A pensioner was caught on CCTV running over a pigeon with his mobility scooter and then killing it with his stick.
Melville Shalders, 67, claimed to be an “animal lover” who was only trying to put the animal out of its misery.
Last Monday, he appeared to veer towards the bird before mowing it down with his blue buggy on a pedestrianized street in Norwich.
He then continued at about 4 mph before stopping to inspect the injured bird, which is flapping its wings.
Shalders stated that it was an accident and that he was sorry: ‘I only did it because the pigeon was in a lot of pain.’
He added that he loves animals so much so that he has worked at an animal sanctuary, according to The Sun.
He was seen on CCTV outside vegan cafe Tofurei on St Gregory’s Alley in Norwich.
Peck Savers, a local pigeon protection group, has since chastised Shalders for the incident.
‘We aren’t asking anyone to like pigeons, but just to have basic respect and decency towards their existence, as indeed you should for any sentient animal,’ said one member on Facebook.
Norwich Police have since logged the incident as a killing of a wild bird under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, according to the group.
Police have not confirmed whether they have spoken with Shalders.
source:nsemwokrom.com
