Earlier this year, the results of PETA US’ undercover investigation into Taiwan’s callous pigeon-racing industry made headlines around the world.
Now, it’s made history, by prompting the first-ever mega-raid by police on pigeon racing in Taiwan. Agents from the Criminal Investigation Bureau last week searched the office of the Greater Kaohsiung Zhongzheng Pigeon Society and froze millions of dollars in assets. Police also detained three employees on charges of violating Taiwan’s animal-protection law and illegal gambling.
This move is likely to have a huge impact on the upcoming winter pigeon-racing season in Taiwan and may help save countless birds from terrifying deaths at sea. It’s a promising step forward for compassion!
Here’s some background information:
- Taiwan’s pigeon-racing industry is the cruellest, deadliest and most crime-ridden in the world.
- Millions of animals die every year from exhaustion, get swept away in storms or are killed by racers for being too slow.
- In many races, less than 1 per cent of the birds survive.
- Large illegal wagers fuel this multibillion-dollar industry.
- The UK’s Royal Pigeon Racing Association actively promotes the sale of British “racing pigeons” to China and Taiwan.
The British pigeon-racing industry is hardly any better than Taiwan’s. Birds forced to fly in gruelling cross-Channel races of up to 900 miles rarely survive – some races have a 90 per cent death rate. Those who do make it back are often “rewarded” by having their necks broken or being gassed with car exhaust, because they’re not deemed profitable enough.
Please speak out for pigeons by asking Defra to crack down on these cruel “graveyard races”:
