.

Cynthia

i know Cynthia

it makes me very upset to think of the abuse those poor innocent pigeons suffer

[AZWhitefeather]

Originally Posted by cyro51

Thanks for the warning, Terry. I decided not to read it and even so am already agitated and tearful.

We fight so hard to save injured pigeons' lives, it makes me sick to think that other people get pleasure from killing them. The royal family have so much, why do they need to rob animals of the only thing of value that they have?

It is a sick world.

Cynthia

Thanks for the heads up Terry.
I chose not to take part in the reading as well, however can just imagine what was said.

I don't understand how some people can be so heartless.

Cindy

[LondonPigeon]

Originally Posted by AZWhitefeather

Thanks for the heads up Terry.
I chose not to take part in the reading as well, however can just imagine what was said.

I don't understand how some people can be so heartless.

Cindy

i LOVE your avatar the birds are so sweet ^_^

it shows how caring the pigeon parents are to their babies, if only the cruel bird hunters could understand this

[re92346mos]

That sure wasn't a pleasant story Terry! I wonder how he would like being knocked in the head! Some people flat out make me sick.

[Garye]

You know that Prince Edward is coming out like a little devil, isn't he? I've heard so much about him lately about his many "episodes." They'll have their hands full with him.

The press, however, will probably love him for the stories they can get.

It was absolutely cruel what he did to that poor pigeon. I really wish they'd find another sport to enjoy besides hunting animals. Why not do like Paris Hilton and try to become an actor? (Only kidding. ) Or collect stamps or something along that line. There's so much other stuff they can do.

[re lee]

The queen used to have and fly raceing homers. Now i do not know that she still does. But She did. Used to even have picture of the loft. As far as hunting and such I think it was intended to be photographed. But people that stand out are often seen more. Hunting is for food. So I can not say this is wrong. To hunt just to kill no thats wrong.

[Yong]

Okay...I'll take the bullet on this one.....Hunting should not be for sport, it should be because you are starving to death and it cost $25.00 per year to feed your family, as opposed to $25.00 per week. My father was a hunter, and we were beyond dirt floor poor. My mom would beg for a cup of rice door to door, and dad and I stood in the cheese and cracker lines. We found that having our own eggs, milk, various wild meat & fish, and a garden kept us alive, as well as my fathers parents.

When I was 4, I found out we were eating rabbits and frog leggs. I swore from that day forward I would be a veg. Afterall...I was the one feeding all those wonderful 'pets". Now that we are all financially better off, my father does not hunt. He never hung antlers or heads on the wall either. He happens to love animals. He helps me care for my pigeons every day. Sometimes just to be funny, he jokes about squab for the holidays. He is just kidding though, he does it to ruffle my feathers.

Now as for the Royals...lets assume that he really did want to put the poor creature out of it's misery (there are many people who still do not know that there are rescues for pigeons), the guy is 84 years old, and is "old school". I hate to say it but I'd probably look like a darn fool with a stick too at that age. I'd be lucky not to hit and miss myself, lol. In fact...when I am 84, it's possible my pigeons will be beating me to a pulp, they won't be any good at it either at that age. Soooo now it brings me to my final conclusion....THEY ARE NOT POOR. THE ONLY BIRD HE NEEDS TO BE MESSING WITH IS the one right smack in the middle of my hand...AM I ALLOWED TO SAY THAT HERE???? SOOOOOORRRRRY if I am not. Yong

[Monica]

OK...I'm confused by the article. Prince Philip (I assume they are talking about the Queen's husband) and Prince Edward are mentioned. Prince Philip is 84, so I assume it was him using the walking stick on the bird, and Prince Edward is only mentioned as not having a gun when he noticed the injured pigeon.

It sounds like Prince Edward didn't have much to do with the story other than noticing the injured bird. It is not stated that Edward was actually shooting in this hunt.

It's an unnecessarily confusing article in my opinion. I suspect they just wanted a reason to put Prince Edward's name in the headline because putting Prince Philip in the headline would make it look they are picking on an old man.

Not to totally defend the sport, at least give them credit for making some effort to lessen suffering. Also keep in mind this whole story is based on "an onlooker" who remains unnamed.

Monica

[kittypaws]

After reading the article again and in particular to Yong and Monica's posts, I can confirm that Prince Edward did the deed, but as Monica rightly says he was only trying to put it out of his misery. Yeah we all know there are pigeon rescue places they could have taken it to but do you think the Royal family would go to such lengths - of course not. When they are shooting pheasants some will get maimed and I am sure they are "despatched" in a similar way. At least its not suffering now.

Re Yong's comments on hunting, I am totally opposed to hunting for sport/fun. I can agree with Yong when it is a matter of survival - i.e you or them but the shooting the Royals do of course is for fun and yes they do eat the pheasants but they don't need too and..... millions of pheasants are specifically bred for the shoots. Those that get away often get run over (pheasants are a bit silly when it comes to roads) or some will starve ( (because they have been fed on tap in a breeding shed) and the lucky ones will be OK and miss the marksmen and end up living a free life. Pheasants, especially the males are the most beautiful birds you ever saw with irridescent colours of green, gold and red, truly magnificent, but incredibly daft bless them.

So at the end of the day, I don't like what Edward did, but he did what he thought best and I don't agree with the shooting!!

Tania ( I am afraid I may have come across totally anti-royalist and have animal activist tatooed across my head in my previous post)