PROTECT THE WILD HIGHLIGHT THE KILLING OF PIGEONS BY RAILWAY COMPANIES — IT’S SO CRUEL

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more National train companies have ordered the killing of pigeons CHARLOTTE SMITH APR 20 READ IN APP Something cruel has been uncovered. Not hidden in some distant place, not happening out of sight; but right there, in our train stations, in the spaces we pass through every day. Pigeons are being killed systematically, quietly and often, brutally. And this isn’t one rogue decision. It’s happening across the rail network. Manchester Pigeon Rehab have uncovered evidence that five train companies have ordered the killing of pigeons, despite culling being widely recognised as an ineffective long-term solution. Those companies are: ScotRail Southeastern Transport for Wales Transport for London Network Rail And now, they need your help to stop it. End the pigeon culls! What is a pigeon cull, and why should you care? A pigeon cull is exactly what it sounds like: the deliberate killing of pigeons in a specific area, usually ordered by businesses or public bodies under the guise of “population control.” But that phrase - “population control” hides the truth. Because culls are not clean. They are not quick. And they are not humane. Birds are frequently left injured, not killed outright. With their wings shattered and bodies broken, they are left to suffer in corners, under platforms, out of sight. Chicks are abandoned in nests, waiting for parents who will never return. They don’t die quickly, they slowly starve. This is not management. This is suffering. Manchester Pigeon Rehab rescue and begin treating an injured pigeon. The lie at the heart of culling If culling actually solved the problem, it would still be cruel. But it doesn’t. Remove a flock, and what happens? Space opens up. More pigeons move in. They roost, they nest, they breed. The numbers rise again. So the killing starts again - this isn’t a solution, it’s a cycle. A revolving door of violence that never addresses the real issue. Because the real issue is us. We built cities that strip away natural nesting spaces and leave waste exposed, creating unreliable food sources. We domesticated pigeons, bred them to trust us, and then abandoned them.And now we punish them for surviving in the world we created. End the pigeon culls! This is not isolated, this is systemic What Manchester Pigeon Rehab uncovered is not a one-off. It is a pattern. ScotRail, despite partnering with a leading bird protection charity, scheduled 196 pigeon shooting visits in a single year, and requested even more. Records show instructions to remove nests from active sites, including chicks. Transport for Wales scheduled at least 30 culls at a single depot in 2025, many described simply as “routine.” Transport for London has already carried out 50 culls in 2025, killing at least 237 pigeons. Network Rail has culled pigeons at multiple stations. Southeastern runs monthly shootings at depots — while describing those same spaces as “wildlife friendly.” Routine. Scheduled. Normalised. Killing as maintenance. And all of it, despite clear evidence that it doesn’t work. Manchester Pigeon Rehab rescue two babies from a cull site. End the pigeon culls! Who pigeons really are They are not “pests.” They are animals we shaped. Pigeons were once war heroes, carrying messages across battlefields, saving human lives. We bred them to be calm around us, to live alongside us. And when we no longer needed them? We left them behind. Now they live in concrete landscapes that offer little shelter, little safety, and even less compassion. And still, they endure. Until some human decides they’re “inconvenient”. This is where you come in We cannot look away from this. Not when it’s happening in plain sight. Not when we know culling doesn’t work. Not when we know it causes suffering. You have two simple, powerful ways to act: 1. Email the companies Use our tool to send a message directly to the five companies calling for an end to lethal pigeon culling. It takes minutes. It creates pressure. It matters. End the pigeon culls! 2. Support Manchester Pigeon Rehab They are doing everything they can, with limited resources, and an overwhelming need. Your donation helps them treat injured birds, feed orphaned chicks. Donate to pigeon care A small group of volunteers, standing in the gap Donate to pigeon care Manchester Pigeon Rehab see the consequences of this every single day. They are the ones picking up the broken bodies. The ones feeding orphaned chicks through the night. The ones trying to save birds who never should have suffered in the first place. Right now, they have close to 150 pigeons in their care, babies and adults, many with severe injuries. And somehow, alongside that relentless, hands-on care… MPR are fighting back. They’ve identified five train stations where lethal pigeon culling is taking place. Now they need people like you, to help. SHARE LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Protect the Wild Protect the Wild, 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London, W2CH 9JQ Unsubscribe Start writing