Hey all,
I have been reading many articles and news feeds ever since the news broke that Mike Tyson was getting his own show on animal planet about pigeon racing and I have noticed that some people have been bad mouthing the sport, pigeons and fanciers not to name names (PETA). They have been saying all sorts of things like pigeons are dirty, fanciers mistreat their birds, animal cruelty and so on and so forth. It’s obvious to me that they don’t know this sport and hobby at all nor do they know us fanciers.
So I figured who better to clear our name then US! we have a great group of fanciers here on the www.pigeonracingpigeon.com blog. So post your comments below and tell the rest of the world what pigeon racing really is all about and who we fanciers really are. Tell them how much you love your pigeons and how pigeon racing is a wholesome hobby that involves the entire family, promotes bonding and responsibility just to name a few.
So go ahead and post your comments here and let’s set them straight.
Thanks for your participation.
Yours in the sport,
-Chris
The Leading Online Pigeon Racing and Racing Pigeons Magazine – The Pigeon Insider
Pigeon fanciers are caring people. We love our birds and spend thousands of Rands on them in a year, so we look after tehm with love and respect. this is a true family sport where you spend most of your time at home with the birds and the family. I started pigeon racing when my daughter was 9 years old because she wanted to look after pigeons and care for them. this turned my daughter into a person that love nature and care for all kind of animals. She married and moved out of the house now i introduce my grandson to the pigeons and he start loving them.
I know we sometimes have losses or poor returns due to some or other mishap on the road, but I dont know fanciers that deliberately send birds to racing points to get rid of them.
Remember we spent hours planning how we will breed to improve our birds and the only way to test this is to race them. We want to see results from our breeding plans and therefore we make sure that every pigeon basketed have more than fair chance to come home and win.
I think the SPCA in South Africa is more supporting and understanding of our pigeon sport than PETA.
This is the sport of Kings and gentlemen, lets remember that we breed them to compete, without competing they are worthless.
Its unfair to all of us about PETA declaration, they should remember that when Noah released the pigeon after 40 days of raining, it’s the only animal who search if theres a land and Noah got his answer..Now who’s telling that pigeon sports are dirty, blahblah…PETA doesn’t know anything in the sport of racing pigeon on how we fanciers spend time to look at our pigeons. It’s involve our entire family member and friends. I have a nephew where i introduce him to the sport of pigeon and now he loves the sport and he motivated with the sport. He now know how to save money and time for his pigeons. He don’t play anymore computer games, which for me is bad for children. PETA whats the different between horse racing and Pigeon Sport racing? Do you know that both are the same…both are spending time and money for the sport. Both animal treated very and gave attention and focus..PETA get a mirror and look at yourself then ask question to your self , What if i’ll try the sports of pigeon? What would i get from it? How does it feel when I won a race? How’s family and friends reaction? Do i really care for the animals? Did i protected the animals welfare or just for the money to get attention of the viewers and sponsors? P-eople E-dangering T-he A-nimal in the universe.
I have been in the hobby of pigeon racing for over twenty years. I love my pigeons and care for these athletes of the sky. I have to ensure that they are in perfect health, as like any athlete they will not be able to perform unless they are completely fit. The pigeons carry less germs and are less of a threat than the parrot species, plus are not prone to avian flu!. Taking care of your loved feathered friends is a vwery rewarding hobby, it helps to teach children responsibility, it is affordable for the majority and I am expecting to actively participate in the sport until the end of my days. That cannot be said for many sports and so children, pensioners, families alike can socialise and enjoy this wonderful pastime. remember there is no such thing as vermin, unless it is in the wrong place at the wrong time. I thank God for pigeons and the help they contributed in returning messages during the second world war. Also because of their acute eyesight, they are used to help spot survivors at sea, from aircarft. Anyone who wants to put these down, needs to have there heads examined!
Hi just to tell you some thing that are not just about making money in the sport it about change and saving lives here is my story about my life with pigeon flying. Hi my name is Alex Cruz Well it started when I was about 15yrs old in 1983 in The South Bronx, N.Y. I live on a 5th floor buliding and I had 8 tipplets on a window coop. As I got older I had a chance to put a coop on the roof 8′X8′ with a screen size of 8′X8′ holding a total of 254 print canadian tipplets high flyers 4,5 hours on the wing on a good day they wouldn’t be seen for hours on end they just fly, but then as time passed I seen a good friend of mines get killed, he was my partner with the pigeons”BertoLucci” was his name shortly after he stop flying pigeons he dealing drugs and went to jail, he told me that their is nothing like freedom, once he came out of jail he got back into pigeon took kids from the streets and help them out with pigeons and help them build a little coop on the windows or the rooftops. This man did not get a T.V.show but he changed the life of many kids in The South Bronx. and for this sport i will live and will help out anyone! that wants to get into the sport and it not all about the money, its about the love of the hobby! RIP Berolucci
PETA, extreme exremists. We don’t need them in our sport. They will only cause damage to our plight. The true fancier treats his birds as good as family or better.
But Iron Mike Tyson to represent the sport? I don’t think so. The man has been accused and found guilty of rape,spousal abuse,assaulting others, and Bitting a piece of a mans ear off in the boxing ring and on national television!!!! I just don’t think this is the man for representing the sport. Is this the best we can do?
Nick
ONCE AGAIN THE PETA IS OUT TO CLAIM ANOTHER VICTORY AND IN MOST CASES ALL THEY WANT IS TO HAVE THEIR NAME IN PRINT. I AM SURE THERE ARE FLYERS THAT ARE NOT AS KEEN AND DO NOT PUT THE PROPER TIME AND RESPECT INTO THEIR BIRDS BUT IN 99 PERCENT OF THE CASES THE BIRDS ARE LOOKED AFTER WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR THE BIRDS. WHEN YOU HAVE HAD THE BIRDS FOR 50 YEARS AS I HAVE HAD AND NEVER MISSED AYEAR OF RACING THERE IS TRUE LOVE OF THE SPORT THAT STARTED WHEN IWAS 11 YEARS OLD . IF THE KIDS OF TODAY WOULD EMBRACE SUCH A SPORT YOU MAY FIND WE WOULD HAVE LESS PROBLEMS WITH THE YOUTH OF TODAY . INSTEAD OF CONDEMMING THE SPORT THE GOVERMENT SHOULD LOOK AT SUPPORTING IT . IF THEY ALLOW THE PETA TO GET A HAND IN THE DOOR THEY MAY CREATE PROBLEMS FOR OUR GREAT SPORT. IN MOST CASES THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO SHUT US DOWN HAVE NO IDEA THE DEPTH OF THE SPORT OF PIGEON RACING . THE PETA SEE ONE PROBLEM AND ARE WILLING TO CONDEM EVERYONE ,I HAVE ALWAYS SAID WHEN YOU ARE A PIGEON FLYER YOU HAVE TO TAKE 2 STEPS FORWARD AND ONE BACK. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR EACH AND EVERY FLYER TO EDUCATE HIS NEIGHBOURS AND TREAT THEM AS HE WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED OTHERWISE ANY HEADLINES THAT THIS TYSON THING BRINGS OUT WILL ALSO GET THE ATTENTION OF ALL YOUR NEIGHBOURS GOOD AND BAD .
I HOPE COOL HEADS PREVALE AND THIS TV PROGRAM CAN SHOW THE GOOD SIDE OF OUR SPORT
FRANK
PETA SHOULD LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF RACING PIGEONS THIES BIRDS GIVE THEM THE FREEDOM TO TALK THAT CRAP TODAY BY FLYING IN TWO WORLD WARS SAVING MANY MEN LIVES.
i have pigeons for long time i care for pigeons like for my son notihing difrences the pigeons is like my famly i clean pigeons cage bether then somebody clean house
people just dont understand how much effort goes into this sport/hobby and the work required by both pigeon and fancier.and what beautiful and brave creatures they are.fantastic website keep up the good work.
I went through this at work and many places that I went to, so how did I deal with this, is I asked them what hobbies or sports that they were interested in and I said negative things as to why? or what do you get out of it. People that save cards I ask ,what 2 cards do you put together to get other cards,or basketball where you have your head moving right and then left watching the players trying to get the ball in the ring, I say why don’t they lower the basket to about 4 feet high so every one has a chance. Race cars,I say what do you get out of it? you just watch the cars going around circles. Where in pigeon racing I have my own birds to race in a short or long distance races.