A Toronto resident came upon a "disturbing scene" in Scarborough last weekend.
Bruna Doberstein told Narcity via Facebook Messenger that she was in the area of Lawrence Avenue E. and Markham Road in the early morning on Sunday, July 11 when she saw a man and a child trapping pigeons inside of nets and putting them in cramped cages.
She recorded a video of the pair and asked them what they were doing with the birds. "I take them to my farm, and then I raise them," the man can be heard saying as he continues to put them into cages. Doberstein said that she recalls seeing him doing the same thing last year.
Bruna Doberstein
"They handled the animals without a minimum of care, holding them by their wings and crowding the cage," she said. "It was a disturbing scene."
Doberstein said that she had contacted 311, but "they couldn't answer." She said had the same experience last year when she tried to report the incident.
"I tried to report to all numbers I was told to call and apparently nothing was done," wrote Doberstein. "Fortunately, at this time Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry have the case, and they both seem to be taking it seriously."
"Conservation Officers are aware of the situation and are investigating the matter. No details are available at this time," the Ministry told Narcity in an email.*
Just this week, Toronto Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam proposed a motion to ban feeding pigeons, stating that the city has become "overwhelmingly inundated with pigeons" who create "unhealthy and unsanitary conditions" in large flocks.
*This article has been updated.