Residents and animal rights activists are in an ongoing fight over whether to cull pigeons in a small German town, causing an uproar.

Residents and animal rights activists are clashing over whether to cull pigeons in a small German town, leading to an uproar, despite a majority of residents voting in favour of the cull in a recent referendum.

Officials in the central German town of Limburg an der Lahn were still deliberating whether to implement the referendum results.

According to news reports, town spokesman Johannes Laubach informed that there is no set timetable for implementation. He mentioned that the resolution requires another comprehensive case-by-case review before proceeding.

For years, many residents and business owners have been frustrated by the town’s pigeon problem. Complaints about the birds’ droppings from residents, restaurateurs, and market vendors around Limburg’s Neumarkt central square sparked the legal fight.

Also Read: WATCH: Loco Pilot Saves Over 500 Lives By Hanging From Bridge; Gets Rewarded

Approximate count of pigeons in the town

According to reports, a recent count found around 700 pigeons living in the town.

Last November, the town council decided to commission a falconer to reduce Limburg’s pigeon population, likely by breaking their necks. Animal rights activists fiercely protested this decision, leading to a petition for signatures and the initiation of a referendum, as per reports.

Following this month’s referendum, Limburg’s mayor Marius Hahn stated that citizens had decided to reduce the pigeon population over the next two years using a falconer who will stun and kill the birds, the report added.

Animal rights activists’ response to pigeon killing

Animal rights groups were shocked by the outcome of the referendum, describing it as a “death sentence” and threatening legal action.

An administrative court in Kassel, Hesse, where Limburg is located, decided in 2011 that killing pigeons must be linked to conditions such as population size, health risks, or damage to buildings.

Laubach explained that they must carefully assess whether they meet the criteria set by the administrative court in Kassel. The key considerations include assessing whether the pigeons cause damage to buildings, pose health risks, or if their population size warrants action.

Laubach mentioned that town representatives, the mayor, and administrative officials have endured insults, threatening emails, letters, and phone calls from “pigeon welfare activists” for an extended period.

Also Read: Woman Sues Company For Paying Full Salary Without Assigning Work For 20 Years