'Pigeon feeding is humane': PETA India writes to Fadnavis on kabutarkhana row

Mumbai: As pigeon feeding and kabutarkhanas snowball into a full-blown out political issue in Mumbai, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has sent a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying that the fears around pigeon-related health risks are exaggerated.

In its letter, PETA India has recommended a humane and globally recognised system called the Pigeon Control Advisory Service (PiCAS) model as a win-win solution that will help control the pigeon population while also upholding tradition and compassion.

According to PETA India, an RTI response to Mumbai’s three largest civic hospitals shows that only 0.3% of respiratory illness cases in 2024 were linked to pigeon exposure.

“International research also demonstrates that the risk of disease transmission from pigeons to humans is very low, even for people who are in close and regular contact with them,” the letter states, adding that pigeons in fact are naturally resistant to bird flu and therefore not a major source of zoonotic disease.

PETA India also submitted testimony from its founder Ingrid Newkirk, who is the former Chief of Zoonotic Disease for the Washington DC government, confirming that the risk of casual contact with pigeons is extremely rare.

On a recent trip to Mumbai, Newkirk has made an appeal for pigeon feeding to continue.

To address the concerns while safeguarding pigeons and tradition, PETA India has proposed three other practical steps to the government: designating specific feeding times at kabutarkhanas, regular cleaning at the sites and installing multilingual messages educating the public on proper feeding practices and the minimal health risks posed by pigeons.

“Pigeon feeding is a humane and meaningful tradition, and solutions that are both compassionate and practical exist,” says PETA India Senior Policy Advisor Ujjwal Agrain.

“The PiCAS model along with designated feeding timings and other practical measures represents a breakthrough opportunity for Mumbai to lead the nation in showing that when it comes to animal welfare and satisfying concerns about public health, we can achieve both without compromise,” Agrain said.

On Europe’s PiCAS model, it said that the approach combines the other measures PETA India has recommended with dovecotes that allow humane population control by replacing eggs with dummy eggs. The system can be implemented easily and would allow Mumbai to reduce pigeon numbers gradually and humanely, while maintaining pigeon welfare, cultural and religious practices.