Petition: Don’t Annihilate Entire Colony of Cliff Swallows – ForceChange

Target: Caroline Mulroney, Minister, Ministry of Transportation Ontario

Goal: Protect the colony of Cliff Swallows under the Argyle Bridge before it is demolished.

The Argyle Bridge in Ontario is home to the largest colony of Cliff Swallows in the area. Yet it is slated for demolition and reconstruction, posing a serious threat to the birds. The new bridge design does not allow the swallows to make nests as they cannot build on a metal structure, putting the 65 current nests and their residents in danger. Animal protection regulations are being blatantly ignored since any colony over eight nests must be protected.

The government is paying $2 million to protect the local mussel population in the water, but refuses to make any changes to help the Cliff Swallows. This is especially negligent since simple solutions, such as coating the metal beams, would allow the swallows to safely nest.

Sign this petition to urge the government to responsibly care for a protected migratory species, and safeguard the Cliff Swallows.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Honourable Mulroney,

The destruction of the Argyle Bridge also spells destruction for the Cliff Swallows that find homes under its arches. Simple measures can be taken to make the new bridge a suitable habitat for these animals, yet your government is failing to take adequate measures.

The 65 nests under the bridge make perhaps the largest colony in southern Ontario, and it is negligent to ignore the significance of a nest site of this magnitude.

The project is clearly concerned about its environmental impact, as indicated by the vigilance of the mussels in the water, and I urge you to safeguard all animals who are impacted by this construction.

Protect the vulnerable Cliff Swallows under Argyle Bridge.

Sincerely,

Photo Credit: Ingrid Taylar

https://forcechange.com/582036/stop-the-annihilation-of-an-entire-cliff-swallow-colony/

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This City Fair Uses Live Pigeons as Bowling Balls

Animal rights activists and decent human beings around the world are asking for heads to roll after video of a live “pigeon rolling” contest recently went viral.

The Harrow Fair in Essex, Ontario, Canada is more than 155 years old, but it has now caught the ire of the public for one of their most popular events. The “pigeon rolling” contest is a “game” in which people attempt to roll a live pigeon across the ground. The person who’s pigeon rolls the farthest wins.

In the video, a kid donning a tie-dye T-shirt, shorts and glasses, walks up to a green box and pulls out a white pigeon in his hand. He then takes a few steps to the starting line and winds up and then rolls the poor bird across the grass as if it were a bowling ball. Next, to the contestant a woman with a clipboard jots down notes, presumedly scoring the young boys throw. The pigeon rolls over several times, flapping its wings and then comes to a stop and stands up properly looking utterly confused. In the background, you can hear the oohs and awes of the onlooking crowd.

One of those onlookers was a woman named Jo Bloom who was so disturbed by the event that she took the video in question and uploaded it online in protest. She called the spectacle “absolutely horrific” and showing “blatant disrespect and cruelty for animals.”

After hearing pushback, the fair organizers have defended the sport saying that the birds are roller pigeons and roll naturally. They further explain that the event simply showcases their natural ability. Roller pigeons do indeed roll, but they do so in the air when they want to, not when they are rolled across the hard ground by a person.

Their defense of the pigeon rolling contest is baseless, to say the least, and tells us just how far a community that abuses animals in the name of tradition will go to defend it.

Sadly, organizers seem to be more resolute than ever that the “show must go on” and likely plan to continue the contest next year. That is unless we can convince them and the town of Essex otherwise.

Please sign the petition and tell the Harrow Fair Board and the Mayor and Council of Essex to ban pigeon rolling contests now.

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/749/486/874/this-city-fair-uses-live-pigeons-as-bowling-balls/