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Pellet neighbour - upsetting post

Tanya40
24/10/2021 11:30

Hi

I’ve signed up for advice. Sorry it’s an upsetting post but I’m not sure how to handle the situation best.

My neighbour shoots starlings and now sparrows in his front garden with a pellet gun. His garden has lots of bushes etc and his wife feeds birds but he shoots them. I can’t see if they’re injured or killed but sometimes they come out after and I’m assuming they’re cleaning up birds. 

I believe he shot at a cat in my garden (missed and cat stayed snoozing oblivious to it) and my children no longer play out front.

what can I do? Is it illegal for him to use a pellet gun in a garden so close to another house? Is it illegal to injure sparrows? Is this a police matter?

I have read other posts and tried to research on the web but get mixed answers. Has anyone experienced this and what did you do?

 Thanks 

  • 24/10/2021 12:12
    Hi Tanya,
    I did reply on the other thread, it is an offence and a police matter
    from BASC website Quote "It is also against the law to discharge any firearm (including air rifles) within 50 feet of the centre of a highway (which consists of or comprises a carriageway) IF in consequence a user of the highway is injured, interrupted or endangered. These offences could be committed, for example, when someone is shooting in their garden close to a public highway and the pellets ricochet onto the highway injuring someone." Un-quote
  • 24/10/2021 14:06

    Tanya, Like Germain, I have responded on the other thread about awful neighbours; see it for more, but best of luck! You may know that you can respond by clicking either the 'reply' button under someone's post or clicking on the 'reply to thread' button at the bottom of each page.

  • 24/10/2021 14:54
    Thanks - I worked out how to post a thread in the end :) I replied on the other one too. I’ll see if I can delete this one
    Tanya
  • 24/10/2021 16:44

    Tanya if you wish to delete this thread you can find edit/delete under the more button but I think the answers with still exist

  • 31/10/2021 18:13
    Hi Tanya,
    That is so upsetting. All wild birds are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act so therefore it is illegal (a criminal offence) to kill them. There is no, by law, justifiable reason for them to kill those birds. And of course many starlings and sparrows are declining. They absolutely should be imprisoned. See if you can get recording (evidence) as otherwise unfortunately they may be unable to be charged.
    Its great that you are looking to help. Hope those poor birds get justice.
    Kind regards,
  • 01/11/2021 12:24

    Tanya40 said:

    Hi

    I’ve signed up for advice. Sorry it’s an upsetting post but I’m not sure how to handle the situation best.

    My neighbour shoots starlings and now sparrows in his front garden with a pellet gun. His garden has lots of bushes etc and his wife feeds birds but he shoots them. I can’t see if they’re injured or killed but sometimes they come out after and I’m assuming they’re cleaning up birds. 

    I believe he shot at a cat in my garden (missed and cat stayed snoozing oblivious to it) and my children no longer play out front.

    what can I do? Is it illegal for him to use a pellet gun in a garden so close to another house? Is it illegal to injure sparrows? Is this a police matter?

    I have read other posts and tried to research on the web but get mixed answers. Has anyone experienced this and what did you do?

     Thanks 

    Thankfully I've not had an issue like this, though I do understand your concerns.

    For reference, there's been another thread of a very similar nature posted by another forum member, and that thread is: "Neighbour catapulting stones at birds in my garden" on the following link.

    https://community.rspb.org.uk/chat/f/hello/207256/neighbour-catapulting-stones-at-birds-in-my-garden

    I might be wise to have a read through the responses on that thread.

    My first thoughts are, its police matter.

    Something else I shared on the other thread, Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, and if you can work your way through the legal jargon, its worth a read.

    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/69

    Also worth a look is the BASC (British Association for Shooting and Conservation) website, they advise all country folk that have to use firearms as part of their work.

    https://basc.org.uk/

    There is also lots of good advice from other forum members on the other thread: "Neighbour catapulting stones at birds in my garden" worth reading.

    https://community.rspb.org.uk/chat/f/hello/207256/neighbour-catapulting-stones-at-birds-in-my-garden