How did one of humanity's most helpful and steadfast animal companions become unjustly reviled today as "rats of the sky"? Award-winning journalist Andrew Blechman traveled across America and Europe to chronicle the pigeon's transformation from beloved friend to feathered outlaw. His book "Pigeons" tells the remarkable story behind this seemingly unremarkable bird, and he recently sat down to tell us about it.
HSUS: When did you first become interested in pigeons?
AB: It started with a sandwich. I met a pigeon racer at a corner bodega in Manhattan. As we waited in line, he started telling me about his racing pigeons. He called them "thoroughbreds." That caught my interest. I made an appointment to visit his birds, and then I ate my sandwich.
HSUS: Why did you decide to write this book?
AB: I wrote an article for Smithsonian magazine, and a literary agent stumbled onto it a year later. She contacted me and insisted I put together a book proposal. Turned out to be a good idea.
HSUS: What fascinates you most about pigeons?
AB: I'm intrigued by just how gentle and tolerant of human behavior they are. How many animals would you let your toddler run around and chase with glee?
HSUS: How did these birds gain a reputation as pests?
AB: People have revered pigeons for 10,000 years. As recently as 60 or so years ago, pigeons who used to carry messages in wartime were treated as heroes. Now they're vermin. The decline in their reputation closely parallels the rise of the modern pest control industry. As our society became more obsessed with hygiene, the industry seized the moment and portrayed our humble feathered friends as diseased outlaws.
HSUS: How does the United States rank, globally, in its treatment of pigeons?
AB: I'm can't think of a country that treats pigeons more brutally. China adores its pigeons, as do Hindu and Islamic nations. Even ancient Rome loved the birds. They animate our urban lives. To their credit, parts of Europe have developed ingenious and humane ways to control pigeon populations.
HSUS: What is the primary reason that the cruelty of live pigeon shoots is allowed to persist in some localities?
AB: We live in a country with a lame romanticism for guns and a tortured mythology when it comes to our so-called "frontier" heritage. We also suffer from a laissez-fare attitude toward animal cruelty. We accept the factory farming of animals for food and yet that's just a small step from canned hunts and live pigeon shoots.
HSUS: Do you believe that states such as Pennsylvania and North Carolina will ultimately ban pigeon shoots?
AB: I consider the human species rather young and primitive in evolutionary terms: We still brutalize one another in war and pollute the water we drink and the air we breathe. That said, we have made progress. Will we finally stop the mindless slaughter of pigeons for target practice? Tough to say. People still buy food from known corporate animal abusers because it "costs" less. But the tide slowly turns. I remain confident of two things: (1) after reading my book, no one can look at a pigeon the same way again; and (2) if anyone can get the job done, it's the dedicated folks at The HSUS.
HSUS: What can readers do to help pigeons?
AB: First, don't overfeed them—that only leads to over-breeding. Next, lobby your city or town to adopt humane pigeon control measures. Send questions our way, and we'll do what we can to help. And please support animal advocates who support pigeons. It's my belief that how we treat the pigeons in our midst is a bellwether for how we progress as a moral society.
