Fancy pigeons staying put

Town approves animal bylaw exemption for Leslie Drive resident
By Chris Simon Innisfil Scope November 24 2010
Michael Hansen doesn’t want to be pigeonholed as a complainer.
But since a neighbour moved into the Leslie Drive resident’s subdivision several months ago, there’s been a significant increase in the need for an umbrella, whenever he steps outside. That neighbour, Jan Mas, has been keeping fancy pigeons on his Leslie Drive property.
The birds are often allowed to fly around the neighbourhood, creating noise and smell, and constantly dropping fecal matter on nearby houses and lawns.
“We’re facing an incessant amount of pigeons,” said Hansen. “It’s quite a few. The pigeons spend a majority of their time outside of the coop, flying over the residential area. It causes issues for the residents, such as noise, loss of enjoyment of their yards, visual distractions, and constant bird droppings. There’s a concern over a decrease in property value, and the ability to market a home with pigeons flying overhead. We’re attracting rodents, and dogs are barking excessively in response to the pigeons.”
However, council has exempted the pigeons from the town’s animal control bylaw, a move that allows Mas to keep the birds on his property. The exemption does include several provisions — there are restrictions on cage sizes and location, and Mas must store feed in containers that will fail to attract vermin. The pigeons must also be confined to their cages at all times, unless they are training or competing.
The pigeons are used for racing, a sport Mas has been involved in his entire life. Under the provisions, the birds must also be registered under a national association or listing, and are prohibited from lingering on neighbouring property.
“Council has supported this sport in the past,” said councillor Rod Boynton. “I’m very happy to see there are conditions that go along with this recommendation. I hope (bylaw staff) will work with the individual (and) neighbours.”
Borden Racing Pigeon Club president Mario Rae, speaking on behalf of Mas, says there will be minimal impact on the lives of local residents.
“The neighbour next door has no problem; the neighbour on the other side has no problem,” said Rae, holding a petition of support, signed by residents living in Mas’s former Mississauga neighbourhood. “He has the experience, and I will guide him through. They have to do what I ask, or they don’t go out.”
But those residents are unaware of the close proximity between Mas’s home and neighbouring properties. There are about 36 people living within 300-feet of the residence, said Hansen.
“My concern with the petition is the individuals aren’t directly affected by the pigeons,” he said. “I’ve had water damage to my property; there’s quite a bit of water that goes into the coop. That water seeps under my fence, and I’ve had to replace quite a few landscaping items. Some residents that did (previously) get exemptions, looking at their properties, it’s a different demographic. The houses aren’t quite as close.”