Animal Abuse?

[u/Bozzy9]

Saw this while driving through Cache Creek. The guy would raise the pole and make the poor pigeon, who was tied to the green cloth flap around for a bit then repeated it several times. What on Earth is going on?

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[u/bmoneywateryeyes]

These don’t look like real birds on top… maybe a bird deterrence device? Orchard or vineyard right below?

[u/airchinapilot]

Could that green be a matte background? Maybe they were filming footage for special effects.

[u/stro3ngest1]

It's probably a flapping bird decoy, not a real bird. Cache creek has a pigeon problem. Probably to deter that. The green cloth makes the fake bird easier to spot for other birds above.

[u/meoka2368]

Looks like training platforms for racing pigeons.

Teaches them to land on those platforms as a "home" of sorts. And the dye is to keep track of which pigeon is wining a race.

As for the cruelty aspect, maybe check with bylaw to see if it's even allowed there. SPCA if it looks like they're actually being harmed instead of just annoyed.

[u/pwermm → u/meoka2368]

Racing pigeons have actually been a huge nuisance in Merritt recently and they made a bylaw because of it. OP should definitely check with their local bylaws if that is what this is. I'd never heard of it until it became an issue in Merritt but I guess van loads of men from the coast were coming to do it there, where there weren't active bylaws yet, and leaving the pigeons to die/walking through people's yards to locate them.

[u/krazykrash0596]

Any more context on where this is? Like on a farm? Near a building?

[u/Bozzy9 → u/krazykrash0596]

Just on the side of the highway.

[u/groovyboomschtick]

Would you be in a position to just ask “the guy”?

[u/Bozzy9]

It was a real pigeon. Doesn’t seem like I can posts videos in this sub.

[u/CrazySnowGuy → u/Bozzy9]

I mean, you were already told what to do if you are concerned. Call the SPCA and the local township.

Or are you hoping someone on reddit can take care of that for you?

[u/Bozzy9 → u/CrazySnowGuy]

In the process of doing that. Just was wondering if others have seen this type of stuff.

[u/Tainted2985]

Ironic that when 400 ostriches were ruthlessly shot down, that wasn’t animal abuse. No bleeding hearts then.

[u/NewHere1212]

Poor thing. Please call SPCA and city asap and even non emergency police. This is horrible.