What occurred at Thunder Ridge Game Farm, 619 Leon Brown Road, Middlebury Center, PA, on October 28th during a live pigeon shoot is nothing short of unadulterated animal cruelty. The shoot was legally filmed by a camera equipped drone owned by the animal rights group, Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK). In the disturbing and dramatic footage, you will see a young worker tearing the heads off of pigeons who were still alive. WARNING- GRAPHIC VIDEO
Thunder Ridge Game Farm Lodge
facebook/thunderridgegamefarm
“We haven’t seen cruelty this disgusting since the days of the infamous Hegins Labor Day pigeon shoot,” states SHARK President Steve Hindi. “We filmed 181 birds having their heads torn off, and out of that we know that at least 34 were still alive, though that number is likely much higher.”
Why do pigeon shoots still exist and flourish despite a legal precedence for holding workers at a pigeon shoot accountable for committing cruelty against pigeons under current law? The Philadelphia Gun Club, Bucks County, had historic charges pressed against one of its workers by SHARK when they filmed a man torturing pigeons at the club on January 30th, 2016. That worker pled guilty to animal cruelty.
A look at PA’s anti-cruelty law which was recently updated (Title 18, § 5532-5534) clearly states the following when defining offenses: “A person commits an offense if the person intentionally, knowingly or recklessly illtreats, overloads, beats, abandons or abuses an animal” and “A person commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly does any of the following: tortures an animal.” A violation of this section is a felony.
Steven Hindi, president/founder of SHARK, states, ” There is no question that these acts violated the law, and the perpetrators, including the owners of Thunder Ridge, must be held accountable. Our video proves is that you cannot hold a pigeon shoot without committing grave acts of animal cruelty. The PA Legislature must finally pass legislation banning these immoral and vile shoots forever.”
SHARK has reached out to Tioga County District Attorney Krista Deats and was told the PA State Police would need to investigate. SHARK states State Trooper Fitzwater of Troop F was onsite at the time of the pigeon shoot but refused to take any action. Fitzwater has also not returned repeated phone calls. The number of the troop is 570-662-2151 for anyone interested in finding out why nothing was done while animal cruelty occurred in front of a state trooper.
SHARK continues to make sure justice is served and not ignored when it comes to the severe nature of the violations of law regarding pigeon shoots. They will be emailing a link of the video to every legislator in Pennsylvania. WARNING- GRAPHIC VIDEO Watch the video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIi4Z1AApTQ
Remind me not to trust that particular State Policeman if he shows up for any disturbance call in the future. . Karma just may bite his butt for not stepping up to the pidgeon killing. Does he condone Domestic Violence by standing there and watching also?
Good point about the State Trooper condoning domestic violence if he condones violence toward animals. Unfortunately, those who watch and/or participate in live pigeon shoots fail to see the cruelty in this vile act of animal abuse. Disturbing to say the least.
Thanks, Sylvia.
Is this a joke? Kids ripping pigeons’ heads off? This is sick and demented behavior to teach children!
Definitely not a joke. Teaching kids this behavior (animal abuse) has proven a link to domestic violence which Sylvia so wisely stated.
Thanks.
Sick bastards!
Live pigeon shoots is animal cruelty. No one will prosecute them in Berks or Montgomery or is it Bucks Counties where they hold them. While we celebrated Libre’s Law, don’t forget the HSUS allowed the NRA to remove the live pigeon shoot clause which still allowed them in Pa. HSUS is sneaky. Libre’s law isn’t strong anyway. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime and no one gets punished for ripping heads of live birds and burying them alive? What gives, DA John Adams? Why do you refuse to do anything about this? Your constituents want to know.
Live pigeon shoots is animal cruelty. No one will prosecute them in Berks or Montgomery or is it Bucks Counties where they hold them. While we celebrated Libre’s Law, don’t forget the HSUS allowed the NRA to remove the live pigeon shoot clause which still allowed them in Pa. HSUS is sneaky. Libre’s law isn’t strong anyway. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime and no one gets punished for ripping heads of live birds and burying them alive? What gives, DA John Adams? Why do you refuse to do anything about this? Your constituents want to know.