Texarkana Incident

[ken_sturrock]

I sent the following to Capital One regarding this:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/13/dea....ap/index.html

Perhaps the site's members may wish to send their thoughts as well.

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Capital One
Attn: Customer Service
P.O. Box 61540
New Orleans, LA 70161

September 13, 2006

Dear Capital One:

As Capital One customers and lovers of Pigeons, my wife and I were horrified to read about the recent incident in Texarkana, Texas where a group of Pigeons was intentionally poisoned on the roof of a Capital One Bank and then fell dead to the street among festival attendees.

Although Lacy McMillen of the the local Capital One Bank branch said that it was not the bank's intention to hurt the birds, she failed to take responsibility for the bank's hiring of a “pest control” firm which is not only inhumane but incompetent in its inhumanity. Pigeons and their relatives in the Dove family are gentle birds which pose no direct harm to people or other animals. Poisoning birds is not only a cruel, reckless and futile approach to control but, unlike the presence of the Pigeons themselves, does pose a risk to other animals.

Because of their gentle nature, beauty, loyal personality and many historical benefits to humanity, Pigeons and Doves have been held as sacred by virtually every major world religion. Even today, Pigeons and Doves are greatly admired by many around the world and, despite the ignorance of some, have important symbolic as well as biological significance. For example, a pigeon brought news of dry land to Noah on the Ark as well as showed the presence of the divine spirit during the baptism of Christ. Aside from being a barbaric act, poisoning the universal symbol of peace is not a wise public relations decision.

As a progressive financial institution, I would encourage Capital One to investigate more humane ways of preventing Pigeons from entering their facilities. In the future, if another lost and frightened Pigeon happens to defecate on a customer, I would suggest that you offer her a gesture of apology and help her to move on with her financial concerns.

Ultimately, institutions are judged not simply by how they perform financially but also how they participate in their community. Customers and Pigeons are both members of the Texarkana community and history will ultimately favor an institution that has taken a decent path over a deadly path. Our family's continued patronage of Capital One will depend on your company's efforts to prevent another such slaughter.

Sincerely,




Kenneth Sturrock

[Skyeking]

That is one excellent letter, I don't think I could say it any better.

Even though I am not a customer, I certainly will let them know my thoughts.

Poisoning is a horrible death of suffering, the birds don't just go to sleep as many customers of the pest control companies believe. There are many better choices and alternatives.

It is also a known fact that their numbers will return as has been seen over and over again. When God created pigeons He endowed them with unique qualities of preservation, as well as many other talents, other birds do not possess. They were heroes in the World Wars because they helped save many lives due to their homing instincts, keen eyesight, and other extra sensory equipment.

[Maggie-NC]

Ken, we hear of incidents way too often and it is heartbreaking. There really should be something done because while pigeons are not protected, these poisons are also killing protected species.

[mr squeaks]

Your letter was beautifully written, Ken! You covered all the bases!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[Feather]

Thank you Ken for writing that very dignified letter.

Feather

[sidlawpigeon]

Great letter!

Poisoning pigeons, you know, it is horrible. One day I was in town with my little daughter, for some shopping. She was four years old then and under the trees, there were dozens of pigeons, all dead, all poisoned. There were some guys there who put them into plastic bags. And they tried to tell my little one that they were just sleeping - which made her really angry for she already knew that pigeons don't lay around when they're asleep.

[stephie]

Good job on the letter, what a heartbreaking story.
And what a disaster this Lacy McMillen is... she should be fired.

"It was not the intention of the bank to harm any of these birds."
"McMillen said the bank hired an exterminator to handle its pigeon problem"

Is anyone really that idiotic? I suppose they hired an exterminator with the intention of helping the birds? Apparently you can have an IQ of 12 and still be the president of a bank... pathetic.

How tragic that the stupidity of people like her had to cost the poor pigeons their lives... not to mention the lives of any other birds and animals that may have found the same corn.

Some people are so disgusting.