After reading two articles in your paper about the "sport" of killing pigeons, 1 was sickened with the thought that an activity like this could happen in a civilized society. Then I read a response by Shauna Woolsey (Forum Feb. 18) that addressed a concern about letting animals suffer for 20-25 minutes - which she said was wrong.
What is wrong is to kill defenseless animals in the name of sport alone. I will not attack individuals that hunt animals (deer, pheasants, etc.) to then use the meat for food on their table. But, I will vehemently fight against the senseless killing of any animal for no other reason that to sharpen the skills of a sportsman.Birds are no different than mammals in terms of being a living creature that is capable of experiencing pain, feelings and emotions. I am an owner of four birds. Each has a distinct personality. Each bird displays just as much affection toward its owner as a dog, cat or other pet might. One bird is starting to be able to mimic words and associate an object with a sound or word.
Birds express many emotions such as happy, sad, scared, afraid, lonely, excited, mad, etc. When they hear an unfamiliar sound, you can observe a look of fear. When they are playing in their cage, they look satisfied. When someone enters the room they like, they start chirping and look excited and happy to see this person. When one was recently sick, I could definitely observe a look of pain. Many people have not been exposed to birds in a manner that allows them to equate birds to other living creatures.
Carol Ryan
Salt Lake City