RSPCA highlights netting dangers for wild birds after pigeons found dead at Surrey car park
The dangers netting can pose to wild birds has been highlighted by the RSPCA who attended at a commercial premises in Surrey where dead pigeons have been left to decay.
The animal charity was contacted by several members of the public alerting them to the plight of pigeons caught in anti-pest netting at the entrance to a car park in St Nicholas Way in Sutton.
RPSCA Inspector Liz Wheeler says around 15 pigeons have been trapped in the high netting in a car park behind the store in St Nicholas Way and have since perished since the problem was first reported at the end of last year.
The problem has persisted and when the RSPCA contacted the company which owns the car park it was told the netting is due to be removed by contractors later this month (March).
Inspector Wheeler said: “I’ve been back to the location since the first reports at the end of December last year and there are more dead pigeons hanging from the netting. It is distressing to see as they have been left to decompose.
“The netting is no longer of any use to deter pigeons and is just trapping and killing them. It needs to be taken down now.”
The RSPCA says the incident is a reminder to the owners of buildings of the importance of maintaining and monitoring deterrent netting to prevent birds getting trapped and injured.
Birds can suffer a long and painful death from injury or starvation as unfortunately netting is often fixed in high or hard-to-reach areas, making the rescue of trapped animals difficult.
While the use of netting to prevent birds nesting is legal, it’s important that it is professionally installed and regularly maintained to ensure birds cannot become trapped.
“Problems can arise when netting is installed without a regular maintenance contract in place, is put up incorrectly, becomes damaged or there are gaps where birds can enter and become trapped like these pigeons have done,” added the inspector.
“We receive around 2,000 reports every year about wild birds trapped in or behind netting, with a large number involving bird-deterrent netting.”
If anyone spots locations where birds are regularly becoming trapped in netting, the RSPCA is always grateful if they can forward the address of the building, details of the property owner (if known) and date of the incident to [email protected].
The RSPCA can then write to the owner with advice and guidance about resolving the issue.
More information on helping trapped birds in netting can be found on the RSCPA website.
If you see a live animal, as well as birds, entangled in or trapped in netting you can contact the RSPCA’s cruelty and advice helpline on 0300 1234 999.