THUNDER BAY — A plethora of pesky pigeons in the Hardisty Street area was already creating a mess for business-owners in the south-side Thunder Bay neighbourhood.
Now, they say, the problem is being exacerbated by a man who was recorded on a security camera over the weekend, dumping live pigeons out of crates into an alleyway.
Justin Stovel, who owns a warehousing and property maintenance businesses, hopes to track the person down to let him know he doesn't appreciate what he's doing.
He bought a building on Hardisty Street a couple of years ago, and noticed a problem with pigeons right away.
"There's big silos [nearby] that haven't been maintained, and all the grain was spewing, and we thought for awhile that was the cause of our bird infestation. Every single day, everything was covered in feces and feathers," Stovel said.
Describing the situation as "a disaster," he said he had to hire a person to clean the grounds daily.
"Then the other day, I ended up catching this guy on camera dumping pigeons. I don't even know what to think about. It's beyond crazy," he told Tbnewswatch Monday.
Stovel believes the man has been dropping birds off for awhile, based on the fact the amount of baby pigeon feathers he's noticed over the past couple of months "has been worse than it's ever been."
He added "it's pretty obvious we're running a business here now, so to dump something like that at the front door of someone's business is pure ignorance."
Stovel said he and four other business owners have approached the city and health unit repeatedly for help in the past.
"I got pushed off. They said I was exaggerating, that pigeons and birds aren't necessarily a problem, but I don't think they understand the severity of it."
Stovel said he was told "there's birds everywhere," so there's not much that can be done, but he believes Hardisty Street is an exception because the pigeons are staying, and the area they are staying in is relatively small.
Stovel would like something done about the spillage from the silos.
McKellar ward councillor Brian Hamilton sympathizes with him,
He's looking into the situation, but says the city bylaw department "is completely swamped right now. We're dealing with a really taxed administration that keeps having to do more work due to council decisions. They need help."
Hamilton said he has met with other property-owners in the area, and they all have the same concerns that Stovel has.
