If you thought those signs warning you not to feed the pigeons and other birds were just advisories, think again.
Yesterday, the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore fined not one but two men in separate bird-feeding cases under the Animals and Birds (Pigeons) Rules.
V Rajandran, 62, was fined $400 for feeding pigeons at the void deck of a housing block back in February, while Abdul Aziz Saik Mohamed, 68 was fined $1,500 for five counts of pigeon feeding between October of 2017 and May 2018.
Rajandran had allegedly been feeding pigeons at a housing block on Potong Pasir Avenue 2 when the AVA launched their probe. “Investigations found that V Rajandran had been feeding pigeons with breadcrumbs at the void deck of the block,” according to an official statement.
In the other case, Aziz was charged with illicit pigeon-feeding at a grass verge along Woodlands Street 81, in plain sight of a “No Feeding” sign. Despite this, Mr. Aziz continued to offer the hungry birds sustenance and was also reportedly investigated as well.
According to the AVA, both of the accused were repeat offenders. Rajandran had previously been fined on four occasions for a similar offence, while Mr. Aziz had been fined twice. These guys can’t seem to stop themselves.
Anyone caught feeding pigeons can be fined up to $500. We can only hope that after these two highly publicized cases, both men’s grievous crime-sprees will come to an end.
Seriously though, feeding pigeons can lead to health and safety hazards, including inadvertently attracting other pests. But we’re wondering if the AVA has gone a little overboard by recommending people turn in their pigeon-feeding neighbors:
“Enforcement alone will not solve this problem,” they said in a statement. “Members of the public can play a part by not feeding pigeons, and by reporting pigeon feeding activities to the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore.”
Some people have nothing better to do than feed pigeons, and for others, it seems like they have nothing better to do than call the authorities on people feeding pigeons.
