VIDEO: Fire crews called to rescue trapped pigeon on Post Office Road (From Thisisdorset)
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VIDEO: Fire crews called to rescue trapped pigeon on Post Office Road
1:53pm Thursday 5th July 2012 in News By Melanie Vass
Picture: Corin Messer.
A PIGEON trapped in netting on top of a Bournemouth restaurant sparked a major rescue operation.
Fire crews from Springbourne and Westbourne were involved in the rescue of the pigeon from the top of the former Post Office building in the town centre at lunchtime today.
A hydraulic crane was used to raise RSPCA Inspector Jo Story and two firefighters to the top of the building to rescue the stuck bird, and retrieve another which had died.
The rescue left many passers-by bemused. Lisa Grove said: “It’s surprising to see such a huge operation for a pigeon. It’s nice but it does surprise me.”
But Jo said: “From the RSPCA’s point of view, a life is a life. Whether it’s a pigeon or a kestrel, we’re not going to leave it to suffer.”
Comments(50)
HRH of Boscombe
says...
2:19pm Thu 5 Jul 12
garyhodge
says...
2:52pm Thu 5 Jul 12
And not just the cost in terms of the fire service...and the salary of the poor echo schmu....errr...repo
rter how had to "report" on this riveting drama, but the disruption on the road (I work there), loss of producvitiy in surrounding offices (I should know, we were all staring out of the window), loss of footfall in local businesses (everyone having a good stare in disbelief). Its ridiculous, dont shoot the pigeon, shoot the muppet who called this in (under a 999??)..
...now, dogs who can say "sausages" now THATS news!
Morrigan
says...
2:54pm Thu 5 Jul 12
HRH of Boscombe wrote:The RSPCA called the Fire Brigade - can you not have some humanity?
Whatever moron called the fire brigade should be forced to pay for it. What a complete waste of time and money. Would've been far easier just to use an air rifle.
In any event, the Fire Service use this sort of call as training, so they get extra training and the bird stays alive ..... it's all good.
Having said that, when I called the RSPCA a couple of years ago about an abandoned rabbit in a box outside a pet shop, they refused to attend and told me to either leave it there or take it to the nearest vet surgery!!! Lynwood Vets took the poor thing on and thank goodness for them!
mysticalshoelace
says...
2:58pm Thu 5 Jul 12
HRH of Boscombe wrote:Would have been far easier and cheaper to have used the air rifle on the moron that put the netting there in the first place.
Whatever moron called the fire brigade should be forced to pay for it. What a complete waste of time and money. Would've been far easier just to use an air rifle.
Have to agree with the RSPCA in this case, a life is a life be it animal or human.
HRH of Boscombe
says...
3:00pm Thu 5 Jul 12
.
What kind of relevant training do the fire brigade get out of this then??? They know how to climb the ladder already. Special bird skills I suppose that will make us all feel much safer.
pauls55
says...
3:15pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Couchy125
says...
3:19pm Thu 5 Jul 12
cleanery
says...
3:19pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Or did the fireman fly up the ladder on his own
cleanery
says...
3:20pm Thu 5 Jul 12
KLH
says...
3:23pm Thu 5 Jul 12
And did the RSPCA release the pigeon....
djd
says...
3:30pm Thu 5 Jul 12
I wouldn't like to see the pigeon suffer but if people didn't drop food around the streets the pigeons wouldn't be there in the first place, there would be no need for netting to discourage them from nesting or perching. No soiled clothes from pigeon droppings.
Couchy125
says...
3:32pm Thu 5 Jul 12
KLH wrote:No he was remanded in custody pending further investigation.
I happened to be walking in the area, saw the fire engines and the RSPCA girl with a small box and thought there was a venomous snake loose or something. Pigeons!! OK, they are vermin to some, and I actually like pigeons, but all this, surely there could have been other ways of dealing with this. How did they get that netting up there in the first place, bet that wasn't the fire brigade. And did the RSPCA release the pigeon....
Dorset Mitch
says...
3:39pm Thu 5 Jul 12
HRH of Boscombe wrote:Sighting and experience in the operation of using the Aerial Ladder Platform (not a crane Echo!!!) outside of the station drill yard.
Morrigan they're a pest, vermin. Would you call the fire brigade for a trapped rat? . What kind of relevant training do the fire brigade get out of this then??? They know how to climb the ladder already. Special bird skills I suppose that will make us all feel much safer.
Dorset Logic
says...
3:43pm Thu 5 Jul 12
catch the pigeon
Cheap Rates.
Call us 24 hours
scrumpyjack
says...
4:11pm Thu 5 Jul 12
garyhodge wrote:very funny.
So...how much did this cost? And for a pigeon, which many consider vermin anyway?
And not just the cost in terms of the fire service...and the salary of the poor echo schmu....errr...repo
rter how had to "report" on this riveting drama, but the disruption on the road (I work there), loss of producvitiy in surrounding offices (I should know, we were all staring out of the window), loss of footfall in local businesses (everyone having a good stare in disbelief). Its ridiculous, dont shoot the pigeon, shoot the muppet who called this in (under a 999??)..
...now, dogs who can say "sausages" now THATS news!
BmthNewshound
says...
4:21pm Thu 5 Jul 12
.
I can't believe that people still pay to buy the Echo.
Capricorn 1
says...
5:17pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Vikki27
says...
6:03pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Well, I agree fully with the RSPCA - a life is a life. People deem pigeons as worthless and undeserving of any form of attention but the fact is, they feel pain and fear and suffering as much as any other creature and anyone with a feeling bone in their body could no more walk past a pigeon or any other creature and condemn it to suffering a painful death than they could a small child. They deserve to live a natural life as much as any human being.
Was Charlie
says...
6:30pm Thu 5 Jul 12
cleanery wrote:Someone needs biology lessons:
I rember when fireman sam rescued a stranded whale it was good but never a flying sky rat
....
bird = bird
rat = mammal
andydixon
says...
6:55pm Thu 5 Jul 12
I would agree with HRH on the air rifle solution. From the point of view of shooting the vermin it is completely legal but unfortunately, there are laws on using air rifles in public places (6 months prison and a £5000 fine). You have to be 50ft away from the centre of a public higway and the pellet is not allowed to stray beyond the boundary of the property which is difficult in a town centre.
I believe you also have to have a good reason to shoot them (i.e. protection of crops)
I had to laugh recently when I saw an elderly lady in Boscombe feeding the vermin right underneath a sign warning against it. Horseshoe common is the worst for it. I used to feed the moorhens at the pond there daily (watched them grow from a mating pair to a family of 7) then walk down further and see idiots feeding the pigeons.
O'Reilly
says...
7:00pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Cross_Your_Arms_Look_Angry
says...
7:13pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Pablo23
says...
7:24pm Thu 5 Jul 12
How quickly people forget that without the brave carrier pigeons working for King and country during the 1st World War we would almost certainly have lost and all be speaking German now.
I can't see Gerry scrambling the fire engines to rescue this poor innocent chap. Its our love and compassion of animals that sets us apart from most of the world.
hucky999
says...
7:25pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Was Charlie
says...
7:52pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Pablo23 wrote:And the biggest vermin on the planet is people. Pigeons don't start wars, polute the planet, racially abuse other pigeons and a whole load of other things that humans do and then accuse some other humans of behaving like animals.
I have to say I'm pretty flabberghasted at all the bad vibes directed at pigeons on here.
How quickly people forget that without the brave carrier pigeons working for King and country during the 1st World War we would almost certainly have lost and all be speaking German now.
I can't see Gerry scrambling the fire engines to rescue this poor innocent chap. Its our love and compassion of animals that sets us apart from most of the world.
Roband65
says...
8:49pm Thu 5 Jul 12
KLH
says...
8:52pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Anyone notice the big lorry with the zoo advert on the side - as well - parked by the buildin concerned....
O'Reilly
says...
10:17pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Pablo23 wrote:They were special pigeons not the street 'rogs' which abound these days. The Royal Farms at Windsor keep racing pigeons.
I have to say I'm pretty flabberghasted at all the bad vibes directed at pigeons on here.
How quickly people forget that without the brave carrier pigeons working for King and country during the 1st World War we would almost certainly have lost and all be speaking German now.
I can't see Gerry scrambling the fire engines to rescue this poor innocent chap. Its our love and compassion of animals that sets us apart from most of the world.
ben12341979
says...
10:46pm Thu 5 Jul 12
andydixon
says...
11:59pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Pablo23 wrote:Oh come on, let's keep this in context.
I have to say I'm pretty flabberghasted at all the bad vibes directed at pigeons on here.
How quickly people forget that without the brave carrier pigeons working for King and country during the 1st World War we would almost certainly have lost and all be speaking German now.
I can't see Gerry scrambling the fire engines to rescue this poor innocent chap. Its our love and compassion of animals that sets us apart from most of the world.
They weren't really brave, they were simply 'trained' to follow a simplistic routine of thoughts.
Very similar to the Daily Mail readers of today.
I am lucky in that I feel I should be able to hold the moral high-ground as, although not a vegan, I don't eat meat. However, the only reason for that is simply that I do not like it.
Pigeon fanciers, I would imagine to keep their flocks free of pests and diseases etc.
hamworthygirl
says...
5:42am Fri 6 Jul 12
O'Reilly wrote:Racing pigeons are totally different the ones on the streets are vernin and in no way like the ones in the war. My uncle still keeps racing pigeons as has all my family at sometime for 60 years. While I wouldnt deliberately hurt any animal for the RSPCA to call the fire brigade i think was ridiculous and a waste of time. They could have just put it out of its misery with a rifle, sorry animal lover but thats life.
Pablo23 wrote:They were special pigeons not the street 'rogs' which abound these days. The Royal Farms at Windsor keep racing pigeons.
I have to say I'm pretty flabberghasted at all the bad vibes directed at pigeons on here.
How quickly people forget that without the brave carrier pigeons working for King and country during the 1st World War we would almost certainly have lost and all be speaking German now.
I can't see Gerry scrambling the fire engines to rescue this poor innocent chap. Its our love and compassion of animals that sets us apart from most of the world.
Was Charlie
says...
8:19am Fri 6 Jul 12
Roband65 wrote:So a training exercise to apply to other situations is a waste of money?
What a disgraceful waste of money !
Boredofthiscountry
says...
8:33am Fri 6 Jul 12
Vikki27 wrote:Very well said Vikki27,
I won't read these comments because I imagine most of them will rule the life of the pigeon as unworthy of the expense of our emergency services.
Well, I agree fully with the RSPCA - a life is a life. People deem pigeons as worthless and undeserving of any form of attention but the fact is, they feel pain and fear and suffering as much as any other creature and anyone with a feeling bone in their body could no more walk past a pigeon or any other creature and condemn it to suffering a painful death than they could a small child. They deserve to live a natural life as much as any human being.
cleanery
says...
10:13am Fri 6 Jul 12
Best advert ever.
elite50
says...
11:41am Fri 6 Jul 12
Pablo23 wrote:We are, as you say, apart from the rest of the world.
I have to say I'm pretty flabberghasted at all the bad vibes directed at pigeons on here. How quickly people forget that without the brave carrier pigeons working for King and country during the 1st World War we would almost certainly have lost and all be speaking German now. I can't see Gerry scrambling the fire engines to rescue this poor innocent chap. Its our love and compassion of animals that sets us apart from most of the world.
That is because "the rest of the world" are realists (as we once were before we threw it all away defending the rest of Europe).
Take a look at what we have now!
Go to London, it will take you two days to hear a cockney accent.
Go to Boscombe, you will feel like a foreigner if you dont come from eastern Europe!
The only pigeons are US!
Pablo23
says...
1:16pm Fri 6 Jul 12
elite50 wrote:Speak for yourself
Pablo23 wrote:We are, as you say, apart from the rest of the world.
I have to say I'm pretty flabberghasted at all the bad vibes directed at pigeons on here. How quickly people forget that without the brave carrier pigeons working for King and country during the 1st World War we would almost certainly have lost and all be speaking German now. I can't see Gerry scrambling the fire engines to rescue this poor innocent chap. Its our love and compassion of animals that sets us apart from most of the world.
That is because "the rest of the world" are realists (as we once were before we threw it all away defending the rest of Europe).
Take a look at what we have now!
Go to London, it will take you two days to hear a cockney accent.
Go to Boscombe, you will feel like a foreigner if you dont come from eastern Europe!
The only pigeons are US!
spooki
says...
2:13pm Fri 6 Jul 12
elite50
says...
2:18pm Fri 6 Jul 12
Pablo23 wrote:I take it that you have not made it through the bird droppings to visit London or Boscombe lately?
elite50 wrote:Speak for yourselfPablo23 wrote: I have to say I'm pretty flabberghasted at all the bad vibes directed at pigeons on here. How quickly people forget that without the brave carrier pigeons working for King and country during the 1st World War we would almost certainly have lost and all be speaking German now. I can't see Gerry scrambling the fire engines to rescue this poor innocent chap. Its our love and compassion of animals that sets us apart from most of the world.We are, as you say, apart from the rest of the world. That is because "the rest of the world" are realists (as we once were before we threw it all away defending the rest of Europe). Take a look at what we have now! Go to London, it will take you two days to hear a cockney accent. Go to Boscombe, you will feel like a foreigner if you dont come from eastern Europe! The only pigeons are US!
cleanery
says...
2:19pm Fri 6 Jul 12
Please keep on subject.
elite50
says...
3:04pm Fri 6 Jul 12
cleanery wrote:I was brought up in Throop.
The racing pigeon rescued was a 2 year old blue chequer hen with yellow ring liberated at Fougeres into a westerly wind on the 6th June this year, lets hope it recuperates and gets back home to its loft in Swadlincote. Please keep on subject.
We used to shoot pigeons whenever we could because they would raid our crops.
I used to hate pigeon pie because it was always full of lead pellets.
I hope it never makes it back to Swadlin(cote?) wherever the hell that is!
cleanery
says...
3:36pm Fri 6 Jul 12
please get well soon. i can help you.
I am being kind to you dont you get it.
cleanery
says...
3:36pm Fri 6 Jul 12
please get well soon. i can help you.
I am being kind to you dont you get it.
Pablo23
says...
5:45pm Fri 6 Jul 12
elite50 wrote:I meant this bit
Pablo23 wrote:I take it that you have not made it through the bird droppings to visit London or Boscombe lately?
elite50 wrote:Speak for yourselfPablo23 wrote: I have to say I'm pretty flabberghasted at all the bad vibes directed at pigeons on here. How quickly people forget that without the brave carrier pigeons working for King and country during the 1st World War we would almost certainly have lost and all be speaking German now. I can't see Gerry scrambling the fire engines to rescue this poor innocent chap. Its our love and compassion of animals that sets us apart from most of the world.We are, as you say, apart from the rest of the world. That is because "the rest of the world" are realists (as we once were before we threw it all away defending the rest of Europe). Take a look at what we have now! Go to London, it will take you two days to hear a cockney accent. Go to Boscombe, you will feel like a foreigner if you dont come from eastern Europe! The only pigeons are US!
"The only pigeons are US!"
I didn't read the rest of it
Adrian XX
says...
10:53pm Fri 6 Jul 12
Seriously, the RSPCA needs to pay for this - this should not come from taxpayers money, many of whom would rather have the pigeon in a pie.
cleanery
says...
8:34am Sat 7 Jul 12
the pigeon knows where it is
it has a brain bigger than a peanut. LOL
cleanery
says...
8:40am Sat 7 Jul 12
sorry
MaidofDorset
says...
6:58pm Sat 7 Jul 12
It was a pigeon trapped on a roof, next time they could be using it to rescue a family from the top floor flat of a blazing building.
elite50
says...
12:35am Sun 8 Jul 12
cleanery wrote:LOL????
I hope it never makes it back to Swadlin(cote?) wherever the hell that is!” the pigeon knows where it is it has a brain bigger than a peanut. LOL
You really got me with that one!
Laughing at your own so called jokes?
Lots of depth there!
You should get a call from MENSA anytime soon. Just take a deep breath, hold it and as soon as you get the call you can let it out.
See, two problems solved at the same time.
Rally
says...
11:13am Sun 8 Jul 12
MaidofDorset wrote:An excellent point, MaidofDorset and others here who have said much the same.
They do practise drills all the time to make sure they can use the equipment efficiently.
It was a pigeon trapped on a roof, next time they could be using it to rescue a family from the top floor flat of a blazing building.
Do others here really believe that our Fire and Rescue Service should confine its training and practice to the Fire Station yard?
If so, then you best hope and pray that you never need to call on their services.
As for you folk complaining about the Echo running this story, would you prefer page after page of reports on murder, rape, armed robbery and so on - and keeping your fingers crossed that you were not a victim of any such crime?
lonelysurf says...
2:11pm Thu 5 Jul 12