A ban on pigeon racing will not be enforced until new environment regulations outlawing the popular sport have been amended.
This was confirmed yesterday by the Department of Environmental Affairs following a national outcry from the pigeon racing fraternity over the prohibition.
Members of the South African National Pigeon Organisation (Sanpo) vowed to fight for its rights after the department said it had received representation regarding the listing of the feral pigeon as a category 3 invasive species, in terms of the Alien and Invasive Species Regulations 2014.
“The pigeon, which is commonly used in pigeon racing, is the same listed species,” the department’s Zolile Nqayi said.
The National SPCA released a statement on Wednesday saying that according to the legislation published in the Government Gazette on August 1, activities including the importing, breeding, trading in and translocation of pigeons had been listed as “prohibited activities”.
“The prohibition includes the ‘releasing of any specimen of a listed invasive species’ which effectively means that releasing pigeons to race or homing pigeons is now illegal,” the NSPCA said.
Nqayi said the department had engaged with the NSPCA which had raised concerns about possible cruelty relating to pigeon racing.
“The department has engaged with specialists, and have reached an agreement that the activities of the pigeon racing fraternity will have no significant impact on the invasion by the feral pigeon.
“The numbers are reasonably low in relation to the existing invasions, that it is possible to provide exemption for the racing pigeon activities. These will be discussed with the relevant associations,” Nqayi said.
Thinus Marais from Beacon Bay, who owns more than 100 pigeons, said the organisation would take the matter to court if needed.
“If they go through with this legislation, they might as well prohibit horse and duck racing,” he said.
The sport has been in existence for about 100 years. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
Pigeon racing ban put on hold after national outcry
This was confirmed yesterday by the Department of Environmental Affairs following a national outcry from the pigeon racing fraternity over the prohibition.
Members of the South African National Pigeon Organisation (Sanpo) vowed to fight for its rights after the department said it had received representation regarding the listing of the feral pigeon as a category 3 invasive species, in terms of the Alien and Invasive Species Regulations 2014.
“The pigeon, which is commonly used in pigeon racing, is the same listed species,” the department’s Zolile Nqayi said.
The National SPCA released a statement on Wednesday saying that according to the legislation published in the Government Gazette on August 1, activities including the importing, breeding, trading in and translocation of pigeons had been listed as “prohibited activities”.
“The prohibition includes the ‘releasing of any specimen of a listed invasive species’ which effectively means that releasing pigeons to race or homing pigeons is now illegal,” the NSPCA said.
Nqayi said the department had engaged with the NSPCA which had raised concerns about possible cruelty relating to pigeon racing.
“The department has engaged with specialists, and have reached an agreement that the activities of the pigeon racing fraternity will have no significant impact on the invasion by the feral pigeon.
“The numbers are reasonably low in relation to the existing invasions, that it is possible to provide exemption for the racing pigeon activities. These will be discussed with the relevant associations,” Nqayi said.
Thinus Marais from Beacon Bay, who owns more than 100 pigeons, said the organisation would take the matter to court if needed.
“If they go through with this legislation, they might as well prohibit horse and duck racing,” he said.
The sport has been in existence for about 100 years. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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