'It's soul destroying' says Chesterfield woman as she cares for shot pigeon - one of many birds recently targeted

Last week it was reported that a pigeon was shot in its wing in the Inkersall area.

Resident Janice Wilkinson, who is passionate about birds, has been taking care of the injured pigeon for the last few days.

She said: “It has been shot in its wing and now the wing has no use in it. I've tried to tape it up, but the wing underneath that tape is hanging off. The poor bird has a big red wound on its tummy. I’m in contact with the vets, it got some painkillers, but I’m afraid the pigeon will have to go to the vet to have the wing amputated.

"This poor bird will never ever fly again in its natural habitat. It will live in a shed for the rest of its life. I find that absolutely soul destroying.

"People who can hurt animals are just horrible. How can you hurt something that can't defend itself?”

But the pigeon Janice has been taking care of is one of many - as local Facebook groups have been flooded with posts about injured and dead pigeons in Inkersall and Calow. Residents suspect that some of the birds haved been shot or poisoned.

Janice added: “There have been so many injured and poisoned pigeons here recently. It’s absolutely terrible. This pigeon that I am helping is one of the lucky ones.

"What worries me the most is that these pigeons make nests, they have babies. If somebody is poisoning them, and the parents are feeding the babies, the babies will die too and that is just so cruel.”

An RSPCA spokesperson said: “It’s concerning to hear that people have found injured and poorly pigeons in this area. We’d advise people to take photos and contact a vet or wildlife rehabilitator for more advice or visit our website for more guidance on what to do.

“Bird flu is still affecting many birds across the UK so if you find a sick or injured bird it’s important to take precautions to keep yourself safe as it can affect humans too, and we’d also encourage people to read our bird flu advice before they do anything else.

“Any suspected animal poisoning is also a reminder for people to take extra care when using any potentially dangerous substances - including checking where they keep any pesticides and chemicals and making sure they are stored securely and properly disposed of.

“It is an offence to injure or kill a wild bird under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 except under licence and offenders can face a fine of up to £5,000 and/or six months imprisonment.”