Dozens of pigeons remained on the beach by Spotts dock Monday after being dumped there last week.
A concerned member of the public reported to the Caymanian Compass that a driver of a red truck apparently left some 40 pigeons at Spotts dock on Wednesday morning, Feb. 26.
The Department of Agriculture says it is looking into the matter and has brought in a vet to determine the health of the birds, which have not flown away since they appeared on the beach last week.
Field officer at the National Trust, Stuart Mailer, identified the birds as Rock Pigeons.
“They are an introduced species with feral and domesticated flocks that breed on the island,” he said. “They are now established worldwide.” He added that these types of pigeons are “descended from domesticated individuals,” and have been able to integrate into the wild locally.
The majority of the pigeons at Spotts seem healthy, although one has died and two were apparently sick.
Some people in the area have started to feed the birds.
Under the Animals Law, it is illegal to abandon animals, including birds, “in circumstances likely to cause the animal unnecessary suffering.” If convicted, a person is liable to a fine of four thousand dollars and imprisonment for one year.
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What a beautiful sight especially to those of us who love pigeons like myself. I raise Homing pigeons and they are allowed to fly around all day, but when six 0 clock come they come home.
If neighbors do not find them a nuisance, I believe feeding them at the spots dock is good tourist attraction. Sometimes I see persons sit there and have lunch, and that would be a treat to feed the pigeons too.
My guess is that Maybe the person who had them could not afford to feed them any more or was moving away. I really cannot see anyone doing it as a harm to them, and under the animals law I do not see one shred of evidence that placing them there would have cause any unnecessary suffering. Too many times we make a mountain out of a mole hill.