Published on: Oct 18, 2025 02:52 pm IST
People called out PETA India for urging a reversal of the pigeon feeding ban in Mumbai.
PETA India responded after facing severe backlash over its petition to “save Mumbai pigeons, ” urging Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to reverse his feeding ban order. In a tweet, the organisation claimed “pigeon-related health risks are exaggerated.”
What did Peta India post?
“An RTI response from Mumbai’s three largest civic hospitals shows that only 0.3% of respiratory illness cases in 2024 were linked to pigeon exposure. International research also demonstrates that the risk of disease transmission from pigeons to humans is very low, even for people who are in close and regular contact with them. And pigeons are naturally resistant to bird flu,” the organisation wrote.
In the following lines, PETA India shared about “practical steps” it has proposed to the government.
“Designating specific feeding times and hubs at kabutarkhanas, ensuring regular cleaning and sanitation at these sites, and installing multilingual messages educating the public on proper feeding practices and the minimal health risks posed by pigeons.”
About Peta India’s petition:
“Mumbai’s skies wouldn’t be the same without pigeons. With feeding bans, these gentle birds face starvation. Human Mumbaikars turned into ‘pigeons’ to remind everyone pigeons belong here too,” the animal rights group had posted earlier on October 10. They shared a video which shows people going about their daily lives while wearing huge pigeon masks.
What did social media say?
After the outrage over the petition, Peta India’s statement failed to appease people. An individual retorted, “Pigeons can transmit diseases like cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, and psittacosis through exposure to their droppings.” Another added, “Pigeons are flying rats. Small numbers might not impact much. But if there are hordes, this has an extremely detrimental impact on the health of residents (respiratory issues, disease transmission, etc). Urge most Indians to be (health) aware.”
A third remarked, “You animal rights activists never think about the country. Pigeon poop is a danger to human health. Dogs and pigeons are the biggest threats to the nation. Their population must be reduced in the coming years.” A fourth wrote, “They are not birds; they are disease-causing rats that unfortunately can fly.”
