County can't ban pigeon shoots

Wednesday, June 3, 1992

The Herald-News (Joliet, IL)

By Lea B. Kerr

Activists opposed to cruelty to wildlife pledged to keep up the ammunition against pigeon shoots in Will County.

Their efforts to get a county law banning such events drew a temporary setback due to a legal opinion from State's Attorney Edward Burmila Jr.

He said the county does not have home-rule powers and any law would have to come through the Legislature.

Led by Steven Hindi of Plano, the group set its sights on Will County after learning about pigeon shoots near Blodgett and Kelly Roads, northwest of Wilmington. Hindi was acquitted of a Nov. 25 disorderly conduct arrest from his protest at one of the shoots.

Hindi said he will ask Attorney General Roland Burris for an opinion on whether pigeon shoots are legal in Illinois.

In a report to the county board's Health, Aging and Education Committee, Burmila cited conflicting laws on whether the county can ban pigeon shoots on private property. The Wilmington shot reportedly was on grounds of a club with county liquor license.

Burmila said the Legislature has not given non-home rule units authority to restrict or license pigeon shoots. The Legislature, he said, repealed a law allowed the Department of Conservation to regulate and license killing because pigeons are not in a protected class, like crows and pheasants.

Burmila also said the law for issuing licenses may have conflicted with Illinois' Humane Care for Animals Act. It bans owning, capture, breeding, training or leasing animals for intentional killing for sport, wagering or entertainment. He said shooting pigeons raised as targets may be a state violation.

Committee Chairman Kerry Sheridan, R-Shorewood, and member William Blatnick, R-Lockport, agreed with member Charles Cain, D-Joliet, that "we owe it to the citizens of Will County to take a stand" even if it has to be restricted now to preventing cruelty to animals.

Hindi had had described heads being ripped off some of the wounded birds to kill them after they fell to the ground.

Blatnik's resolution was approved, subscribing to and agreeing with the request for humanity to pigeons and other animals.