Storm Lake, Iowa — After several months of discussions, the Storm Lake City Council has narrowly passed a homing pigeon ordinance.
Up to one hundred domestic pigeons will be allowed on a single property within Storm Lake city limits. City officials began debating the topic after complaints about the number of birds in the city. A Storm Lake resident said their family raised homing pigeons as a hobby — for races. Storm Lake City Councilman Kevin McKinney opposes letting up to 100 pigeons occupy a single property — and he questions how the ordinance can be enforced.
Storm Lake’s city manager says they’re planning to set up a licensing process. It will require that pigeons be wearing leg bands showing their owner’s name. Scott Olsen is a building official for the City of Storm Lake.
In the sport of pigeon racing, trained homing pigeons are taken to a racing spot, released and timed for how long it takes the birds to fly home. Under state law, it is illegal to kill, capture or detain a homing pigeon that has the name of its owner on the band around its leg.
(Courtesy fellow Community First Broadcasting station KAYL in Storm Lake)
