Man Nets Nice Reward for Reporting Pigeon Netting

A street sweeper employed by the Doe Fund, a charity that employs homeless New Yorkers to clean city streets, picked up a $2,500 bonus last month by defending the pigeons on the Upper East Side. According to In Defense of Animals, Desi Stewart witnessed a man spreading bird seed on the ground and “netting a large number of pigeons.”

Stewart had noticed signs around the neighborhood urging citizens to report pigeon poaching; when he called the Department of Environmental Conservation they dispatched an officer to the scene and arrested the culprit, who pleaded guilty last week and will have to pay three fines for pigeon netting. Stewart received a reward.

Pigeons are classified as state property and it’s illegal to harm them. But despite the fact that pigeons are legion in the city, poaching is fairly common, often for the purposes of selling them to private gun clubs. Anyone witnessing a pigeon netting in the five boroughs of New York City can try to nab the reward by calling New York State DEC Officer Joseph Pane at (718) 482-4941.

Photo of last year's rally to protest a proposed bill banning pigeon feeding courtesy Mira (on the wall).

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on July 1, 2008 5:55 PM

Comments [rss]

Nick S

Well, I did for a little bit, then I got another job, so I'm back!

robingee

Is there a fine for rat poaching as well? Can exterminators kill pigeons?

thefacts

"Let them eat squab."

joshjasper

All the world seems in tune

On a spring afternoon,

When we're poisoning pigeons in the park.

Ev'ry Sunday you'll see

My sweetheart and me,

As we poison the pigeons in the park.

When they see us coming, the birdies all try an' hide,

But they still go for peanuts when coated with cyanide.

The sun's shining bright,

Ev'rything seems all right,

When we're poisoning pigeons in the park.

-Tom Lehrer "Poisoning Pigeons In The Park"

citizenerased

They should do that with people.

zodak

"Why if it isn't Nick S. For a minute there I thought you'd gone and gotten a life."

damn, Nick, you got pwned!

John Del Signore

Why if it isn't Nick S. For a minute there I thought you'd gone and gotten a life.

Nick S

"Stweart received a reward"

We know...you mentioned it in not only the headline, but the first paragraph as well.

zstone

Have to agree, a little population control ain't all bad.

Mr Mel

This is akin to cat juggling.

Who really cares.

Jen S

Go homeless, go homeless, go!

pk4l

Start feeding Alka-Seltzer to pigeons ... Something magical will happen. =)

Adam Edwards

Pigeons are vermin. Wikipedia says so! Flying rats, indeed.

just saying

Pigeon poaching? Who knew? People in this city will steal anything.

eyekantspel

Why is it hypocritical to not care about a couple of pigeons?

Even if the pigeons were being netted to be sold to a gun club -- and that part of the story seems to be pure speculation-- people kill ducks, geese, chickens and other birds for food and sport. What makes pigeons sacred?

Your stray cat argument is simply a strawman. Would the street sweeper be rewarded $2500 if he reported someone catching a stray cat? I don't think so.

self h8ta

thank you west side-

The only reason why pigeons are filthy is because they live in the filth we've created here, and they only reason they carry disease is because their immune system is so much more highly evolved that that they can with almost any disease.

Stray cats are equally filthy, but there would be an uproar if someone was catching them to sell to gun clubs.

What a bunch of fucking hypocrites.