The Great Pigeon Controversy of Limburg: The Legal Killing Plan Faces an Unexpected Hurdle
- *
District you're determining pigeon slaughter case insisted by Limburg - Limburg persists in pigeon culling - county approval sought
Carpet the streets of Limburg with a fresh layer of dispute - the city's ambitious proposal to lay trap and take down 200 city pigeons is still alive, despite a sudden twist. The city's objective remains steadfast: to implement a local citizen's decision from last year to control the pigeon population by culling them, as long as it doesn't buck the system[1].
The limelight belongs to the first mayor of Limburg, Michael Stanke (CDU), who finds it fitting to enforce the expressed will of the populace in these times of political skepticism, provided the move doesn't violate any laws[2].
Power in the hands of the district
The matter has been handed over to the lower nature conservation authority of the district of Limburg-Weilburg, where three separate applications for a permit to capture and kill the birds have been submitted. Two by private parties and one by the city itself[3]. A decision on all three applications is expected soon, and the outcome will be communicated to the applicants and the public alike.
An unexpected detour
Originally, the city planned to commence the roundup on April 22, 2025, but a sudden halt occurred when a decree from 2022 was revoked by the Hessian Ministry of the Environment and Agriculture[4]. The decree considered city pigeons to be domesticated animals within the urban space, but that definition has been reversed, making them wild creatures under the German Federal Nature Conservation Ordinance.
Confusion brewing in Limburg
The city sees this change as "sudden and unexplained," questioning the Ministry's rationale and the implications for Limburg[5]. The original city council resolution from November 2023 aimed to decrease the pigeon population in Limburg, and a heated debate ensued after discussions about neck breaking the animals emerged[6]. A subsequent referendum saw a majority vote in favor of implementing the resolution.
Costs are key
In the initial plan, the city had intended to catch 200 pigeons and pass them over to the animal welfare organization Gut Aiderbichl for housing in the Upper Palatinate. However, the lone bid for this measure was deemed too expensive, and the city had to initiate a new tender, focusing instead on hiring a falconer for the catching and killing operation[7]. The current estimated cost? Under €10,000.
- Limburg
- Pigeons
- Decree
- CDU
- Political Controversy
- Animal Welfare
- The unexpected reversal of a 2022 decree in Limburg has created a new controversy, as city pigeons, previously considered domesticated animals within urban spaces, are now classified as wild creatures under the German Federal Nature Conservation Ordinance.
- Rather than collaborating with an animal welfare organization, the city of Limburg is now exploring the option of hiring a falconer for the catching and killing of city pigeons, with the estimated cost being under €10,000.
- The Commission, being in the centre of policy-and-legislation, has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation in light of this political controversy surrounding the city pigeons of Limburg and the related lifestyle discussions.
