Animal rights advocates came before Bensalem Township Council asking if could prohibit live animal shootings, specifically pigeons.
Stephanie C. from Norristown posed the question officials Monday night.
“I’m coming to you with a very simple question: what lawful authority does Bensalem Township have to prohibit the use of live animals as targets for shootings in the community?”
She explained Pennsylvania is the only state where live pigeon shoots, in which pigeons are rounded up, caged, then released to be shot at and released is legal.
“There is currently legislation at the state level with House Bill 1097 that would address the live pigeon shooting, but the process is moving really slow.”
Bucks County Democrat Perry Warren is the prime sponsor of the proposed animal cruelty law. It was referred to the House Judiciary Committee last April. It has the support of Bucks County Republicans State Reps Joe Hogan and Shelby Labs
She said that due to the slow process in Harrisburg, she’s asking communities to come together to ask what they can do to prevent this practice from happening while they wait for something to do done at the House level.
Solicitor Joseph Pizzo commented said the township has been involved with the issue of live animal shoots as long ago as 10 years.
“Where we ran into issues is at the state level.” Pizzo explained. “State laws do not ban them, I don’t know what legislation over time has been introduced to make them clearly illegal, and it hasn’t gone anywhere.”
Pizzo explained that the Philadelphia Gun Club in Bensalem exist legally and can shoot on their property, but what their shooting is the question. Pizzo explained that there hasn’t been any reports or complaints of them shooting live pigeons on the property that have come across the townships desk.
The pro pigeon activist rebutted that claim by stated that live pigeons are still being shot at on the property, but it’s not announced as the club doesn’t want protestesters showing up.
Bensalem Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo commented on the matter with a story of how his dad had trouble stopping hunters from shooting pigeons next to his farm.
“My dad couldn’t get a lawyer in Bucks County, got a veteran Marine coming out of the service to represent him, and he lost in every court, with the exception of the state Supreme Court. Didn’t stop them from shooting, just caused them to move where they were shooting.” DiGirolamo said.
Pizzo said while their are laws for who can own firearms and animal cruelty laws in place, it’s state law that rules at the end of the day, and since pigeon shootings aren’t against the law at the moment, there’s not much that can be done.