Pennsylvania legislators might make history this week by finally banning pigeon shoots in the last state in the nation still legally allows them. A vote on Tuesday, December 13th on Senate Bill 71 could decide if PA has seen the last of these cruel shoots. SB 71 originally only included the banning greyhound racing simulcasts. PA does not hold Greyhound racing but the “sport” wants to increase its dwindling revenues by holding broadcast betting places in PA. This bill would put a stop to it.
Included in this bill are amendments made by State Rep. John Maher which includes the end of pigeon shoots in PA plus the crack down on the release of exotic animals into the wild and stop the slaughter of dogs and cats for food in PA.
In a press release I received from SHARK, they are making it known they will make their presence known again at this Sunday’s Winge Pointe pigeon shoot located in Shoemakersville. According to SHARK, this shoot is “especially important because it is the “New Jersey State Championship” pigeon shoot which highlights the fact that many shooters are not from PA, but from out of state, where pigeon shooting is already banned.”
According to SHARK president, Steve Hindi:
The New Jersey shooters who will be there Sunday come to PA to commit horrible acts of animal cruelty because they would be arrested if they did it at home.” “In fact, at every shoot we’ve documented, we’ve recorded large numbers of out of state shooters. It is our sincere hope that the PA legislature finally ends these shameful blood-fests.”
SHARK will be legally videotaping the shoot and shooters. In addition to a new array of powerful cameras, SHARK will be launching a remote controlled helicopter fitted with a video camera that will legally videotape the shoot from public, navigable airspace.
SHARK has documented extreme cruelty at Wing Pointe, including a huge pile of dead and dying birds (see that video on this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3viz2qbwzy8).
We also have this video, http://vimeo.com/32887201, which shows a unique scene from Wing Pointe from earlier this year, when a pigeon that had been shot and was dying landed at the feet of our cameraman.
Call your state representatives NOW and ask for their support for this important and overdue piece of legislation. The opposition is fighting back and trying to win over the legislator as well. It’s quite simple to place these calls. Look for your representative here. Politely tell them about SB 71 and why the passing of this piece of legislation is important to you. Give them your name and address so they know you are a constituent of theirs. Always thank them for their time. Everyone has always been nice to me when I place these calls. These calls are imperative
Look up your legislator’s phone number.
SHARK continues to say they will be sending these videos to every member of the Pennsylvania legislature. We believe the truth of these images will conquer any argument made by the NRA and their pigeon shooting supporters.
I can’t see how these graphic images couldn’t persuade our legislators to ban these barbaric pigeon shoots!
Hopefully, tomorrow’s pigeon shoot will be the last in PA!!!!