[Peg 'n Peter]

Grrrrrrrr! I know this thread may get removed but in the meantime, it will be therapy for me and those of you who see it will probably get my frustration.

Why are there so many people who:

1. Think pigeons are 'flying rats';
2. Don't know how intelligent they are;
3. Don't know that they mate for life;
4. Think pigeon shoots are acceptable

Honestly, I'd take my pigeons over these knuckle-dragging morons any day of the week! I try to educate people whenever the opportunity arises, but there's some real dimwits out there with thick skulls that will just never get it.

The other thing I hear is they make a mess. Yeah, they poop. Everybody poops! Get over it! Squirrels poop, dogs poop, cats poop, bugs poop, humans poop. Pigeons poop. So what! It's nothing a 30 second spray with a garden hose can't cure (in my case). People need to learn to live WITH nature and not AGAINST it. S***-heads.

You know, I DO feel a bit better.

 

[Ed]

its from the fact the pest control companies have been filling people's minds with that information for decades now

 

[Pegasus]

All I can state about this is they want to stay ignorant and they have their opinion but that doesn't mean I'll accept it...As far as I know I care for my pigeons and who cares what others think about them...Those ignorant people are invited to see my birds anythime they want and so I can show them how pigeons do...Let them stay that way...Let them state what they think about the pigeons...

This is what I always tell them, fly don't bother pigeon poops unless it's wet but other than that I never seen fly swarming my loft, not like other poops...I might add more later on once I get my head together about this vent...

 

[tuxedobaby]

Grrrrrrrr! I know this thread may get removed but in the meantime, it will be therapy for me and those of you who see it will probably get my frustration.

Why are there so many people who:

1. Think pigeons are 'flying rats';
2. Don't know how intelligent they are;
3. Don't know that they mate for life;
4. Think pigeon shoots are acceptable

Honestly, I'd take my pigeons over these knuckle-dragging morons any day of the week! I try to educate people whenever the opportunity arises, but there's some real dimwits out there with thick skulls that will just never get it.

The other thing I hear is they make a mess. Yeah, they poop. Everybody poops! Get over it! Squirrels poop, dogs poop, cats poop, bugs poop, humans poop. Pigeons poop. So what! It's nothing a 30 second spray with a garden hose can't cure (in my case). People need to learn to live WITH nature and not AGAINST it. S***-heads.

You know, I DO feel a bit better.

damn right!get sick of it too,folks think one is crazy if one likes pigeons,hear same every day,,vermin,disease,poo,ugly,stupid, etc etc,those who dont care for other creatures are soulless and must lead a bleak existance,not realising the beuty in all creatures and how we can live with them,most pigeon haters i come across are those whose existance is in the material world and who only care for their next night out/holiday/money etc(ok i admit im an old hippy/punk chick and maybe see things from a different angle than most "mainstream"folks,but i wouldnt be any other way)i LOVE pigeons!

 

[MaryOfExeter]

Amen. I have to deal with people all the time who are like that. I love it when they consider what I say, and accept I know what I'm talking about. And yet still, there are those, like this one girl in my art class, who just will NOT listen to me. She thinks they are dumber than bricks, nasty, and evil (because supposedly they plan arial assaults on people like divebombing poop-machines ). I am glad though that she isn't convinced they spread all kinds of imaginary diseases around to people and other animals.
I try to tell them they're very intelligent animals, being as smart as a 4 year old kid. So of course those people have to get all smart thinking "well if they're as smart as people, how come you can't teach them to do math and read and blah-blah-blah". I've never met a 4 year old who could do algebra, thank you very much. Intelligence comes in a lot of different forms. Nothing is completely stupid.
Oh and that same girl also thinks it's funny that I like them so much. She can't possibly understand why; she thinks it's stupid to like them. "Silly Becky and her stupid pigeons" Ugh. The sad part is, this is one of my friends that I talk to in that period. I would reply with "Silly Amber and her stupid horses", but she doesn't even like those (she works at a horse rehab or something), and I like horses . I don't think she's an animal person at all.

I'm very open-minded when it comes to animals as pets. Sure, I don't like spiders or snakes or rats, but I know people who have all of those as pets. I still like to hear their stories about their pets and why they like them, etc. And if I don't know something about them, I ask, not assume what I think is right. Most of the time they sound pretty cool, it's just those animals aren't for me. Why can't EVERYONE be like that!?

 

[Becca199212]

I know exactly what your talking about, I hate when people are convinced they know what they're talking about when really its a load of rubbish! I lost a bird yesterday and whilst wondering around the street looking for her one kid kept shouting 'have you found that rat yet?' 'if it comes near me I'll shoot it'. I would have been annoyed had his friends not been so polite and offered to help me find her- now who looks stupid playing football by themselves? We didn't find my baby, fingers crossed she'll find her own way home.

 

[tuxedobaby]

a lot of people choose to live in ignorance,cant see beyond the hype and the end of their noses

 

[eyespyer]

I being new to having pigeons have also had some negative responses. It seems that I run into people that think having pigeon is gay. I just got to laugh. They think it is cool that I have a parrot, and bulldogs. But pigeons, that must be gay. I have a friend that raised chickens (fighting chickens), but that was cool, now that he is looking into raising pigeons he is no longer cool. I think that all the years of raising fighting chickens that he has a very strong understanding of birds in general, feeding, breeding and basic care. I have learned a lot from him and look forward in learning more from him. Funny that he and I both are married (to the other sex). We are so far from gay that I just got to laugh at the comments form them that just don't understand that pigeons is something that is very enjoyable to many, from all different kinds of people.

So just laugh at them, and enjoy your birds...

 

[g0ldenb0y55]

We all have to do our part when the opportunity is given to educate people about pigeons. I think the more pro-active we are with educating people about pigeons the negative ideas will slowly go away. I have friends that have done a complete 360 with their negative views about pigeons after they visit my loft. They see the care that I give to my birds and they end up wanting some for themselves.

 

[randymcone]

Those same people just love seeing geese and the odd swan on a pond or lake but never seem to talk about the mess those birds make as well. They'll walk behind their dog with a plastic bag all day long but woulod never stop to watch pigeons interact at a park.

Selective opinions.

 

[george simon]

We all can sit here and complain, but what have you done to change that negative image. Do you keep a clean loft? Does your loft look neat and clean so that neigbors have a good feeling about your loft?Have you given talks at schools or other community functions, that will show our birds in a good light.Has your club donated some money to a local charity.As I see it we must work at changing the negative image, so its up to us. THINK ABOUT IT. GEORGE

 

[della]

On a positive note, it isn't bad all over. Here in Australia I have never encountered anti-pigeon sentiment. I grew up in Sydney and loved to feed the pigeons in Hyde Park - it was the highlight of shopping trips to the city when I was a child, and I was pretty typical. Now, living in the country, we don't have much contact with wild pigeons at all - they are a city thing. Consequently people are merely bemused when they hear that I am raising pigeons - they think it is just a bit of early onset senility now that I am retired - - but certainly no-one says or thinks anything negative about the breed. I guess the negativity is engendered by population pressure - too many pigeons and too many people fighting for the same living space.

 

[maine123]

We all can sit here and complain, but what have you done to change that negative image. Do you keep a clean loft? Does your loft look neat and clean so that neigbors have a good feeling about your loft?Have you given talks at schools or other community functions, that will show our birds in a good light.Has your club donated some money to a local charity.As I see it we must work at changing the negative image, so its up to us. THINK ABOUT IT. GEORGE

I agree with George. What good is it going to do complaining about it. Sure it is stupid how people think differently about pigeons, I get sick of it too. But all you can do it just tell them, in a polite way, how beautiful they really are.
And if someone thinks pigeons are stupid, and then someone else sparks a though in their head, and the hater comes to this website to see what pigeons are really like, how is this thread going to help them. If we want this hobby and sport to keep moving on into more generations, then we need to speak kindly. And like george says present our lofts and are birds in a clean manner.

 

[LUCKYT]

I do not remember getting much attitude from anyone over the years. I am sure i have but who cares. All my Neighbors like them, and love to watch them Fly, my next door Neighbor, who has trouble walking, enjoys watching them fly from her porch. The neighbors on the other side, were amazed at how the rollers, and, when i had them tipplers flew.Till high school i grew up in North Oak Park, at that time a fancy Neighborhood, No bad vibes.
The folks at work think it is cool.I Think it might be a location thing, i do not know. But i rarely have anyone talk bad about Pigeons, in fact i can not remember the last Time. But i am 6' 1" LOL! Dave

 

[maine123]

yeah that is true dave size helps. people will usually not mess with someone if they are big. I am big, so I too don't get many coments, but I do get some.

Some of my friends when I got them, talked bad about them, but i wasn't mean back. THey stopped saying stuff, and started show a little interest like "how are you baby pigeons" and other stuff (in a caring way).

 

[LUCKYT]

I do not think you have to defend pigeons, just show your Keen interest, and Excitement about them. That always seemed to win people over.
They are the highlight of many of our Summer gatherings.. Nobody can wait until i kick them loose. Even the Neighbors want to know what time i will fly on a given day. Dave

 

[maine123]

Yeah, THey are great animals.

 

[RodSD]

Pest propaganda won and that Woody Allen guy messed things up.

 

[LUCKYT]

?

 

[RodSD]

Hey Dave,

It used to be that the law was friendly with pigeons. Then somehow pest control companies won using arguments about diseases, etc. The law then sided with them. I wish I can find the article of the history of this. Woody Allen coined that term "rats with wings:" http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/pigeons/WoodyAllnRatWWings.html

Ever since after that people seemed to have that pigeon slur associated with pigeons.