This is a petition to protect the pigeons living at, and local to, St Mary Redcliffe Church in Bristol.

The situation as it stands:

Church leaders in a bid to rid the church grounds of the natural pigeon population have gone through special courts to be given permission to install electric surfaces that will administer electric shocks to pigeons. Not only is this inhumanely unpleasant for the birds but it will deprive the birds of their home, and their places to roost.

Why this is cruel and why we need to act: 

Pigeons are incredible animals, the pigeons involved here are 'Rock Pigeons' / 'Feral Pigeons' - The latter perfectly describing what they are in relation to us humans. For thousands of years humans have domesticated and kept pigeons for a number of different reasons. As I said initially, these animals are incredible, they are one of only a small number of species to pass the ‘mirror test’ – a test of self recognition. They can also recognise each letter of the human alphabet, differentiate between photographs, and even distinguish different humans within a photograph. (This is just the tip of the iceberg in to the lives of these ingenious creatures! Please do read up on them!)

So they're clever? Ok. What's the issue here though?

The issue here is that although the electric devices being installed will not injure or kill the pigeons, there are longer term ramifications for the safety of the flock which are far more devastating. Pigeons have amazing navigational skills and their homing instincts often surpass anything else. The place a pigeon is born is often the place where they will live themselves and raise pigeon offspring. So it's very likely that the St Mary Redcliffe Church flock are descendants of pigeons that have lived there for hundreds of years. If the church goes ahead in installing these deterrents, it will displace an entire flock of birds which will potentially result in the deaths of many pigeons. Additionally, it is currently breeding season for pigeons so the likelihood of there being pigeon babies coming in to the world on St Mary Redcliffe Church is high. Growing up Christian myself, I was taught the importance of spring and how we must cherish the world and all of it's creatures.

Please help me to change the minds of the church leaders and help them to remember that every life is important, and if they can shift their perception on this matter together we can find an ethical solution to their worries.

I will be directly messaging the church to advise them in alternative courses of action for cleaning pigeon poo and maintaining an environment that they can be proud of that also allows for the birds to continue living in their home.

Thank you for reading, and for your support.