A bill aiming to ban live pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania is gaining traction. Proposed by Bucks County’s State Rep. Perry Warren, the legislation recently advanced through the House Judiciary Committee and now awaits full legislative approval, writes Greg Vellner for The Reporter.  

This measure seeks to amend Pennsylvania’s criminal code to outlaw the practice, currently exempt from the state’s animal cruelty laws. 

Live pigeon shoots involve captive birds being shot for sport, a practice held at locations like the Philadelphia Gun Club in Bensalem. 

Critics, including animal rights advocates like Heidi Prescott of the Humane Society, argue these events offer little sport and cause unnecessary animal suffering, urging participants to opt for clay targets instead. 

The bill, H.B. 2139, distinguishes between live pigeon shoots and traditional hunting or Second Amendment rights.  

Warren emphasized the urgency of the bill, stating it’s “far past time” for Pennsylvania to end such practices. 

Read more about the Bucks County bill banning pigeon shooting in The Reporter.  

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