Pigeon hooked and used as bait in sickening act in Epping

A pigeon was tied up with hooks and fishing lines and thrown to circling falcons as live bait in a sickening act of animal cruelty witnessed in Epping last night, which stopped only when a good Samaritan intervened.

A good Samaritan intervened and rescued the pigeon, but it was put down. Picture: Anna Balakas

A HORRIFYING case of animal cruelty has been uncovered in Epping.

Footage and photos of a pigeon, tied with hooks and fishing lines was uploaded on social media by a disturbed woman who came across the nauseating scene in the Stocklands paddock off Findon Rd about 5.10pm yesterday.

Anna Balakas told 3AW she saw a man “throwing” the hooked pigeon in the air near circling falcons.

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She believed he was “using this pigeon as bait to either video record its demise by the falcons I saw swooping it, or to see where it was taken to find their nests or possibly bait them,” she said.

“To my horror I’ve seen the poor bird attached to a massive string line, wearing a harness that’s made up of wire and rope and fishing line,” she told 3AW.

A baited pigeon found in Epping yesterday.

After confronting the man who said it was not his bird Ms Balakas took the bird to a vet where it was euthanised, she said.

“Sadly it would have died anyway,” she said.

“The harness had actually cut into its neckline, it couldn’t feed.”

She believed the man responsible for the sickening incident was driving a white dual cab ute.

If you have any information contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.