Felder's Anti-Pigeon Law & Policy Recommendations
On November 12, 2007, NYC Council Member Simcha Felder released a severely flawed legislative report allegedly researched by his interns. The report made five recommendations, including: fining persons $1,000 for feeding pigeons, killing them with hawks, dovecoting pigeons and restricting feeding to certain areas, and interfering with their reproductive systems. A proposed local law will be introduced on November 28, 2007. Click here to download the report.
Rebuttal
An analysis of Council Member Felder's legislative report reveals that
- The report's research is highly flawed: 11% of Felder's 91 footnotes were to a 13-year-old USDA pamphlet containing information about health risks that have since been refuted by the CDC and studies published in scientific journals; 40% of the footnotes were to unsubstantiated statements in newspapers and press releases; only 9% of footnotes were to current information on CDC and DOHMH Web sites; and remaining references include references to the Web sites of potential vendors who have an interest in selling their products and services to the City. For example, the manufacturer of OvoControl P (pigeon birth control) would stand to gain at least $5,475,000 annually based on a conservative estimate of 200,000 pigeons in the City.
- The report is designed to deliberately mislead the public: Felder's report distorts health risks associated with pigeons by cherry picking statements that seem to confirm his proposition that pigeons are a serious threat to public health and omitting facts available on the CDC Web site. The fact that he selectively quotes the CDC Web site throughout his report is evidence that he was aware of the minimal health risk and deliberately concealed it from the public. Inciting public fear by grossly exagerrating a health risk is an egregious abuse of his position as a government official and the public trust. Further, he misstates animal protection law and misconstrues statements from animal advocacy organizations.
- The report cites no objective scientifc data about the NYC pigeon population: Felder's report is based on a subjective assumption that there are excess numbers of pigeons; however, although pigeons are populous in some areas of the City, there is no objective proof that pigeons are overpopulated.
Click here to download the rebuttal.
Talking Points
- Pigeons do not pose a significant health hazard to humans, according to data gathered by the CDC and statements on the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Web site.
- Felder's statements abuse the public trust. Felder's report and public statements about pigeons are calculated to mislead the public about health risks, the law, and the position of animal advocacy organizations. As an elected official, this lack of integrity is unacceptable. His flawed report and public statements are particularly disturbing, because as a candidate for City Comptroller, he is expected to hold himself to particularly high standards.
- Felder's information about pigeons is inaccurate and unsupported. In an interview, Felder suggests that pigeons will fly to New Jersey if a feeding ban is implemented in NYC. In reality, it is unclear how implementing a feeding ban, using a birth control drug, and employing hawks to kill pigeons will affect pigeons and other species as well as the ecosystem as a whole.
- Public opinion of pigeons is not predominantly negative. Pigeons such as Cher Ami were heroes in World War I, saving the lives of countless soldiers. School children learn about wildlife by studying the City's pigeons in the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology's Pigeon Watch program. In a recent AM NY poll, 61.5% of 1363 poll-takers opposed a NYC law banning the feeding of pigeons. Even if a majority of the public disliked pigeons, it would be morally unjustifiable to impose suffering on a sentient species on the basis of public sentiment and distorted facts about health risks.
People to Contact
Animal Advocacy Groups
Council Member Felder reportedly asked numerous local and national animal advocacy organizations to support his bill--only two were willing to do so. Notably, no bird-specific organizations have announced their support of the bill. Please write to the following animal advocacy organizations and urge them to withdraw support for NYC Council Member Felder's recommendations relating to pigeons. Click here for a sample letter.
Ed Sayres, President and CEO
ASPCA
424 E. 92nd Street, 5th floor
New York, NY 10128-6804
Phone: (212) 876-7700, ext. 4603
Fax: (212) 876-9571
E-mail: esayres@aspca.org
Kristen Limbert, Humane Education Coordinator
ASCPA
110 Fifth Avenue, 2nd floor
New York, NY 10011
Phone: (212) 876-7700, ext. 4400
Fax: (212) 860-3435
E-mail: kristenl@aspca.org
Amy Geduldig, Media and Communications Department
ASCPA
424 E. 92nd Street, 5th floor
New York, NY 10128-6804
Phone: (212) 876-7700, ext. 4567
Fax: (212) 876-9571
E-mail: amyg@aspca.org
Laura Brown, Animal Care Specialist
PETA
501 Front Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: (757) 622-7382, ext. 8387
Email: laurab@peta.org
NYC Council Health Committee Members
A vote against the bill by Health Committee members can prevent the bill from reaching the full NYC Council for a vote. Contact Health Committee members here to express your opposition to Council Member Felder's recommendations.
The Honorable Joel Rivera
Council Member - 15th District
Chair of the City Council Health Committee
1901 Southern Boulevard
Bronx, NY 10460
Phone: (718) 842-8100
Fax: (718) 842-6280
E-mail: rivera@council.nyc.ny.us
The Honorable Maria del Carmen Arroyo
Council Member - 17th District
384 E. 149th Street, Suite 300
Bronx, NY 10455
Phone: (718) 402-6130
Fax: (718) 402-0539
E-mail: arroyo@council.nyc.ny.us
The Honorable Maria Baez
Council Member - 14th District
315 East Kingsbridge Road
Bronx, New York 10458
Phone: (718) 584-6955
Fax: (718) 584-5725
E-mail: baez@council.nyc.ny.us
The Honorable Inez E. Dickens
Council Member - 9th District
ACP Jr. Sta. Office - 163 W. 125 Street
New York, NY 10027
Phone: (212) 678-4505
Fax: (212) 442-2732
E-mail: None Listed
The Honorable Helen D. Foster
Council Member - 16th District
1377 Jerome Avenue
Bronx, NY 10452
Phone: (718) 588-7500
Fax: (718) 588-7790
E-mail:
The Honorable John C. Liu
Council Member - 20th District
135-27 38th Avenue, Suite 388
Flushing, NY 11354
Phone: (718) 888-8747
Fax: (718) 888-0331
E-mail: liu@council.nyc.ny.us
The Honorable Michael E. McMahon
Council Member - 49th District
130 Stuyvesant Place, 6th Floor
Staten Island, NY 10301
Phone: (718) 556-7370
Fax: (718) 556-7389
E-mail: mcmahon@council.nyc.ny.us
The Honorable Rosie Mendez
Council Member - 2nd District
237 First Avenue, Suite 504
New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 677-1077
Fax: (212) 677-1990
E-mail: rosie.mendez@council.nyc.ny.us
The Honorable Helen Sears
Council Member - 25th District
37-32 75th Street
Jackson Heights, NY 11372
Phone: (718) 803-6373
Fax: (718) 803-9832
E-mail: sears@council.nyc.ny.us
The Honorable Kendall Stewart
Council Member - 45th District
1694 Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11210
Phone: (718) 951-8177
Fax: (718) 951-8191
E-mail: stewart@council.nyc.ny.us
The Honorable Albert Vann
Council Member - 36th District
613-619 Throop Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11216
Phone: (718) 919-0740
Fax: (718) 919-0744
E-mail: vann@council.nyc.ny.us