Pigeon fans have loftier ambitions

PETER Ross's article (Spectrum, 7 March) left me a bit disappointed as it seems to put out the wrong message to the public about pigeon fanciers.

There are many beautiful lofts up and down the country with working people as fanciers. It is not a dirty or a cheap sport to be involved in. It is time-consuming and much knowledge of the birds is needed. It will sadden many people that you have painted a very bleak picture of the way the sport is seen now. Your writer's background on the sport is not quite right, and this is damaging to its future and public perception.

I would like to put Peter Ross in touch with the many pigeon fanciers who are not unemployed and who do have lofts which cost a considerable amount of money and expense to keep their birds and the sport going.

Avril Douglas, Ballindean